A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
The state as an agency in the assetisation of knowledge : the case of the Finnish education export
Authors: Kovalainen Anne; Poutanen Seppo
Publisher: Routledge
Publication year: 2025
Journal: Learning, Media and Technology
Journal name in source: Learning, Media and Technology
ISSN: 1743-9884
eISSN: 1743-9892
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2025.2450724
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2025.2450724
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/484803288
The assetisation of education explicates a major shift in how the state understands education. Education is not only an immaterial public good available to everybody but can be treated also as a promotable group of assets. This article discusses the case of a certain period in the Finnish education export. The analysis shows how the Finnish state with its governance tools is actively shaping and transforming education into asset, and through this process of assetisation becomes a certain kind of element in an education asset itself. In this process, the previous nature of education export ‘goods’ has been transformed to a modern rent-seeking ‘knowledge asset’, that can produce rent and excess value to both the state and businesses alike. When the state is involved in assetisation, the process is inherently politicised, and is exposed to potentially drastic polity changes.
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |
Funding information in the publication:
We thank Rector Fund (University of Turku) and The Osk. Huttunen Foundation for the financial support.