The Centre is a higher education and research centre, which deals with language instruction (Finnish), Sweden Finnish culture, teacher training, bilingual education and issues related to minority language policies.

The Centre for Finnish Studies was established in 2003 as a result of governmental, regional and local strivings to support the Sweden Finnish language and culture, following the requirements of the European Charter of Regional or Minority Languages, which was ratified by Sweden in 2000.

Sweden Finnish

The primary objective of the Centre is to study and inform about the linguistic, cultural, social and political conditions, which influence the position of Sweden Finnish. It attempts to relate this to the national and international development of other regional and minority languages. A major dimension of this task is to study and inform about both specific and general characteristics of bilingual/multilingual minorities. The Centre aims at improving its international networking at a European level.

The Centre has arranged several international and national conferences. It has produced conference volumes and other research reports. It cooperates with Swedish authorities, with NGO’s and organizations in the field of minority policy, and with the Sweden Finnish section of the Swedish Language Council. It has extensive contacts with institutions and universities in Finland, the Nordic countries and Estonia. It participates in a handful of international projects. It has a longstanding cooperation with the Sweden Finnish media.

Contact details:

Centre for Finnish Studies
School of Education, culture and communication
Mälardalen University
Box 325, 631 05 Eskilstuna
Sweden
Tel: +46 16 153224
Mercator Network contacts: Jarmo.Lainio@mdh.se and Tarja.Soutolahti@mdh.se

Websites Centre for Finnish Studies, Mälardalen University, Sweden
http://www.mdh.se/2.985/utbildning/amnen/finska (education)
http://www.mdh.se/2.985/utbildning/amnen/finska/forskning (research)