In recent years, regulation related to responsibility and technology has increased enormously, with operators in various sectors trying to exploit artificial intelligence and improve their practices in sustainable development. Evolving regulation and technological advances make it necessary to update skills. The working population have a clear educational need related to the theme, as training related to the new regulations was not part of their studies.
“Digitalisation has permeated society and, for example, the lawyers of today need skills related to datafied society. The need for training in this field has emerged in many discussions with both the industry and individuals,” says Anette Alén, Vice-Dean for academic affairs at the Faculty of Law.
The Faculty of Law and the University-owned continuing education company HY+ are responding to the demand with a new training module tailored to the needs of professional life. Many businesses wish to be at the forefront of corporate responsibility as well as the development and utilisation of artificial intelligence, but the legal requirements are obscure and ambiguous. Companies also require concrete rules for utilising artificial intelligence.
Collaboration with labour market operators
The target group for the training is people working in businesses and public administration who need expertise related to AI regulation as well as responsibility and sustainability in their work.
The training is not only targeted at labour market operators, but also developed with their cooperation. The businesses Wärtsilä Oyj, Mehiläinen Oy, Microsoft Oy, JYSK Oy, Barona Oy/Saranen Consulting Oy and Raute Oyj as well as the Tekniikan akateemiset TEK organisation were selected as the labour market partners for the co-creation effort.
“We wish to offer a research-based programme founded on the University’s strengths. These topics are increasingly prominent in or integrated into our degree structures, while there are many people in professional life who need these competencies, but whose degrees unfortunately did not include them. The idea is that we can offer them the same opportunities as current and future students,” Alén says.
However, those in professional life have partly different needs from university students, which is why the teaching forms will deviate from what degree students are offered.
“For instance, the teaching will not include examinations or written assignments assessed by teachers en masse. The teaching will be more guiding and facilitating in nature than traditional teaching in degree programmes. We will also invest in peer learning, which means that employees of different businesses can learn together and from each other.”
A new flexible form of skills development
With the preliminary title ‘Responsible AI-Powered Organization’, the training is what is known as a micro-credential, a new form of continuous learning.
In micro-credentials, learning takes place in parts that are smaller than traditional degrees and focus on a specific limited theme. Globally, micro-credentials have been in use for some time, including universities and other higher education institutions designing and implementing tailored training in cooperation with businesses and organisations.
“Resources are saved when skills development focuses only on a limited theme or topic relevant to the organisation. The new learning model is being established also in Finland,” says CEO of HY+ Kimmo Kärpijoki.
The project is based on the observation that Finland has a growing need of short-term training for adults that meets the needs of professional life. The project is funded by the Service Centre for Continuous Learning and Employment (SECLE) operating under the Ministry of Education and Culture. The pilot aims to develop and test the design and implementation of micro-credentials and assess the results obtained.
The more detailed planning of the pilot project is underway, and the content of the training will be finalised by the end of the year. The pilot will be carried out in 2025, after which the results will be assessed.