On 13 January 2026, we were given a talk on Higher Education in Finland: A strategic look at its role in the Education system and what can be learned from higher education policies in the UK by Birgitta Vuorinen, Counsellor, Education and Science, Embassy of Finland, London.
Finland is known for its high-quality education system striving for educational equity, equality and excellence, at all levels. Finland invests in building a strong foundation for learning in early childhood education and care, offers inclusive comprehensive education as well as upper secondary general education and VET, which both give eligibility for degree studies either at academically oriented universities or professionally oriented universities of applied sciences.
A well-functioning education system has been crucial in transforming Finland from a poor war-torn nation to a prosperous, innovative society in a relatively short time. Today, Finland is renowned as one of the most innovative economies in the world.
Birgitta Vuorinen talked about the role of higher education, research and international cooperation in these fields in today’s Finland. She also shared her view on the UK’s higher education and research policies Finland could learn from.
About Birgitta Vuorinen
Birgitta Vuorinen joined the Embassy of Finland in London in 2022 as Counsellor for Higher Education and Science. She relocated to London from the Finnish Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, where she had worked in various roles since 1995. Her latest position at the Ministry was Director of Higher Education Policy Unit (2019-2021), before that she was Head of the Group for Government Key Projects (2016-2018). In her roles she has been involved in European policy making in the context of the Nordic Council of Ministers, European Union and Bologna Process.
In London, her task is to follow higher education and science policy in the UK, foster opportunities for cooperation, promote Finland’s visibility, and assist Finnish higher education institutions, research institutes and other innovation ecosystem stakeholders in their endeavours for closer cooperation with British parties.
Birgitta Vuorinen belongs to Team Finland Knowledge Network which consists of eight higher education and science experts stationed in seven countries and eight cities: Beijing, London, Los Angeles, New Delhi, Pretoria, São Paulo, Singapore and Washington. All experts work in Finnish missions abroad.
Birgitta Vuorinen graduated from the University of Jyväskylä in 1995 with a Master’s Degree in Educational Sciences.
Patrick Salmon, Chief Historian at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and A-FS Council member gave an insightful talk on Churchill’s Baltic Vision in the Allen Room on 17 February 2026. As Patrick explained, Winston Churchill never visited the Baltic, but it held an important place in his strategic imagination at key points in his long career in politics. In both world wars, he dreamed of inflicting a dramatic defeat on Germany via Scandinavia and the Baltic. After the Russian Revolution he hoped to defeat Bolshevism in partnership with Finnish General Mannerheim. Patrick asked the question as to whether any of these ambitions could have been achieved. With perceptive analysis he explored the strengths and limitations of Churchill’s Baltic Vision.
Patrick Salmon has published extensively on Scandinavian and Baltic history, including Scandinavia and the Great Powers 1890-1940 (1997) and Deadlock and Diversion: Scandinavia in British Strategy during the Twilight War 1939-1940 (2012). Patrick has been a member of the A-FS Council since 2017.
On 9 March 2026, David Pearson gave a talk on “Forging Kalevala in Music: Inside a Composer’s Creative Process” at the Church of St Magnus the Martyr, London Bridge.
We were offered a rare chance to witness how music is created in real time. Composer David Pearson shared how he is approaching Finland’s national epic, Kalevala, as the foundation of a four‑opera cycle — a project echoing the scale and ambition of Wagner’s Ring. He discussed the challenges and discoveries involved in:
– shaping a libretto from a vast and symbolically rich poetic source
– navigating the complexities of Kalevala Finnish
– interpreting the mythic and archetypal layers of the text
– structuring a monumental narrative into four coherent operas.
The talk included musical illustrations and a live view of the composer’s working drafts, textual analysis and score materials.
The setting was the historic Grade I listed Church of St Magnus the Martyr, one of Sir Christopher Wren’s finest post-fire churches. Its Nordic connections run deep – St Magnus was Earl of Orkney when the islands formed part of the Kingdom of Norway. We could also enjoy the church’s magnificent, world-famous model of medieval London Bridge.
David’s background is in economics, corporate finance, culture change and leadership, but he has also studied music, and together with his interest in Finnish cultural history, this has inspired him to take on the task of setting Kalevala in music. He also manages to find the time to act as the A-FS Treasurer.
On 14 April 2026, our AGM took place again at the Finnish Residence in Kensington Palace Gardens. We remain grateful to H.E. The Ambassador of Finland, Mr Teemu Turunen, Hon. President of our Society, for hosting us with a convivial reception after the AGM. We also heard our Member Olli Cunningham play on the grand piano one of his beautiful compositions Beauty Awakens from his album Preludes which was released last year on 27 November 2025..
