Finnish education in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan's interest in Finnish education has grown mainly through university partnerships and teacher training projects rather than a network of Finnish curriculum schools. For school leaders, it points to a practical route in: start with trained teachers, not a change of syllabus.
- Finnish universities, including Hame University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) and JAMK University of Applied Sciences, have worked with Kazakh institutions to train around 1,800 university professors and heads of rural schools, covering educational leadership and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL).
- A workshop on inclusive education development in Kazakhstan, described as learning from the Finnish experience, brought together school teams from five regions of the country with support from the Soros Foundation Kazakhstan.
- Kazakhstan's Center of Excellence, a national teacher development body, has also worked directly with Finnish developers and trainers on professional development.
- Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools, Kazakhstan's own flagship network aimed at developing critical thinkers in a trilingual Kazakh, Russian and English environment, is a separate national initiative rather than a Finnish curriculum programme, though it shares Finland's emphasis on independent, inquiry led learning.
Why Kazakhstan has looked to Finland
Finland's reputation for equitable outcomes and a research based teaching profession has made it a natural reference point for countries reforming teacher education, and Kazakhstan is one of the clearer examples in Central Asia. Rather than importing a Finnish school brand, the emphasis has been on training the trainers, building local capacity to teach Finnish style methods rather than depending on Finnish staff long term.
That approach shows up in the HAMK and JAMK partnership, which trained close to 1,800 professors and rural school leaders in educational leadership and CLIL, and in the Center of Excellence's direct collaboration with Finnish developers on ongoing teacher development.
Where the current work is focused
Much of the visible Finnish influenced activity in Kazakhstan sits in inclusive education and leadership training rather than whole school pedagogy. The Soros Foundation Kazakhstan backed workshop that brought Finnish expertise to school teams from five regions focused specifically on inclusion, a priority area as Kazakhstan works to support a wider range of learners in mainstream classrooms.
Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools remain a distinct, homegrown initiative rather than a Finnish programme, but their focus on independent thinking and a trilingual curriculum reflects some of the same values, critical thinking, learner independence, and a broad view of competence, that underpin Finnish pedagogy.
What a Kazakh K-5 school can borrow from Finland
Even without a formal Finnish curriculum partnership, schools can adapt specific practices directly: phenomenon based, cross subject projects, formative assessment over ranked testing, and dedicated teacher training as the starting point rather than a change of syllabus. See how to bring Finnish education to your school for the typical sequence.
Frequently asked questions
Are there Finnish curriculum schools in Kazakhstan?
Not as a widespread network. Current activity is concentrated in university level teacher training and inclusive education workshops rather than dedicated Finnish curriculum schools.
Are Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools part of a Finnish programme?
No, they are a Kazakh government initiative. They are not a Finnish curriculum programme, though their emphasis on independent thinking shares some values with Finnish pedagogy.
How has Finnish teacher training reached Kazakhstan so far?
Mainly through university partnerships, including Hame University of Applied Sciences and JAMK University of Applied Sciences, which trained around 1,800 professors and rural school leaders, plus workshops on inclusive education supported by the Soros Foundation Kazakhstan.
Related reading
Bring Finnish pedagogy to your school
OPPI affiliates a selective cohort of schools each year for its K-5 Finnish-pedagogy programme, backed by Education Finland. Tell us about your school and our team will reach out.
Backed by Education Finland. Over 20 schools have already affiliated, including DPS, Radcliffe and Sanctus. Places in each cohort are limited.
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