oppilaitos

Oppilaitos is a Finnish term for an educational institution—an organization that provides instruction, training, or education. It is a broad, formal term; in everyday Finnish, koulut or koulu are more common, but oppilaitos is used in official, administrative, and policy contexts. The concept covers a wide range of organizations at different educational levels, from vocational institutes and universities to universities of applied sciences and institutions that provide continuing education, as well as private language and specialized training centers. In practice, oppilaitos may offer degrees, certificates, or other qualifications recognized by the Finnish education system.

In the Finnish system, oppilaitokset can be public, municipal, or private. They are typically governed by national education legislation and national curricula, and their funding may come from the state, municipalities, or private sources with public support. The term is used in official discourse to refer to the ecosystem of institutions that organize teaching and learning, rather than to a single school.

The word derives from oppia, to learn, and laitos, a facility or establishment. It is mainly used in formal language; everyday speech more often uses koulut or koulu to name specific institutions. See also education system, higher education, vocational education.