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Press release 15.8.2012

Statistics Finland surveys studying among adults

This August is the starting month of Statistics Finland's Adult Education Survey 2012, which is an extensive survey of post-comprehensive school education and learning among the adult population in Finland. Statistics Finland is interviewing over 6,000 persons aged between 18 and 69 in Finland for the survey. The interviews will be completed by the end of 2012.

The survey examines participation in education, needs and wishes for education and opinions in general about education among the adult population. The survey also studies IT and language skills, and participation in diverse free-time activities.

"We are interested in all studying that is related to people's occupations, or fee-time or hobbies. Even if a person selected to the survey has not participated in education, that too is important information from the point of the whole survey," says Senior Statistician Helena Niemi from Statistics Finland.

The data are collected by Statistics Finland's own, nationwide network of interviewers. All collected data will be treated as strictly confidential and information concerning an individual respondent cannot be distinguished from the survey results that will be published in the form of statistics.

Adult Education Survey is part of European survey project

The Adult Education Survey is part of the Adult Education Survey project of Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, and it is conducted in 32 European countries. In Finland, the survey is implemented as a joint project between Statistics Finland and the Ministry of Education and Culture. Adult Education Surveys have been conducted in Finland since1980 at intervals of around five years.

"The survey allows us to see how this kind of education has changed during a period of over 30 years, and also compare adult education in different countries in Europe," says Helena Niemi.

The survey data will be used in Finland in the drafting of educational policy and as a basis for decision-making. Internationally, the survey results will be exploited in, for instance, setting of targets for lifelong learning in the European Union and in the monitoring of their achievement.

The initial results of the survey will be published on Statistics Finland's website in 2013.

Inquiries: Helena Niemi +358 9 1734 2488

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

Adult Education Survey

Adult education survey (Data collection)

Appendix: Number of Adult Education Survey 2012 interviewees by region (pdf, 56 Kb, 1 p.)