Some vocational education students are able to complete higher education studies while still completing their basic degree. This is made possible by path studies. The aim is for more and more vocational school graduates to continue their studies at higher education institutions.
Cooperation between higher education institutions and vocational educators is becoming increasingly active. There are many factors behind this intensifying cooperation, the most important of which are pressure from education policy to raise the level of education and the weakening employment situation affecting many sectors. In January 2026, the Diakonia College of Finland (SDO) and the Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (Diak) also signed an agreement aimed at strengthening educational cooperation.
Merja Ahtikari, Director of Education at SDO, notes that continuing directly to higher education after completing a vocational qualification can be a good option.
“Path studies offer SDO students, for example, the opportunity to complete higher education studies at Diak while still studying for their vocational qualification.”
Path studies enable free introduction to higher education studies
In path studies, vocational students complete a study module offered by a university of applied sciences alongside their basic degree. The studies are mainly completed remotely and often correspond to study modules offered by open universities, for example. However, unlike open university studies, path studies are free of charge.
“Students are selected for path studies based on motivation, meaning that academic performance is not the most important factor. Path studies allow students to consider whether higher education degrees are the right path for them,” says SDO’s Ahtikari.
If the path studies are completed, the student will have the opportunity to proceed to further studies in a separate application process. This may improve the chances of those who have completed a vocational degree to enter higher education, as higher education institutions place emphasis on upper secondary school and vocational study credits in their certificate and entrance examinations.
In addition, students who have completed Diak’s path studies do not need to apply to Diak through the joint application process. The path studies are an advantage and an alternative route to higher education.
“If a student continues to higher education, they can also get credit for studies they have previously completed,” says Ahtikari.
Flexible continuation of studies
Moving on from vocational education to higher education is already quite common. According to the National Education Evaluation Center Karvi, in 2021, almost half of new university of applied sciences’ students had completed a vocational degree. The number has grown steadily since 2019.
Cooperation between universities of applied sciences and vocational colleges will further strengthen this trend.
“Diak will continue to offer SDO students the opportunity to study nursing, healthcare, diaconia, social work, and other programmes. We want to provide flexible educational pathways for those graduating from secondary education. Our graduates are the most employable of all universities of applied sciences, and we want to serve society with accessible studies,” says Sanna Wesanko, Director of Education and Vice-Rector at Diak.
“Although a vocational qualification provides a good foundation for working life, skills must also be developed afterwards. We believe that in the future, universities of applied sciences will recognise even better the value and skills that those who have completed a vocational qualification bring to higher education,” says Ahtikari.
The cooperation between Diak and SDO is supported by the schools’ partially shared ownership base.
