Education in the age of AI: Finland’s Minister of Education delivers talk on country's 2045 vision

The UCL Institute for Global Prosperity (IGP) recently welcomed Finland’s Minister of Education, Anders Adlercreutz, for a lecture exploring the future of education in an era defined by rapid technological change. Delivered in collaboration with The Department of Learning and Leadership in UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society and the Embassy of Finland in the UK, the event highlighted Finland’s bold 2045 vision for a transformative and inclusive education system.

At the heart of Finland’s approach are two foundational principles: equality and sivistys - a Finnish word derived from ‘civilization’, encompassing human growth, knowledge and ethical responsibility. Technology cannot be seen as merely a tool for innovation; it is also a potential equalizer and part of ‘sivistys’.

A key theme of the lecture was the need to rethink what education should offer in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.

“One of the underlying questions in the vision is: What must humans learn in an age where machines will be able to outperform us in most things?

Finland’s answer is to invest in human capacities that cannot and should not be automated; things like empathy, creativity, ethical reasoning, and democratic agency. “We need to uphold the human factor in the age of machines and artificial intelligence” Adlercreutz said. 

Minister Adlercreutz addressed the risk that technology poses to the high level of equality in Nordic societies, as families with high socio-cultural capital may be able to transfer the applied skills needed to harness new technologies like AI more effectively than others. In the vision, schools should narrow social gaps in AI skills and utilise AI to support students with different learning challenges. 

The event highlighted a shared vision of education as a tool to shape sustainable and inclusive futures and to equip students with the skills needed to address global challenges.

In a world of overarching digitalization, we believe that there’s a need to put greater focus into teaching the most profound of skills; the things that make us human. Adlercreutz concluded.
 

Read Minister Adlercreutz’s full speech: 

Anders Adlercreutz is responsible for early childhood education and care, general education, vocational education and training and religious affairs. He is also responsible for matters related to Nordic cooperation at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Minister Adlercreutz is President of the Swedish People's party of Finland. His political career started in 2012 and he was first elected to Parliament in 2015.