Equal Career Opportunities, Acceptance and
Tolerance for Foreign Academic Workers
During the past decade, the annual rate of foreign
visiting scholars spending more than two weeks at
Finnish universities has varied between 2012 visits
(in 2000) and 1631 visits (in 2008). In 2008, altogether
999 foreign scholars visited Finnish universities
at least for a month. The average duration
of their stay was slightly over four months.
From 1990 onwards, the number of such visiting
scholars has remained almost the same, the highest
rate being 1357 visiting scholars in 1995.
These statistics, however, do not include foreign
scholars working at universities on a more permanent
basis; it seems that there are no formal statistics
on academic workers with a foreign background.
In encounters with our foreign colleagues
in the group of foreign academic workers in the
Tampere University Association of Researchers
and Teachers (Tatte), we have learned that foreign
academics face considerable difficulties in Finnish
universities. To begin with, some of these problems
are outlined below:
- 1. The unstable nature of the work or research contract.
This is encountered as the most severe difficulty.
Most of the foreign employees are occupied
in teaching and/or research positions where the
funding coming from the Finnish State or other
sources is, in most cases, guaranteed only for a
few months.
- 2. Difficulties in learning the Finnish language.
This is a serious problem that might sometimes
prove to be a communication barrier for further
socialization with Finnish colleagues. The lack of
Finnish language skills seems to exclude foreigners
from many social, cultural, and sports events,
and even from every day coffee and lunch break
conversations.
- 3. Difficulties in finding new friends among Finns
as well as other foreigners. Some interpret this as a
consequence of point 2 above and some as an issue
of general acceptance and tolerance of the
others. It seems that in Finland integration of foreigners into the Finnish society is a more preferable
option than a multicultural and multilingual
society. Many foreign researchers are, however,
wondering why does foreigners’ integration into
the Finnish society seem to be the only solution
that is widely supported by individual Finns and
the Finnish State initiatives alike? Furthermore,
why do the benefits to be gained from the richness
of a multicultural and multilingual society
rarely get mentioned?
- 4. Unequal opportunities for work and employment
with the Finnish academic workers. It seems that
hardly ever do the international colleagues feel
that in the context and environment of academic
work they are equally treated and their knowledge
equally highly appreciated. On the contrary, they
feel that in comparison with their Finnish colleagues
(i) their opportunities for formal state financial
support (e.g. state funded research
projects) are limited; and (ii) their professional
and personal development is restricted.
- 5. Lack of vital information on work rights. This,
along with the lack of information on social and
political rights, is currently the case in many
workplaces where foreign academic and research
workers are occupied. Finnish university researchers
are not adequately informed on their
right to holidays (!) and on the amount of extra
holiday money they should righteously get for
their vacation.
On top of these difficulties, together with the demanding
weather conditions and social isolation,
a number of foreign and Finnish academic workers
have repeatedly reported academic discrimination
of foreigners. In the university context of
work-related tasks and duties, a clear sign of unequal
work opportunities can be seen in the case of
new job advertisements and application rounds:
unwanted foreign applicants are often carefully
eliminated or discouraged by using Finnish language
in the job tasks’ specification. A general bitter remark is that seldom is a foreign Ph.D. graduate
appointed for a further teaching or research
position. Once the Ph.D. studies are completed,
the cycle of staying and working in Finland closes;
with a few proverbial exceptions – as in every
rule. Many research studies report that in the
Finnish media in general, people with immigrant
background are rarely interviewed as being specialists
or experts on something. Most often they
are only being discussed as “immigrants” without
specifying who or why they are in Finland. It is
other Finnish people (such as employers, supervisors
or government officers) who talk on the foreigners’
behalf.
On the basis of our knowledge and experience, we
would like to share some pieces of concrete and
practical advice with all foreign and Finnish academic
workers.
What to do? - Practical advice for the foreign academic
and research staff
- 1. Join the local professional union of researchers,
scientists and lecturers. For a start, visit The Finnish
Union of Academic Researchers and Teachers
(FUURT) web pages. They include useful resources
on the new work environment and society
adaptation. Additionally, you will have a source
of significant information such as work, social,
political rights. As a member, you will always find
all sorts of legal support, insurance, work contract
assistance, and so on.
- 2. Try to learn the Finnish language and communicate in it. It is an important skill to show your
good will and commitment to the new work
place, and the first and foremost step to understanding
on what is going around you, wherever
you are in Finland.
- 3. Get information on scientific, academic and other
forms of discrimination. Are there any legal
grounds for your exclusion from some forms of
working life, or/and do you have the right for
some particular treatment at work?
- 4. Speak up! If you do not voice your grievances,
other people – the union, the Finnish state, the
employer and fellow employees – will never know
of them. This is more than a right; it is a moral
obligation for yourself and other fellow workers
that face similar problems. Do not be passive, if
you want to bring about reforms.
- 5. Have patience and try! Do not run away from
Finland after experiencing a few difficulties. A
change in the attitudes towards foreigners and in
the overall work culture is coming; only very
slowly. After all, life and work in Finland has
many opportunities and advantages.
The bitterness due to the clearly unequal opportunities
makes many profound foreign and Finnish
academic workers choose to leave Finland and
start building their future in the USA, Canada, the
UK or Sweden, to mention just a few countries,
where legislation treats foreign workers better.
These countries, for instance, accommodate multicultural,
international staff in academic and scientific
institutes that openly announce themselves
as being equal opportunities employers for all
ethnic and other minorities. Furthermore, the
mass media of these countries have a longer tradition
in showing the talents and potential of immigrants,
while Finnish media still project work
related immigration mainly just as a general
strength of Finnish commerce and economy,
without referring to the well-being and work-life
balance of foreign knowledge workers.
What happens in the Finnish Universities nowadays
(new work contracts, new University law,
Bologna process for European integration, etc.)
affect both foreigners and Finnish academic
workers alike. Foreigners might have already experienced
similar changes in other academic environments
and could bring invaluable knowledge
to consider regarding the consequences of such
decisions on the working lives and work-life balance
phenomena in other academic institutions.
It is of vital significance to realize that Finnish
and foreign academic staff should try to understand
the work environment they live in, and
eventually change and transform it to a better one
for all. Internationalization (also of Finnish business,
Finnish education, Finnish culture etc.) is a
key issue for social progress and economical prosperity.
These can only happen if we accept others’
values, knowledge and ethnicity and dignify other
humans´ requests with respectful words and actions.
Therefore, the following are also some practical
advice for the Finnish people.
Advice for Finnish colleagues, employers and the
Finnish State:
- 1. Learn English (or the foreigners’ language) and
practice it! Nowadays the need for being international
and global requires further knowledge, especially
on languages and cultures. Finns are
known as multilingual persons who enjoy
traveling to exotic places and getting acquainted
with other cultures. As the current financial crisis
might be fatal for the usual Finnish tourist destinations,
it could be cost- and time-effective to
utilize the Finnish multilingual and -cultural environment.
- 2. Have patience and be polite! Finns, again, are
known to be polite and calm people. Imagine yourself as a newcomer in a small country where
the language is not an easy one to learn. You
would then like work, dignity, recognition, friends
and social life, … decent salary for living yourself
and your family. You would be very unhappy if
you are experiencing communication difficulties,
extreme weather conditions, isolation and some
form of work contract that underestimates your
knowledge, skills and future potential.
- 3. Take a more active, mentoring role. Welcome
and support the new foreigners by organizing and
participating in inter-cultural events, multilingual
content websites, and information sessions.
Above all, the Finnish state and Finnish employers
(e.g. the Finnish Universities and the Ministry
of Education) should adopt a more active role in
informing their foreign staff on their rights and
obligations, and they should help them in a
smooth adaptation or/and integration process
into a society that is not multicultural. There is a
centrally and politically decided view, supported
by most of the political parties, that Finland
needs more foreigners and different scientific
viewpoints and experiences. To live up to this
view, then, a demonstrated commitment and concrete
support is needed.
Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Finnish and
foreign colleagues for openly and honestly sharing
their experiences and discussing their opinions
with us. Special thanks to Anne Koski, Sinikka
Torkkola and Kirsti Sintonen for the timely information,
assistance and thorough editing.
Thanks also to Joel Kuortti for lanquage consultation.
Eleni Berki, Ikponwosa Omogieva Ekunwe and
Reeta Pöyhtäri:
The writers work as researchers
in the University of Tampere, and have been active
in the group of foreign academic workers of
Tampere University Association of Researchers
and Teachers (Tatte).
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