The Social Affairs and Health Committee of the Parliament adopted a resolution on the legislative proposal reforming the Universities of Applied Sciences Act (HE 197/2025 vp, content in Finnish). The resolution contains dissenting opinions, with opposition MPs describing the proposal as a failure and counterproductive in terms of midwifery training. All opposition MPs call for midwifery training to be transformed into a 120-credit master’s level university of applied sciences degree.
- A master's degree would clarify career paths, raise skill levels and also ensure recognition of professional qualifications without additional requirements as called for by the EU. This would be a more sustainable and attractive solution, and therefore the proposal should have been returned to preparation, says the Chair of the Committee, MP Krista Kiuru in a press release (in Finnish).
The proposal of a master’s degree is entirely in line with the earlier proposal of the trade union for social care, healthcare and early childhood education and care professionals Tehy. Tehy's specialists have also been heard by the Health and Social Affairs Committee.
- It is wonderful to see that Tehy's long-term lobbying is paying off – we have been heard. I want to thank these Committee members for their understanding of the responsibilities of midwifery and what the requirements for education are to be able to do the job and foster the profession. It is a real pity that the Government does not seem to understand this, says Tehy President Millariikka Rytkönen.
Tehy drafted its proposal in response to a legislative proposal that would remove the possibility of double degrees for nurses, paramedics and midwives. As it stands, the changes in the proposal would extend the length of training to qualify as a midwife without raising the level of training.
Master's level in several countries
Tehy has engaged in long-standing efforts to raise awareness of the fact that the reform of midwife education must take into account the scope and high level of education required for the profession, as well as the requirements of the Professional Qualifications Directive.
Midwifery requires a high level of clinical expertise and independent decision-making, which is why in many countries part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and in several European countries, midwife education is already a master's level qualification or includes elements of a higher degree.
According to Tehy's Public Relations Manager Ira Hietanen-Tanskanen, raising midwife education to the level of a master's degree would both be in line with international recommendations and ensure high-quality midwifery work in Finland.
The current Finnish midwifery training does not meet the requirements of the EU Professional Qualifications Directive, which is why it has not been possible to automatically recognise it in other EU countries.
- This is another reason why we at Tehy have long been calling for midwifery education to meet the requirements of the Professional Qualifications Directive by reforming it into a master’s degree, says Juha Kurtti, Educational Affairs Manager at Tehy.
Calling for protection of professional title of paramedic
The Committee's resolution also unanimously highlighted the need to protect the occupational title of paramedic in its proposed resolution. In it, the Committee states that the legislation should provide for the right to practise as a licensed paramedic.
Tehy has long advocated the addition of the protected occupational title of paramedic to the Act on Health Care Professionals, and warmly supports the Committee's proposed resolution.
Further information: Ira Hietanen-Tanskanen, Public Relations Manager, Tehy, tel. +358 45 127 7488, [email protected]
