All's Well That Learns Well: Equity as Efficiency

Adlercreutz’s Slow Magic for ASEAN EdTech Markets

When Finland’s Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz implemented a nationwide ban on mobile phones in schools last August 2025, some critics viewed it as regressive. However, within weeks, reports showed a notable rise in classroom engagement. Nordic EdTech firms have leveraged this disciplined technology governance as a significant market advantage.

Yet here’s Finland’s and the Nordic Countries’ strategic paradox: despite global recognition of their education brands, Nordic companies have captured only a fraction of ASEAN’s €10B+ EdTech market compared to American and Chinese competitors. Finnish EdTech lags behind major players but is growing, driven by rising demand for degrees in ASEAN and by schools in Vietnam and Indonesia. Adlercreutz’s Asia tour aims to close this execution gap by converting respect into revenue.

Finland-ASEAN EdTech Opportunity and Risks

Finland’s total education exports rose 5.4% year over year to €885 million in 2024. Simultaneously, the ASEAN EdTech market is expected to grow from €9.9 billion in 2024 to €38.3 billion by 2033, with a 14.7% CAGR.

US platforms lead the ASEAN EdTech space, generating over $5 billion in revenue (50% market share), while China contributes more than $2 billion (20%) through budget-friendly content. This intense competition poses challenges for Finnish and Nordic education services

In this environment, Finland’s strength lies in targeting a premium niche by combining robust educational frameworks with vocational training, personalised learning, teacher development, and high-quality technology.

Why Finland?

Strong international reputation for high learning outcomes, equityand student wellbeing, which builds trust with governments, educators and parents.
Highly educated, master’s-level teachers and research‑based pedagogy that can be turned into teacher‑training, curriculum and school‑development services.
System‑level expertise in VET, education reform, school leadership and learning environments, not just individual apps or content.
Coordinated national support (for example, through Education Finland land and Team Finland networks), giving partners a transparent and credible entry point to Finnish providers.
Ability to complement big global EdTech platforms by focusing on pedagogy, implementation and measurable impact rather than competing mainly on technology or price.

Key Risks and Constraints

Finnish solutions are relatively high‑cost and people‑intensive, so they struggle to compete purely on price with regional or Chinese mass‑market providers, especially at large scale.
The Finnish model cannot simply be copied; it must be adapted to local curricula, languages, exams, and classroom realities, which require time, co‑creation, and strong local partners.
A strong “Finland brand” can raise expectations; without long‑term presence, evidence of learning gains and robust quality assurance, projects may disappoint partners.
High‑level MoUs and visits only create openings; without rapid follow‑up and relationship‑building with agencies, schools and local operators, they rarely turn into tangible projects.

Finland’s real strength lies in trusted pedagogy and system‑level expertise that can lift the value of existing EdTech. In ASEAN, success is most likely when Finnish actors focus on strategic niches such as VET and teacher training, invest in localisation, and build durable partnerships.

From Classroom to Commerce: Unlocking Economic Value

Adlercreutz’s visit highlights Finland’s strategic foreign economic policy: leveraging its soft power, such as its educational excellence, to create hard commercial value across ASEAN. This “From Pedagogy to Profit”strategy aims to transform Finland’s educational reputation into economic gains, drawing inspiration from Singapore’s successful proactive policy. The city-state has prioritised significant investments in science, research and development, and digital innovation, including AI initiatives, which have contributed substantially to its sustained growt hand competitiveness.

Finland’s approach focuses on three levels: Trust-Building through government collaborations, Sustained Demand by integrating Finnish methods into local education, and Investment in Human Capacities, such as creativity and empathy. The VET agreement signed during the Minister’s visit underscores these principles, targets high-demand sectors in Thailand, and emphasises practical implementation to foster economic growth.

According to the Minister, Finland has an “exceptionally good country brand” but must match this reputation with scaled, localised execution to maximise the brand advantage. The local implementation is vital and requires a Finnish-based global framework of policies, funding, and support networks.

Adlercreutz’s Educational Philosophy: Finding Balance

Finland is recognised globally for its educational success, notably for its innovative testing methods. However, the Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz advocates a cautious approach to digital transformation. Hisrecent visits to Japan, Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, and the National University of Singapore(NUS) reflect a policy framework focused on managing digital transformation risks while maximising human capital.

Adlercreutz stressed the importance of robust Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, teacher training, and student engagement, regardless of international test scores. In response to declining PISA scores in 2022 (released in 2023), Finland is increasing lessons in reading and mathematics to strengthen foundational skills.

The Minister also noted the need to balance technical skills with human qualities such as empathy and creativity, highlighting the significance of arts and crafts education in fostering these qualities. Adlercreutz said:

“Arts and crafts education provides a concrete way tocultivate key human capacities, understanding ourselvesand others, fostering compassion, and encouraging self-reflection.”

Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA 4.0)

Finland’s ASEAN presence

Finland is gradually establishing a presence in education within the ASEAN region, focusing on Thailand and Vietnam as key hubs for Finnish education providers and higher education institutions. These entities are engaged in Finnish pedagogy schools, educational technology (edtech), teacher and skills training, and joint degree and cooperation programs. Education Finland members report steady ASEAN traction, with Finnish-pedagogy schools in Indonesia and Malaysia and joint degrees inVietnam, building on growing regional demand. Their efforts are supported by targeted public initiatives, Team Finland actors, and embassy-led partnerships. Additionally, Finnish early childhood and school-level education concepts have found niche markets in Indonesia and Malaysia. Meanwhile, Singapore primarily serves as a strategic partner for collaboration in higher education, research, and innovation, rather than as a significant market for commercial K-12 solutions.

Some Finnish practitioners argue that the current approach in Southeast Asia leans too heavily on high-level delegations and memorandums of understanding (MoUs). These initiatives do not automatically translate into contracts, as concrete budgeting and procurement decisions are often made by sector agencies, provinces, or private operators further down the chain. They emphasise that the education business in ASEAN is strongly relationship-driven, suggesting that Finland’s long-term success will depend more on sustained local presence, trust-building, and cooperation with decision-makers closer to implementation.

Finland and the other Nordic countries use the education sector to build links with ASEAN, but with varying emphasis and priorities. Finland and Sweden appear to be the most active overall, with sizeable higher-education and cooperation portfolios and, in Finland’s case, an obvious push on branded education exports and school concepts. Norway and Denmark participate mainly through aid, capacity-building, and higher-education partnerships, with limited commercial visibility, while Iceland plays a limited role. Minister Adlercreutz suggests a strategic framework for talent development, market differentiation, and governance excellence for executives exploring the Nordic-ASEAN corridor.

The Anti-Speed Strategy: Disciplined DigitalGovernance

Adlercreutz argues that the modern digital world, characterised by a bombardment of impulses and short video clips, recalibrates the mind, making deep concentration difficult. Adlercreutz:

“In a world where everything is fast-paced, where we are bombarded with stuff, maybe school should be the place where we learn to be slow, where we learn to bear boredom”.

The solution is to intentionally promote resistance in classrooms, creating an environment where students can embrace slowness and cultivate the focus and patience that technology often disrupts.

Finland’s nationwide ban on mobile devices, effective 1 August 2025, demonstrates a strong commitment to disciplined digital governance that balances innovation with responsibility.

This push for slowness is a pragmatic response to declining reading outcomes and the widespread impact of social media distractions. The early results of the ban have been“extremely positive”.

“They [kids] talk with each other. What an innovation.”

Students are now interacting more meaningfully during breaks rather than sitting alone, and activities such as basketball and board games have resumed.

Media Literacy for Resilience

Digital discipline is crucial for civic readiness. Finland, recognised as the most media-literate nation in Europe, positions media and AI literacy as essential for democratic resilience, promoting pride and respect among policymakers.

By teaching students to become content creators, critically evaluate sources, and recognise signs of manipulation, such as through a theoretical exercise simulating a “troll farm” to influence their classmates, Finland is effectively nurturing a digitally savvy future workforce.

Media and AI literacy are regarded as vital democratic skills, particularly in light of the“hybrid Russian pressure”and disinformation campaigns that have threatened European societies and nearly influenced elections in Romania and Moldova.

Policy Architect: Trust Model

Minister Adlercreutz designs policy through robust systems grounded in high trust and professionalism, serving core human needs and fostering confidence. This approach is essential for effective education administration and promoting a positive learning environment. The Finnish education system exemplifies this by employing highly qualified educators with master’s degrees, which eliminates the need for extensive inspections or excessive testing.

However, there are stresses within this high-trust model. Adlercreutz identifies administrative friction as a key stressor:

“We try to take away whatever hinders [teachers] from doing their job… lower the amount of paperwork so that they can do their magic.”

This underscores the commitment to reducing burdens and allowing teachers to focus on educating students.

Ultimately, the high-trust governance model serves as a source of product differentiation. Finnish education systems offer ASEAN schools an alternative to surveillance-heavy platforms, prioritising autonomy and equity to develop effective educational frameworks and build confidence in the system.

Teacher Focus = Human Capital

This Architect of Policy approach ensures teacher wellbeing and enables educators to focus on their core mission: seeing, hearing, and helping students. This model frames social equality not as optional idealism, but as economic necessity. By ensuring that every public school delivers comparable quality through the comprehensive school system, Finland maximises utilisation of its human capital.

Associate Professor Dr Yotsawee Saifah, Dean of the Faculty of Education at Chulalongkorn University, emphasises:

“Education is chosen for developing people to be a really human being and [serving] as human capital for thesocieties.”

This sentiment echoes the idea that education should focus on developing individuals as integral members of society.

Minister Adlercreutz highlighted the importance of social mobility and equity in the context of educational efficiency, stating:

“We view social mobility, equity, as a way of being efficient.”

This underscores the notion that fostering equality benefits individuals and enhances society’s overall functioning.

Minister Adlercreutz. Source: YouTube video capture “A just peace for Ukraine”, fair use.AI -enhanced image.

AI-enhanced for visual improvement. Digital Transformation

For resource-constrained ASEAN economies, a high-trust, low-bureaucracy model promotes innovation and addresses the skills gap for transitioning to a knowledge economy. By integrating innovation, such as AI tools, with regulation, such as measures to protect cognitive attention,

ASEAN nations can strengthen their digital workforce. Dr Suthep Kaengsanthia, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education in Thailand, exemplifies this approach:

“Thailand sees the importance of technology and wants to adapt Finnish technology to suit the country’s context, as both countries face the critical problem of an ageing society and decreasing population. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a higher-quality, high-potential population using technology to compensate for the decreasing population.”

This perspective emphasises that technology without governance creates chaos rather than capability. As Thailand integrates technology, a strategic governance approach that aligns with local realities is crucial. Ultimately, understanding the link between technology and governance will help ASEAN nations navigate challenges and leverage digital transformation to drive sustainable growth.

Key Takeaways

Digital Guardrails Win Markets. Phone bans create calm classrooms, defeating distraction-driven rivals.
Equity = Economic Efficiency. Adlercreutz:“We view equity as away of being efficient”.
Human Magic Beats AI. Build empathy and creativity skills.
Slow Learning Differentiates. Anti-speed model counters mass-market scale with premium outcomes.
VET MoU = Market Entry. The Thailand deal (Automation/ICT/Hospitality) unlocks government contracts.