TRAINING PROGRAM
FINLAND
THE ROLE OF PHOTONICS IN FINNISH VOCATIONAL AND HIGHER EDUCATION
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Markku KUITTINEN *, Mervi ASIKAINEN, and Pasi VAHIMAA Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Eastern Finland * markku. kuittinen @ uef. fi
© Niko Jouhkimainen, UEF https:// doi. org / 10.1051 / photon / 202613634
This article reviews the role of photonics in Finnish vocational and higher education, examining how photonics-related topics progress across these pathways. The focus is on university education, particularly the opportunity to study photonics as a primary subject, its integration into broader science and engineering programmes, and its presence in international master ' s programmes and key educational and research networks. Finally, the article discusses the growing importance of photonics in technology and society, and makes the case for strengthening photonics education through curriculum development, teacher training, and the pedagogical use of artificial intelligence.
In this century, photonics has become a key enabling technology, often seen as the successor to the electronics-driven 20 th century. Light-based systems underpin communication, information processing, healthcare and manufacturing: optical fibres enable global connectivity, while lasers drive applications from medical diagnostics to industrial production. As photonics shapes society, basic literacy is needed at all levels, while advanced expertise enables new devices and applications. Finland stands out through a coordinated national ecosystem, Photonics Finland, linking companies, universities, research institutes and public authorities. The PREIN Flagship 1, Finland’ s national photonics research and innovation network, unites leading institutions and supports long-term development. Finland’ s photonics industry grows at almost twice( 12 %) the global average of 7 %, with over 340 companies, more than € 2.5 billion in turnover and over 7,500 employees 2. Strengths include optical sensing, imaging, micro- and nanophotonics, lasers, fibre-optic technologies and extended-reality applications, supported by close academia – industry ties. The National Photonics Roadmap 2025 – 2030 highlights these assets for future competitiveness. Finland’ s strong basic and upper secondary science education provides a foundation for photonics. Building on this, the following section reviews
1
The Research Council of Finland’ s Flagship Programme is an instrument that supports high-quality research and increases the economic and societal impact emerging from the research.
2
At the end of 2025, Finland’ s population stood at approximately 5.66 million, and the country hosted about 1,800 companies in the technology industry.
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