In order to develop the Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) the Ministry of Education in Finland finances networks which co-operate in national level and focus on developing measures. There have been educational networks in Finland over 10 years. The main aim is to unify the development resources and implement new practices. By financing these networks the Ministry of Education is able to promote actions and themes stated in national higher education policy. (Sund 2007). The networks (approximately ten) are concentrated in counseling, entrepreneurship, work placement, international affairs, South-East Asia and research of education in UASs. In order to prevent overlapping and to improve co-operation between UASs, the Project Managers have gathered few times a year to discuss on co-operation. The networks operate mainly in workshop basis. They also practice publishing. Two of the networks publish electronic journals. The networks organize national and international seminars and conferences on education in the UASs. Also groups of researchers operate close to the networks and produce latest information on the themes of higher education. In order to clarify how the actions in these networks have been implemented and how they have affected in everyday life in the UASs the Ministry of Education has financed the study on the effectiveness of the networks which have operated in 2004 -07 (Ministry of Education 2004). The influence and the usefulness to a single UAS have been discussed. The main aim in this report is to study, how these networks have added value to the development and competence in UASs (Fullan 2007, Hakkarainen & al. 2004). The survey is also interested in operational modes which have advanced the spreading of those results that have been gained in the networks (Wenger 1997). In addition, the study researches the ways of productization, which make easier to UASs to benefit from the results (Kolehmainen 1997). The report concentrates on continuity of the partnerships that exists in the networks. The main factors are: Participants Acting in project Evaluation of project Projects in participants own UAS Projects in the future Project Managers History of a project Project outputs Project in the future Methodology UAS management choose two networks and evaluate them: advantages and implementation in a certain UAS Commitment to project in UAS Progress in the field UASs Growth of professional competence How one specific network project has advanced the development on your own University of Applied Sciences future how the participants have been chosen The Ministry of Education in Finland how the networks have succeeded how the network themes have been selected how the co-ordinating UAS have been chosen the future of the networks

The study is an Internet-based survey. The empirical data is collected from participants (157 employees and students) of the networks, Project Managers (10 persons) and UAS management (28) persons. Qualitative interviews of the main actors persons employed in UAS are made.

The conclusions have to take advantage of different sides of the system of Finnish Higher Education. (1) The Ministry of Education in Finland utilizes this survey in order to set new goals of development of UASs in next period (2010-12) of strategic development. Thematic gaps of the development areas can be discovered and the synergy of networks improved. The Ministry gets information on co-operation between UASs and the usage of networks in UASs is evaluated. (2) For the UASs the results offer an opportunity to get information about “best practices” how to utilize the products of networks. (3) For the network managers the results will give information about the methods, measures and products which make the network to success in the everyday life of UASs.