Building a learning society
The Finnish Lifelong Learning Foundation, Kvs, is a politically and religiously non-affiliated organisation established in 1874.
The Kvs Foundation is an independent think tank on lifelong learning. Our core expertise is in the fields of learning, innovations and communication.
We network in Finland and internationally, cooperate and challenge, and provide opportunities for dialogue. We remain loyal to our core values.
Our main operations consist of future oriented projects, open-access publications and educational services.
We award grants and scholarships from two endowment funds for teachers and students.
Advocacy on adult education and lifelong learning
Kulkuri School of Distance Education
We provide educational services for Finnish children abroad in Kulkuri School of Distance Education. If the destination area has no suitable local school and there are no international schools available, a student can do all compulsory studies within the Finnish National Curriculum through Kulkuri.
Please read about our distance education project in Syria:
European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA)
We provide communication services for the European Association for the Education of Adults (EAEA) – the voice of non-formal adult education in Europe. EAEA’s Communication Unit is located in Helsinki.
European Lifelong Learning Magazine (Elm)
We publish Elm Magazine – a free online magazine on lifelong learning and adult education. It is the only journalistic medium of adult education with a European scope and with a continent-wide correspondent network.
Academic journal Aikuiskasvatus – Adult Education (in Finnish)
We also publish an academic peer-reviewed journal Aikuiskasvatus – Adult Education (in Finnish) together with the Finnish Society for Research on Adult Education. Quarterly Aikuiskasvatus was established in 1981 and was one of the first open access peer-reviewed publications in Finland.
Southern Helsinki Adult Education Centre
We operate and administrate the Southern Helsinki Adult Education Centre (Etelä-Helsingin kansalaisopisto) which offers a variety of courses and provides lifelong learning in the heart of Helsinki.
Cooperation with a variety of education stakeholders
We are a community of liberal adult education experts, developing solutions for lifelong learning together with our partners. In our communications we strive to be dialogical, approachable and accessible.
Kvs seeks to influence education policies to fortify (non-formal) education in Finnish society. This advocacy work is carried out through statements, lobbying and information activities.
Kvs supports the work of education professionals and adult education institutions and produces learning services. It emphasizes the intrinsic value of learning and promotes a broad understanding of education.
Examples of our international work
Transformative Adult Learning for Green Transition (Tale) Erasmus+ project responds to the urgent need to transform into a more climate-friendly and sustainable society. Tale project explores solutions to this challenge by using transformative learning approaches.
Bildung Erasmus+ project contributes to innovation of the European adult education sector by adopting the holistic concept of ‘Bildung’ and exploring its political and practical potential for adult learning and education.
The FutureLabAE Erasmus+ project provided adult educators with the knowledge, expertise and tools to become more change-oriented in their learning provision. Kvs cooperated with eight European partners in the project.
Media Guide offers media literacy education to Palestinian non-governmental organisation practitioners, journalists and municipality workers by arranging hands-on workshops and theoretical training on media literacy and the importance of media ethics, social media and marketing. Kvs Foundation has been offering educational services in Palestine since 2015 with the funding of Foreign Ministry.
Vision 2030 – a Learning Society
Our vision is a society which offers equal learning opportunities to everyone throughout life. Our goal is to ensure that collective learning helps us in living responsibly and respectfully with others and the environment.
We are working towards our vision with a strategy, based on the themes of urban learning, ecosocial competences, lifeskills and civic participation.
We warmly welcome you to join our journey towards a learning society!
Our values
We build communality: We create opportunities for dialogue.
We work responsibly: Our driving forces are transparency and sustainability.
We aim towards equality: We aim to provide equal learning opportunities for everyone.
We rethink the future: We challenge practices and create new, innovative solutions for the future.
Contact us
The Finnish Lifelong Learning Foundation, Kvs
Museokatu 18
FI-00100 HELSINKI
Dr. Lauri Tuomi, CEO
+358 50 47 69 977
lauri.tuomi(a)kvs.fi
President Tarja Halonen
Council Chair