BAI visited Finland and Sweden

2018-09-11

From September 9th to 16th, Zhang Jun, Vice President of BAI, led a delegation to visit Finland and Sweden at the invitation of the University of Helsinki, HAUS Finnish Institute of Public Management, Miina SillanpääFoundation, and the Uppsala University. Members of the delegation included Ga Rida, professor of Sociology Department, Pan Jianlei, associate professor of Sociology Department, Yan Ping, associate professor of Sociology Department, and Liu Xiaoyun from the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange. The delegation reached out for partnerships, and conducted academic exchanges on eldercare and community governance.


The University of Helsinki is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines which has consistently ranked among the top 100 universities in the world. The university is divided into eleven faculties which are located on four main campuses. Faculty of Social Sciences of the University hosted the delegation. Mr.Juhana Aunesluoma, Vice Dean, Ms. Teija Isotalo, Head of administration, and experts of public administration and community management met with the delegation. BAI and the University of Helsinki briefed on their general information and exchanged views on potential cooperation in terms of students and scholar exchange, joint research, and sending visiting groups. The two sides also conducted in-depth discussions and academic exchanges on the public administration and institutional reform in Finland.


HAUS Finnish Institute of Public Management is a Finnish state-owned company which reports to the Ministry of Finance and also a stakeholder unit within the public administration. With similar functions as BAI, HAUS provides high-quality training, consulting and development services in Finland. Ms. Anneli Temmes, CEO of HAUS , warmly welcomed the delegation. The two sides shared their experiences in the field of civil servant training and international services. Mr. Jussi Sihvola, the training manager, presented a case study of financial management training. Ms. Janina Himberg, Head of Communication, introduced evolution towards open and silo-less Finnish administration in Finland. The delegation also had opportunity to visit the office and other facilities to appreciate the aesthetics and user-friendliness of space design with the concept of openness and sharing. The meeting was productive and two sides agreed to establish a partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding in soon.


Miina Sillanpää Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Helsinki, Finland. The Foundation was founded for the benefit of adults in 1965 by the first female government minister of Finland, Miina Sillanpää. The Foundation is committed to providing rehabilitation services and residential services for working-age and elderly people. Ms. Eija Sorvari, managing director of the foundation, warmly received the delegation and introduced the latest research and development of the Foundation and the services provided to the elderly people. The two sides had an in-depth discussion on modes of elderly care, pension system, and related policies and industries in Finland. The Foundation also arranged a visit to facilities and premises of Wilhelmiina House and a senior park for the delegation to personally learn about the caring services for the elderly people, operations management, rehabilitation practice and other activities, which broadened the horizon of delegation in terms of elderly care.
 


Uppsala University is a research university in Sweden and is the oldest university in all of the Nordic countries still in operation, founded in 1477. It ranks among the world’s 100 best universities in several high-profile international rankings, and is associated with eight Nobel Prize laureates, and numerous royalty, academics and public figures. Since 2008, BAI has exchanged visits with Uppsala University on a regular basis, and has carried out several international academic seminars and symposiums on topics of common concern. For this visit, Professor Lennart Wikander of Uppsala University introduced the Swedish welfare, especially the pension system in Sweden. The two sides discussed the problems of population aging faced by the two countries and explored possible solutions. The delegation also visited high-tech classrooms, library and the local community.
 

To learn more about experience and practice of community governance, the delegation paid a visit to the Jewish Community of Helsinki, which was one of the most northern Jewish communities in the world. Founded in 1961, the community is a home for several organizations such as kindergarten, comprehensive school, library, senior citizen club, and even funeral association. Director of the community received the delegation and introduced community's governing board, operational models, history of Finnish Jewry, and various services they provide for their members from birth until old age. The Jewish Community has created good relations within the Finnish society and it is represented in several committees and NGO’s dealing with minority issues in the society.


The seven-day productive visit has achieved fruitful results, expanded the cooperation between BAI and institutes overseas, improved the international vision of our faculty, and updated the understanding of the cutting-edge research and practice in the field of eldercare and community governance.