Introduction The nature of Finnish post-graduate polytechnic degree seems to have potential of growing up quite different and unique in Europe. The content of the programmes is originated from work environments and the aim is to develop the professional competence of the student and the working life. The Finnish higher education system comprises 29 polytechnics (ammattikorkeakoulu, AMK) and 20 universities. The polytechnics are multi-field institutions of professional higher education. Polytechnics are developed as part of the national and international higher education community, with special emphasis on their expertise in working life and its development. The polytechnics also carry out R&D relevant to their teaching and to professional work. Polytechnic degrees Polytechnic degrees are Bachelor-level degrees with a professional emphasis and take 3.5 to 4 years to complete. The experiment of post-graduate polytechnic i.e. second-cycle higher education degrees is possible through a fixed-term Act in force from 2002 to 2005. Individual polytechnic as well as consortium could apply to the Ministry of Education for permission to launch such programme. By law the Ministry nominated members to the national coordination and follow-up group, which is closely following the development of the programmes. The group is comprised of representatives from various interest groups of employers, employees, teachers and students. There are also representatives from the Ministry of Education and the polytechnics. The Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council evaluates the results of the experiment. Decisions on the future status and policy concerning these degrees will be made by the Parliament. The postgraduate degrees are designed for mature students and are intended for graduates with at least 3 years of relevant work experience. The programmes can be completed alongside a fulltime job. Polytechnic postgraduate degrees are offered in the fields of - Social Sciences, Business and Administration o Programme for entrepreneurs and professionals within small and medium enterprises - Technology, Communication and Transport o Programme for construction and repair work o Programme for competence management - Social Services, Health and Sports o Programme for the care of elderly and long-term patients o Programme for health promotion and preventive work o Programme for social services Follow-up results Data is collected four months after each programme starts. The questionnaire was sent to each student and principal lecturer liable for the programme. Next results are gathered from the very first 15 programmes (171 students and 15 principal lecturers), which started in 2002 - 2003. The typical student was female (68%, n=116), an average of 37 years (range 24 to 57 years). About 87% had polytechnic degree and 11% had university degree mainly master's. Two students had doctoral degree. They had an average of 6 years of relevant work experience. The most students (89 %) were full-time workers and the remainder were part-time workers or unemployed. There are findings about the support that employers gave to the students, about personal curriculum, about the final thesis and their connections to work life. The final thesis were relate mostly to a research or development project tied intimately to the needs of the student's own work environment and employer. The students were also asked about the problems and the best things so far, the data were analysed by content analysis. The principal lecturers had postgraduate (doctorate, 53 % or licentiate, 47 %) degrees. They had vital connections to the work life: all teachers had connections via teaching and final thesis, 53 % of the teachers had collaborative projects and 27 % had collaborative research with work life. Quite many (33%) were members of strategic or other work life groups. Most of the curriculums were planned together with representatives of work life (93 %) and universities (53 %). Contact and distance learning were closely linked to each other. Students could study concurrently with full-time job. Typically they had two or three days contact learning per week once or twice a month. There were e.g. lectures, small group learning, problem based learning and panel discussions. Distance learning was typically arranged on e-learning basis (webCT, Moodle). The students were given assignments, which they worked individually or together and discussed using internet. The students are motivated experts, who are interested in developing their own professional knowledge and work life. One of the main focuses of the whole educational process is the vital connections to work life and educational and labour needs in the field. In February 2004 we have 34 programmes and 485 students. New data is ready for analysis in March 2004 and analysis is ready in July.