Colloquium: Education in Finland, The Happiest Country in the World

Education in Finland, The Happiest Country in the World

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University (EOU) is pleased to announce an exciting academic endeavor that took place during the fall of 2022. Driven by a deep commitment to enhancing the quality of teacher preparation programs and fostering cultural responsiveness, an EOU faculty member Dr. Karyn Gomez embarked on a three-month-long journey to Finland to explore the renowned Finnish education system. The colloquium titled, Education in Finland, the Happiest Country in the World” delves into the motivations, experiences, and key findings of this transformative journey.

Professor Karyn Gomez will present a colloquium on Thursday, Nov. 9 at 4 p.m.

“Finland is ranked number one in the world in the World Happiness Report (The World Happiness Report is a publication of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, powered by the Gallup World Poll data) for the last six years. I wanted to learn more about Finnish culture, its relationship to national happiness, and how education might be connected to Finland’s happiness ranking,” Dr Gomez said. 

Dr. Karyn Gomez hopes that the insights she gained about the Finnish school system and its focus on equity will empower EOU teacher candidates to make comparisons between the U.S. and Finnish education systems. By identifying strengths and weaknesses in both systems, teacher candidates can critically assess the cultural values inherent in each, ultimately equipping them to make informed decisions about their future classrooms.

For more information visit eou.edu/colloquium/