Finland, a country located in northern Europe, is synonymous of high quality teaching. The Finnish educational system offers basic education, higher education and vocational training of excellence. Joining Finland's leading research institutions, which are among the best in the international ranking, Finland University is now a partner of Feevale University, which has already been cooperating with universities in Finland since 2006, and will prepare its teachers to be able to work with  methodologies and technologies of the Finnish institutions.

The collaborative and educational partnership, established by Feevale University's rector Cleber Prodanov and Finland's CEO Pekka Saavalainen, is unprecedented in Rio Grande  do Sul and will enable the advancement of joint educational projects. It is planned to carry out  tasks focused on university programs and staff development, with intensive training of Feevale professors, including seminars, exchange and field trips, as well as the execution of special projects and the creation of joint graduate programs.

According to Prodanov, the partnership represents the consolidation of the quality of Feevale University. "Finland is one of the most innovative countries in education and, with the initiative; we will be pioneers in the model of competency-based education and project-based learning, as well as in the formative assessment and recognition of the teacher’s work”, says Prodanov. He also emphasizes that the partnership will enable the Institution to advance in the qualification of its professors and courses and also in the educational culture of Feevale University, from the basic to higher education.

The Director of Operation for Brazil and Latin America from Finland University, Jarkko Wickström, says that the Institution is very happy to expand its cooperation network to Rio Grande do Sul. "Feevale already has agreements with some of our member universities and now signs partnership with the Finland University network, "says Wickstrom.

Finland University is a consortium made up of four of Finland's leading public universities - University of Eastern Finland, University of Tampere, University of Turku and Abo Akademi - which share the best practices of the educational system in the country. The Finnish system has ensured the country a leading position in education and is recognized for its pioneering and successful implementation of some of the main pillars of education in the 21st century.

The focus of the partnership will be the learning innovative practices training for Feevale University teachers. Finnish professors will teach classes and, in the future, there will be an internal sharing, reaching all university professors. It is expected that 60 teachers will attend the courses each semester.

Feevale University currently has partnerships with 117 foreign institutions, located in 27 countries. The Institution was the first Brazilian university to have an agreement with universities in Finland: in 2006 with Häme University of Applied Scienses (Hamk) and in 2008 with University of Tampere. Feevale also has an alliance for knowledge - Beyond Alliance for Knowledge (BAK) - with  Hamk (Finland) and Via University College (Denmark).

The Director of International and Institutional Affairs from Feevale, Paula Casari Cundari, emphasizes that globalization accelerates the internationalization process of higher education. "Brazil, Finland and Denmark, for example, have invested in Latin-American collaboration, promoting cooperation in teaching, science, technology and innovation, with  impact in the three countries, says Paula.