Image: Leasa Weimer (PhD 2013) served as the principal investigator for a study commissioned by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture that investigated the internationalization at home (IAH) "state of arts" in Finnish higher education and research institutes. The team conducted surveys and targeted interviews across multiple institutions to create a baseline for the extent to which internationalization is integrated into the Finnish postsecondary education experience. Since only about 3% of Finnish students participate in study abroad opportunities, this study sought to identify "promising practices" already in implementation that could promote international and intercultural competencies. The final report, written by Weimer and colleagues David Hoffman and Anni Silvonen, recommends several strategies to expand and enrich internationalization efforts at the national and institutional levels. The report also highlights "significant challenges, tensions, and obstacles" that prevent fuller implementation of at-home practices. The Ministry released the final report in May 2019, and it is available in English at http://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/161606 Weimer is a researcher at the Finnish Institute for Educational Research. Type of News/Audience: Alumni
