FCA College, co-founded by Finn Church Aid and Omnia Education Partnerships Ltd., offers refugees a chance to obtain a recognized diploma. The programs are competency-based, upholding Finnish quality standards. Diplomas are based on Finnish curricula and as such, recognized internationally and open doors to applying for higher education even abroad.
The average time spent as a refugee is 20 years. Currently only a fifth of all refugees have access to formal secondary education. Through co-creation with local experts, FCA College meets the growing needs of quality vocational education in refugee contexts.
At FCA College the training programs have been designed to meet the needs and requirements of the private sector. The programs are taught by trained and certified local experts under the supervision of Finnish experts. The curricula is modular, offering flexibility both in length and focus. The first program focuses on micro-entrepreneurship with other programs, such as business studies, teaching assistant and various technical programs to follow. Throughout the program, the students’ competence is assessed according to the standards issued by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
“The education provided by development actors has mostly been informal, although most need accredited vocational education that leads to opportunities for decent livelihoods”, says FCA’s Project Manager Ville Wacklin. Our diplomas are recognized at the European qualification framework levels 4 and 5 in the EU and most OECD countries. The programs focus strongly on work-based learning and applying knowledge and professional skills in practice.
FCA College ensures that while local resources and policies are developed, every generation has a fair chance to realize their dreams and genuinely contribute to national development.