University of Oulu's degree numbers on the rise

In 2024, the University of Oulu awarded 1,325 lower and 1,649 higher education degrees.

"The number of lower education degrees is influenced by the increase in starting places made between 2020 and 2022. We monitor the progress of studies and strive to ensure that as many students as possible complete their degrees," says Vice-Rector for Education Mirja Illikainen from the University of Oulu.

"We are on the right track as a significant educational operator in Northern Finland. We are currently working on future plans on how we will develop as an educator as Finland's age groups significantly decrease."

There has been an increase in the number of lower education degrees, especially in the fields of technology and information and communication technology.

The increase in education numbers is driven by the state's goal that half of 25–34-year-olds will have completed a higher education degree by 2030. Finland has fallen behind many peer countries in the proportion of higher education graduates.

The employment situation of graduates from the University of Oulu has remained at a good level in recent years. Five years after graduation, 82 percent of respondents to the career follow-up survey were either in permanent or fixed-term full-time employment. Only 2 percent were unemployed job seekers. A total of 87 percent would recommend the education they received to others, and 86 percent are satisfied with their degree in terms of their career. The career follow-up survey results are from 2017–2023.

Last year, 195 doctoral degrees were awarded at the University of Oulu, and the number has stabilized between 150–200 per year. In the coming years, the number of degrees will be increased by a doctoral training pilot, which recruited 98 new doctoral researchers at the beginning of this year. Doctoral training is very international: for example, 42 percent of those hired for the pilot are from Asian countries, while 34 percent are Finnish citizens.