Liberal adult education: documentation of statistics
The documentation of the statistics describes how the statistics were compiled and what methods were used in the compilation. The data help interpret the figures of the statistics and evaluate their reliability and comparability. The quality report is based on the EU's SIMS model. The documentation also contains change releases describing changes in the statistics and possible specifying methodological descriptions.
If you are looking for statistical figures for these statistics, go to the statistics page: Liberal adult education
Quality report
Data description (SIMS 3.1)
The statistics on liberal adult education describe the liberal adult education and training arranged by liberal adult educational institutions, such as adult education centres, folk high schools, summer universities, study centres and sports institutes. Data are collected from organisers of education and published annually.
Sector coverage (SIMS 3.3)
The statistics contain data on liberal adult education organised by music schools and colleges, sports institutes, folk high schools, adult education centres, summer universities and study circle centres.
The statistics include data on the volume of adult education provided by educational institutions, the number of students, and the teaching hours provided by teachers according to the principal content of the education.
Statistical unit (SIMS 3.5)
The observation units in the section describing liberal adult education are education and training, students and lessons provided by teachers.
Statistical population (SIMS 3.6)
The data in the statistics on liberal adult education are based on data collected for Statistics Finland by organisers of liberal adult education from sports institutes, folk high schools, adult education centres, summer universities and study centres of educational associations.
In addition, starting from 2024, data are produced for the statistics concerning compulsory education arranged by folk high schools as liberal adult education (folk high school year for those of compulsory education age) from the KOSKI database.
The data represent total data.
Reference area (SIMS 3.7)
The reference area is the whole of Finland, both Mainland Finland and the Åland Islands.
Data are published at the municipal level and according to other regional classifications.
Time coverage (SIMS 3.8)
The compiling of the statistics on the adult education of educational institutions, based on the data collection concerning educational institutions’ education not leading to a qualification or degree, began from 2004.
Starting from the data for 2024, the data for the statistics are collected in the data collection on liberal adult education and basic art education and the name of the statistics was changed into statistics on liberal adult education. At the same time, the contents of the statistics changed to apply only to liberal adult education.
In addition, starting from 2024, data are produced for the statistics concerning compulsory education arranged by folk high schools as liberal adult education (folk high school year for those of compulsory education age) from the KOSKI database.
The statistics are final.
Unit of measure (SIMS 4)
The number of trainings, students and the number of lessons provided by teachers are published.
Reference period (SIMS 5)
The reference period is a calendar year.
Classifications (SIMS 3.2)
The following classifications are used in the statistics:
- age
- content of education
- educational background
- main type of activity
- mother tongue
- type of educational institution
Concepts and definitions (SIMS 3.4)
Additional education
In the statistics on comprehensive school education and special education and in the statistics on adult education of educational institutions, additional education in comprehensive school refers to the optional additional class (10th class) of one year's duration available for young people having completed the syllabus of comprehensive school education. Pupils in additional education also include special support receiving pupils that are in extended compulsory education.
Basic art education
Education outside comprehensive school in various fields of art, primarily intended for children and young people, not leading to a qualification or degree. Basic art education is provided, for example, at music schools and colleges, art schools, dance institutions and handicrafts schools. Basic art education provided as liberal adult education refers to basic art education organised at liberal adult education institutions, funded with central government transfers for liberal adult education.
Compulsory education
According to the Act on Compulsory Education, in order to complete compulsory education, a person must complete the primary and lower secondary education syllabus and then continue to education aiming at an upper secondary qualification or other education referred to in the act. Education belonging to compulsory education can be such as liberal adult education aimed at students of compulsory education age at folk high schools (so called folk high school year for those of compulsory education age). Folk high school year for those of compulsory education age refers to education lasting one school year intended for completers of comprehensive school of compulsory education age.
Educational institution
An educational institution refers to an administrative unit with a principal or other head, which has teachers and other personnel in its service (role of employers), and which is liable to keep books and compile other documentation, in which students are registered, whose activities are regulated by a legal act or decree, which follows a national curriculum, and which is financed and controlled by a public authority. An educational institution does not refer to a school building or facility. A new educational institution is established, an educational institution is abolished or merged with another educational institution at the decision of the organiser of education (maintainer of the educational institution) or a public authority. Statistics Finland has assigned an individualised educational institution ID to each educational institution. Educational institutions are classified according to a classification of types of educational institutions.
General education
Education intended to provide information and skills which facilitate functioning and influencing in society. Comment: General education comprises pre-primary education, comprehensive education, general upper secondary education and other non-vocational studies, for example, at liberal adult education institutions.
Lesson
In the compilation of statistics on liberal adult education and basic art education, lessons refer to the lessons provided by teachers (lecturers, etc.). N.B! A lesson is used as the unit of time in education, planning education and administration. The duration of a lesson is usually 45 to 60 minutes.
Student
Teaching hour
Institutional mandate (SIMS 6)
The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. The Statistics Act contains provisions on collection of data, processing of data and the obligation to provide data. Besides the Statistics Act, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act and the Act on the Openness of Government Activities are applied to processing of data when producing statistics.
Statistics Finland compiles statistics in line with the EU’s regulations applicable to statistics, which steer the statistical agencies of all EU Member States.
Further information: Statistical legislation
Data sharing (SIMS 6.2)
Data of the statistics are made available to the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education in accordance with the H9098-OKM-OPH information service agreement.
Source data (SIMS 18.1)
The data of the statistics on liberal adult education are based on the data collection on liberal adult education and basic art education directed at educational institutions, which is implemented through the organisers of the education.
The data on compulsory education arranged by folk high schools as liberal adult education (folk high school year for those of compulsory education age) derive from the Koski data resource.
Frequency of data collection (SIMS 18.2)
The data collection on liberal adult education and basic art education is carried out once a year.
Data collection (SIMS 18.3)
The data concerning liberal adult education are collected from the organisers of the education, who organise the data collection from their respective educational institutions (sports institutes, folk high schools, adult education centres, summer universities and study centres).
The data collection is implemented as a web inquiry. The clarity and usability of the web form used for data collection were tested at the time of its implementation.
The non-response of the data collection is monitored after the actual data collection time. The monitoring examines which educational institutions have not responded by the deadline. Non-responding institutions will be sent a reminder to respond.
Data validation (SIMS 18.4)
The data of the statistics on liberal adult education are validated at many stages during the statistical process. During the processing of the data, the high quality of the data is ensured through various statistical verification programs, data requests addressed to data providers as well as by comparing the data with previous comparable statistics and other data sources.
Data compilation (SIMS 18.5)
The data are checked by preparing verification lists and tables from the unit-level data (educational institution), which are reviewed. If necessary, the organisers of education are contacted to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
User needs (SIMS 12.1)
The statistics form part of the materials delivered to the education administration in accordance with the data service agreement between the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education. The education administration publishes institution-specific data based on the material in its own Vipunen statistical service.
The statistics are also used by, among others, education providers, organisations and associations, researchers, universities, and private individuals.
The data are used, among other things, for education planning, research, and evaluation.
User satisfaction (SIMS 12.2)
The content of the data service agreement materials is negotiated annually with the education administration.
Non-sampling error (SIMS 13.3)
It is ensured that data have been received from all educational institutions belonging to the target population. The data are subjected to error checks, and if necessary, educational institutions are contacted to correct incomplete or erroneous information.
Quality assurance (SIMS 11.1)
Quality management requires comprehensive guidance of activities. The European Statistics Code of Practice forms the basis for the common quality system of the European Statistical System.
The Code of Practice is based on 16 principles that concern statistical authorities' independence, accountability and the quality of the processes and data to be published.
The principles are in line with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics approved by the United Nations Statistics Commission and are supplementary to them. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
Further information: European Statistics Code of Practice | Statistics Finland and Recommendations of the Advisory Board of Official Statistics of Finland | Statistics Finland
Quality assessment (SIMS 11.2)
The principles of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM principles) are employed by Statistics Finland as its the overall framework for quality management. The quality management framework of the field of statistics is the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP). The frameworks complement each other. The quality criteria of Official Statistics of Finland are also compatible with the European Statistics Code of Practice.
The quality of the statistics on liberal adult education is assessed in several different stages of the statistical process.
During the processing of the data, the high quality of the data is ensured through various statistical verification programs, data requests addressed to data providers as well as by comparing the data with previous comparable statistics and other data sources.
Timeliness (SIMS 14.1)
The data on liberal adult education are published approximately 11 months after the reference period.
Punctuality (SIMS 14.2)
There are no delays between the release calendar and the actual release date.
Comparability - geographical (SIMS 15.1)
The statistics on liberal adult education cover the whole of Finland.
Comparability - over time (SIMS 15.2)
The compiling of the statistics describing the adult education of educational institutions began in the early 1990s. The statistical population expanded over the years from vocational institutes to general educational institutions and universities of applied sciences. The statistics previously also included adult education leading to a qualification or degree. There is a comparable time series on the participants and lessons provided by teachers for the years 2004 to 2022.
From 2024 onwards, the statistics cover only education and training organised by liberal adult education institutions.
Coherence – cross domain (SIMS 15.3)
The data contained in the statistics on liberal adult education are based on the same data sources and they are compiled according to the same principles as other education statistics of Statistics Finland. These statistics can be used in parallel, provided that the specific characteristics of the statistics are taken into account.
Coherence - sub-annual and annual statistics (SIMS 15.3.1)
The data are published for the statistical year and do not include sub‑annual data. The statistical data are consistent across different years.
Coherence - internal (SIMS 15.4)
The data are internally coherent.
Release calendar (SIMS 8.1)
Statistics Finland publishes new statistical data at 8 am on weekdays in its web service. The release times of statistics are given in advance in the release calendar available in the web service. The data become public after they have been updated in the web service.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics at Statistics Finland
Release calendar access (SIMS 8.2)
Future publications of the statistics can be found on the page of the statistics
User access (SIMS 8.3)
The data are released to all users at the same time. Statistical data may be processed at Statistics Finland and information on them may be given before release only by persons involved in the production of the statistics concerned or who need the data of the statistics concerned in their own work before the data are published.
Further information: Publication principles for statistics
Unless otherwise specifically stated in connection with the product, data or service concerned, Statistics Finland is the producer and copyright owner of the data. The terms of use for statistical data.
Frequency of dissemination (SIMS 9)
The statistics are published once a year between November and December on the website of Statistics Finland.
News release (SIMS 10.1)
The release is published annually on the home page of the statistics.
Online database (SIMS 10.3)
The database tables of the statistics can be found in the StatFin database .
Micro-data access (SIMS 10.4)
The dataset is available at the institutional level at which the data were collected. The data are available for research use via Statistics Finland’s services for researchers.
Other (SIMS 10.5)
It is possible to produce fee-based ad hoc analyses from the data upon request via Statistics Finland’s information services.
Confidentiality - policy (SIMS 7.1)
The data protection of data collected for statistical purposes is guaranteed. The compilation of statistics is guided by the Statistics Act. Alongside the Statistics Act, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation and the Finnish Data Protection Act are applied to the processing of personal data. Provisions on the confidentiality of data collected for statistical purposes are laid down in the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
The data are processed only by persons who need the data in their work. The use of data is restricted by usage rights. All persons employed by Statistics Finland have signed a pledge of secrecy, where they have obliged to keep secret the data prescribed as confidential by virtue of the Statistics Act or the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
Further information: Data protection | Statistics Finland (stat.fi)
Confidentiality - data treatment (SIMS 7.2)
The statistics do not include data at an individual level. The data are collected at the level of educational institutions and released at the municipal level.
The tables in the database are more standardised and more specific than the tables used in the statistical release. Background variables are also typically more detailed than those used in the tables of the statistical release. The classifying variables are type of educational institution, field of education and content of education, year and type of education.