An important part of any country is its armed forces, and in Finland’s capital city of Helsinki, extra effort has been made to ensure that the officers in charge of taking the lead in the country’s military have been trained to the highest standards and hold themselves to the most discriminating code of ethics. The Finnish National Defense University of Helsinki is a fascinating place to visit, if only to see what makes the Finnish military unique.
Training officers of the Defense Forces and the Finnish Border Guard, the university, while mainly located in Helsinki, also has locations in Santahamina, Kruununhaka and Tuusula. Until recently, the university went by the more pedestrian English title of the National Defense College. The name change, if nothing else, has finally given the organization a title sparking interest and respect in the casual listener. The degrees offered here include bachelor of military science, master of military science, general staff officer’s degree and doctor of military.