In Finland, the shift from the centralized and system-oriented education system into the decentralized and result-oriented one has radically changed the position of the superintendent. The position is now juridically fragile and due to societal changes most essential and challenging. Legislation has not recognized the position of the superintendent since 1993 and the constitutionally autonomous municipalities are free to determine the position as they consider best. The municipalities, i.e. local authorities, have the obligation to provide and are the main providers of education which they can organize in any way they decide as long they meet the national goals and core guidelines. Also, the decentralization process is not stable but there are constant tensions and changes in it. The superintendent is at the heart of all this. There has been practically no research on superintendency in Finland until the study by Kanervio and Risku (2009) which forms the foundation for the present proposal. Set in the international comparative framework of the proposed superintendent symposium it offers an interesting piece of information in the examination of superintendency from the point of view of centralized versus decentralized education systems.