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The shortage of talent has long been prevalent in Finnish public debate. An aging population and shrinking demographics mean that, at the same time as global challenges demand solutions and the economy requires renewal, we need more highly educated professionals. Technology Industries of Finland has estimated that it will need 130,000 new experts within the next ten years. 

Meanwhile, a lacklustre economy and government spending cuts have hit the job market, with unemployment among higher-educated professionals at a record level. So why does Finland still need new talent? Aalto University’s Vice President for Research, Jyri Hämäläinen, explains: 

‘Expertise is the most important fuel for both universities and growth. When Aalto was founded, our goal was to make a leap in research quality — to compete not only with Finnish universities, but with the best in Europe,’ says Hämäläinen. ‘In a country of just over five million people, the domestic talent pool is not enough on its own. That’s why research positions must be filled through global competition, and why we must also attract talented students from abroad.’ 

Laura Juvonen, Senior Vice President, Strategy, at VTT, emphasises the point: 

‘Developing new technologies requires world-class expertise. That doesn’t emerge by working in a small group within the borders of one country, but through international collaboration,’ says Juvonen. ‘Expertise attracts more talent, investors and companies, and new technology can develop into globally competitive business, and eventually economic growth — something Finland has lacked for the past 17 years.’  

Driving force and pioneers 

In the United States, over half the founders of successful growth companies have immigrant backgrounds. 

Finland is already benefiting from international talent; many who settle here have gone on to found growth companies, such as Aalto satellite tech spinout ICEYE; IQM, a joint Aalto–VTT spinout which is now one of Europe’s leading quantum computer manufacturers; and SemiQon, a VTT spinout producing silicon-based quantum processors. 

At Aalto, well over half of the teams working on the commercialisation of innovations already include employees from outside Finland. 

In other words, new talent does not take away jobs — it creates them. 

‘Talented and ambitious people are the driving force that moves entire fields and other actors forward, both in universities and in business,’ Hämäläinen says. 'And when you meet experts from different countries, you encounter entirely new perspectives on topics you thought you already knew inside out. As a professor, I saw that again and again.’ 

Half of Aalto’s researchers are international — the highest proportion among Finnish universities. At VTT, about one fifth of researchers come from abroad, representing more than 60 countries. 

‘In our spearhead fields the share is often much higher,’ says Laura Juvonen, emphasising that these pioneering sectors play a crucial role in attracting top international talent. 

‘Top experts look globally for opportunities to work on exciting projects. Finland has world-class competence clusters in quantum technology, microelectronics, semiconductors and health and biotechnology. These are growth sectors that attract international investment and have the greatest potential to generate new business.’ 

Hämäläinen also highlights art and design, artificial intelligence and telecommunications — the latter already drew international experts to Finland in the 1990s, fueled by Nokia’s global brand. 

‘Now we need to trust our own strong work, our brand, and Finland’s appeal as a safe and well-organised country where things function smoothly. For example, in the Aalto-coordinated doctoral pilot in AI, we received thousands of high-level applications from around the world, which is a tremendous achievement,’ he says. 

Integration takes time and support 

Internationalisation is vital for Aalto, VTT and Finland’s future as a whole. But it does not happen overnight — it advances step by step, Hämäläinen says. Professorships open only occasionally, and students entering an English-language bachelor’s program won’t graduate into the job market until five years later. 

Both Juvonen and Hämäläinen underline how important it is to anchor international students and experts into Finnish working life and society. 

‘At VTT, international experts build valuable experience through collaborative industrial projects, making them familiar to companies and strengthening their relevant expertise. We also need to build and reinforce a broader ecosystem around research expertise — one that offers employment opportunities beyond academic careers. That’s why the national commitment to increasing R&D investments is so important: it creates confidence that Finland will continue to offer exciting opportunities in the future,’ Juvonen explains. 

Hämäläinen calls for closer cooperation between research institutes, companies, and the government to ensure employment opportunities for students and recent graduates. 

‘The first job or internship is extremely important, especially for master’s students. Those who come at the bachelor’s level have several years to learn the language, find work and put down roots in Finland. But those entering at the master’s stage may only have one summer. If we don’t give them the chance to show their talent, we waste enormous potential.’ 

Concerns that Finland wastes taxpayer money by educating talent for other countries are unfounded, Hämäläinen argues. 

‘Over half of international students stay in Finland. The tax income earned from those who stay is so substantial that even if less stayed, Finland would still come out on top economically. The benefits also multiply,’ he points out. ‘If, for instance, an Indian student goes on to become a researcher in Germany after their doctorate, and later a professor in France, they won’t forget where they studied. They’ll continue research collaboration with us. That way our international network grows, even if everyone isn’t physically in the same place.’