Strategic policies and quality

The strategy, vision and values of the police, together with the legislation and other standards that govern the police, form the basis and foundation for all police activities.

Police Strategy 2024–2028

We produce knowledge and expertise for expert and leadership tasks in internal security and for the development of societal security. We build the foundation for the professionalism of the Finnish Police.

We are a distinguished, top-level international university college in the security sector.

This is how we reach our goals

Forward-looking approach

• We survey, evaluate and predict the status and changes in the operational environment.
• We develop technologies and versatile learning environments.

A competent university college community

• We encourage continuous learning and a working approach based on experiment.
• We ensure the Police University College’s appeal as a place for study and work.
• We utilize information collected through feedback and evaluation.

Strong partnerships

• We promote solid cooperation between working life and higher education.
• We support the mobility of students and staff.

Social responsibility

• Our education and research cooperation are multilateral.
• Our approach is ethical, and we follow the principles of sustainability.

This is how we work

Fair

We act impartially and in compliance with the law in all situations. We treat all people and groups equally. We make decisions transparently. Our cooperation is open and constructive.

Courageous

We act professionally in all situations and also make difficult decisions. We show empathy and understanding even in difficult situations. We take responsibility, learn from our mistakes and innovate with courage.

Always reliable

We are worthy of trust. Our operations in the police are consistent, transparent and ethical. We operate professionally and efficiently. We build safety and security in society responsibly. We succeed through cooperation.

Strategic policies illustration

Expertise in policing creates future security

We combine strong expertise in policing with higher education as well as the skills, knowledge and attitudes required by both. We educate experts in internal security and leadership who act ethically and learn continuously throughout their careers.

We use forward-looking education to meet the expectations directed at the police and respond to changes in the operational environment. We experiment boldly and try out new things. We encourage participation in the research and development of working life practices.

We build a common view of our education and ensure in-depth learning and well-being within the university college community. We support the ability to study and learn based on the principle of a constantly learning organization.

This is how we reach our goals

Forward-looking approach

• In the planning of our education, we utilize foresight information as well as information about the operational environment systematically.
• We develop learning outcomes, contents, teaching and evaluation methods and learning environments on the basis of research data and best practices.
• We strengthen compatibility with working life through personal rotation and other competence development practices.

A competent university college community

• We plan and implement education based on the principles of constructive alignment.
• We encourage everyone to think, act, investigate, and experiment creatively.
• We appreciate and support the continuous improvement of know-how and expertise.

Strong partnerships

• We are active in partnership networks within the fields of education and research and with various authorities that support teaching and studying.
• We develop our education and working life together with our partners.
• We offer diverse student and staff exchange programs and cross-institutional studies.

Social responsibility

• We implement our sustainable development goals and strengthen our competence in responsibility.
• We comply with the ethical principles of teaching, research, open science and the police. 
• We support diverse ways of learning.

The principles of our education

Student-centricity

Students have an active role. We take the needs of diverse learners into consideration. We ensure a safe and confidential atmosphere. We promote learning by using diverse teaching methods, evaluation practices and both authentic and digital learning environments. We encourage feedback.

Collegiality

We study, teach and work in multiprofessional teams. Our education is based on co-teaching. We encourage sharing of skills and knowledge as well as experimentation with new methods. We are accountable for the welfare of ourselves and each other. We strengthen an interactive university college community together.

Competency-based curriculum

Our education is based on the national qualification framework. Our competency-based curricula ensure compliance with the standards of higher education, close cooperation with working life and the development of professional and general competencies. 

Shared pedagogic management

We share pedagogic management. We promote cooperation and collegiality between actors. We support and guide the planning and development of education and everyday work in teaching. We manage competence to enable each individual, the team and the whole organization to learn, develop and reach their goals.

Pedagogic policies illustration

We produce research and innovations in a long-term way for the development of a safe and fair society. We are building a knowledge base for police education and police expertise. We are a distinguished and international university college and a project partner in the security sector.

This is how we reach our goals

Forward-looking approach

• We predict and analyse the development of the operating environment and higher education.
• We develop new ways to act by evaluating our own activities and learning from others.

A competent university college community

• We strengthen a research and development-oriented approach in education and policing.
• We increase the RDI competence of students and police staff in a versatile manner.

Strong partnerships

• We engage in targeted, cross-disciplinary and cross-professional cooperation.
• We utilize RDI activities to solve complex societal problems.

Social responsibility

• We commit to the principles of scientific freedom, open science and research, and research ethics.
• We increase societal impact by publishing and communicating in a versatile manner.

RDI activities are research, development and innovation activities, such as RDI projects, publications, analyses, theses and student projects. These also include service activities, export of knowledge, compilation and presentation of police history and the development of RDI environments.

RDI policies illustration

Our priorities in personnel planning are: the University College community and management, well-being at work and work ability, competence, non-discrimination and equality.

The University College community and management

Our chosen operating method is the coaching approach. It aims at making use of everyone’s strengths and competence. A coaching actor engages and encourages employees and colleagues. This inspires, commits and has a positive impact on the atmosphere and trust throughout the University College community.

Objectives

• Our working culture is inclusive, encouraging and appreciative.
• Superiors are motivated to use the coaching approach in their supervisory work.
• We are prepared to learn new operating methods, to develop our competence and deepen our interaction.
• We act in line with the values and Ethical Code for the police and the Polamk code of community.

Well-being at work and work ability

Staff welfare is one of the police’s values. Well-being at work is based on meaningful and fluent work in a safe and healthy environment. Work ability comprises the following: health and functional capacity, professional competence, values (attitudes and motivation), and work, including the working conditions, the content of work, the work community and leadership.

Objectives

• Our leadership is fair and inclusive.
• Our operating methods promote well-being at work, work ability and the development of work.
• There is a balance between the resources and the workload.
• We support staff welfare and work ability in diverse ways.
• Everyone ensures personal work ability and acts to support the work community.

Competence

We structure competences into general competences common for all and specialist competences. The general competences for all include learning and development of personal competence, work community skills and digital and information management skills. Specialist competences include sectoral, pedagogic and RDI competence.

Objectives

• Competence development is systematic and future-oriented.
• Everyone develops their competences as part of their work to meet the changing needs of working life.
• We use diverse methods in competence development.
• We value diverse competence and various educational backgrounds.

Non-discrimination and equality

Everyone is equal, regardless of personal characteristics. Equality is about acknowledging gender equality, creating equal opportunities and preventing discrimination based on gender, gender identity or its expression.

Objectives

• In our University College community, we treat everyone equally without discrimination.
• All members of our community are responsible for ensuring that our working and learning atmosphere is equal, non-discriminatory, fair, safe, inclusive and inspiring.
• Our teaching is based on student-centered learning and we take various learning styles, competence needs and learning difficulties into consideration.

Summary of Police University College personnel plan

Our quality system is based on the PDCA (Plan−Do−Check−Act) continuous development model. The system is used to plan, implement, evaluate and develop our activities as well as structure our quality management procedures and operators. Quality management is a cornerstone of our leadership model and our activities and their evaluation.

You can familiarize yourself with our quality system in the Operational Quality Manual, which gives an overview of the activities and quality management of the Police University College. The Operational Quality Manual makes the Police University College’s activities visible to staff members, students, partners and everyone interested in the University College.

The Police University College’s quality system has been audited by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre, which concluded that it meets the national standards for higher education institutes’ quality management as well as European principles and recommendations. The international quality label is valid until spring 2030.

Read the Operational Quality Manual

Quality policy illustration

Audit report on the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre’s website (abstract in English)

Audit Register for higher education institutions on the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre’s website