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A public seminar from the Department of Education, delivered by Dr\xa0Jaakko\xa0Kauko, University\xa0of\xa0Helsinki. The\xa0presentation\xa0aims\xa0to\xa0understand\xa0and\xa0contrast\xa0the\xa0dynamics\xa0in\xa0English\xa0and\xa0Finnish\xa0education\xa0policy\xadmaking.\xa0Dynamics\xa0are\xa0understood\xa0as\xa0patterns\xa0of\xa0interaction\xa0between\xa0the\xa0main\xa0policy\xa0actors\xa0embedded\xa0in\xa0the\xa0socio\xadhistorical\xa0contexts\xa0in\xa0the\xa0two\xa0countries.\xa0Data\xa0is\xa0drawn\xa0from\xa016\xa0theme\xa0interviews\xa0with\xa0key\xa0policymakers\xa0in\xa0England\xa0complemented\xa0with\xa0a\xa0body\xa0of\xa0official\xa0\ndocuments.\xa0The\xa0Finnish\xa0data\xa0is\xa0based\xa0on\xa0earlier\xa0research\xa0projects,\xa0their\xa0results\xa0and\xa0policymaker theme\xa0interview\xa0data\xa0used\xa0in\xa0them.\nThe\xa0English\xa0education\xa0policy\xadmaking\xa0on\xa0the\xa0surface\xa0level\xa0reflects\xa0a\xa0rather\xa0reactionary\xa0dynamics,\xa0following\xa0earlier\xa0theories\xa0of\xa0policy\xa0entrepreneurs\xa0seizing\xa0opportunities.\xa0On\xa0a\xa0deeper\xa0level,\xa0policymaking is\xa0guided\xa0by\xa0an institutional\xa0structure\xa0created\xa0over\xa0the\xa0course\xa0of\xa0history:\xa0centralisation\xa0of\xa0power\xa0to\xa0the\xa0Department\xa0for\xa0Education\xa0and\xa0a\xa0shift\xa0of\xa0balance\xa0in\xa0consulting\xa0from\xa0formal\xa0or\xa0professional\xa0organisations\xa0to\xa0think\xa0tanks\xa0and\xa0political\xa0advisors,\xa0and\xa0the\xa0ascendancy\xa0of Ofsted\xa0as\xa0a\xa0political\xa0actor\xa0in\xa0education\xa0policy.\xa0Finnish\xa0education\xa0policy\xadmaking\xa0dynamics\xa0is\xa0restricted\xa0by\xa0radical\xa0municipal\xa0autonomy,\xa0consensus supporting\xa0decision making\xa0system,\xa0and\xa0a\xa0bureaucratic\xa0tradition\xa0all\xa0which\xa0buffer\xa0against\xa0rapid\xa0changes\xa0and\xa0result\xa0in\xa0a\xa0continuity\xa0of\xa0the\xa0comprehensive\xa0school.\nIn\xa0policy-making,\xa0the\xa0relations\xa0of\xa0the\xa0English\xa0actors\xa0are\xa0conflictual\xa0whereas\xa0in\xa0Finland\xa0they\xa0are\xa0consensual.\xa0In\xa0both\xa0context\xa0there\xa0seemed\xa0to\xa0be\xa0a\xa0governance\xa0gap\xa0between\xa0the\xa0central\xa0and\xa0local\xa0administration.\xa0The\xa0difference\xa0in\xa0the\xa0processes\xa0of\xa0centralisation\xa0seemed\xa0to\xa0explain\xa0change\xa0potential.\xa0The\xa0main\xa0difference\xa0in\xa0dynamics\xa0is\xa0the\xa0fluidity\xa0of\xa0the\xa0education\xa0institutions,\xa0particularly\xa0school\xa0types.\xa0In\xa0England,\xa0the\xa0changing\xa0political\xa0emphasis\xa0has\xa0changed\xa0thebasic\xa0organisation\xa0of\xa0schooling,\xa0while\xa0in\xa0Finland\xa0changes\xa0took\xa0place\xa0inside\xa0the\xa0comprehensive\xa0school\xa0institution.