OK Study Centre

OK Study Centre is a nationwide adult education institution. It is maintained by an educational NGO called the Association for Educational Activity (Opintotoiminnan Keskusliitto ry), which acts as an umbrella for its 67 member organisations.

The study centre provides activities particularly for these organisations. The study centre’s objective is to develop and foster multiple and active civic activity, and to support its members’ adult education activities.

Member organisations represent the fields of health, education and culture, citizens’ advice, nature and the environment, and other specific areas of activity. They all are politically independent.

OK Study Centre

• is an expert in training and learning in the voluntary sector
• guides and supports adult learning
• offers financial support for its members’ training activities
• offers training primarily to its members
• organises and carries out national and international educational projects with its member organisations
• produces arts and cultural events
• cooperates with other adult education centres both nationally and internationally, for example through its membership in the European EBZ network of centres for education and culture.

The principal and executive director of the centre is Ms Anitta Pehkonen, MEd. The centre has around 30 employees. Its central office is located in Helsinki, and it has regional offices in Turku, Tampere, Seinäjoki, Joensuu and Oulu.

Together with its member organisations, the centre runs over 5,000 courses and other training events and almost 2,000 peer study groups annually. Each year these activities reach more than 161,000 people. The annual number of teaching and study hours totals over 150,000.

The Association for Educational Activity (OK) maintains the study centre. It is supported and monitored by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and the National Board of Education. The centre’s activities are regulated by the Act on Liberal Adult Education.