opetuskauden

Opetuskauden is a Finnish term that designates a defined period during which instruction is carried out in educational institutions. The word combines opetus (teaching) and kausi (period, season). In official calendars and policy documents it denotes the stretches of the school year when teaching takes place, as opposed to holidays or administrative breaks. The genitive form opetuskauden is used when referring to a particular period, for example opetuskauden alussa, opetuskauden lopussa, or opetuskauden aikana.

In practice, how opetuskaudet are divided can vary by educational level and by institution. In comprehensive education and upper secondary schools, the lukuvuosi (academic year) is typically structured into teaching periods with breaks in between, so that several opetuskaudet occur within a single year. In higher education, institutions may use different terminology, such as autumn and spring terms or semesters, but the notion of distinct instructional periods remains common. Official calendars set the start and end dates of each opetuskausi and include examination periods and school holidays within or between them.

The term is primarily used in Finnish texts and is part of administrative and planning language in education. It is less common in everyday speech, where people might refer to "school term" or "semester" using other terms. Overall, opetuskauden serves as a precise label for the time frame during which formal teaching is conducted.