What is academic freedom index in Finland?

Academic freedom index in Finland was 0.818 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Finland?

The highest recorded value was 0.947 in 1990.

What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Finland?

The lowest recorded value was 0.716 in 1940.

How does Finland rank for academic freedom index?

Finland ranks 54th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.

Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Finland?

Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Finland data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Academic Freedom Index in Finland

Name: Academic Freedom Index in Finland
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Finland: Academic Freedom Index was 0.818 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.818

Change on year

down 2.6%

World rank

54th

of 174 countries

All-time high

0.947

in 1990

All-time low

0.716

in 1940

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Academic Freedom Index in Finland, 1900–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for academic freedom index in Finland is 0.818, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, academic freedom index in Finland peaked at 0.947 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.716, in 1940.

Finland ranks 54th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 126 years of available data.

Academic Freedom Index in Finland, year by year

Annual values for Academic Freedom Index in Finland, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.811	—
1901	0.811	+0.0%
1902	0.811	+0.0%
1903	0.811	+0.0%
1904	0.811	+0.0%
1905	0.817	+0.7%
1906	0.823	+0.7%
1907	0.823	+0.0%
1908	0.823	+0.0%
1909	0.809	-1.7%
1910	0.809	+0.0%
1911	0.809	+0.0%
1912	0.809	+0.0%
1913	0.809	+0.0%
1914	0.809	+0.0%
1915	0.809	+0.0%
1916	0.809	+0.0%
1917	0.836	+3.3%
1918	0.838	+0.2%
1919	0.841	+0.4%
1920	0.841	+0.0%
1921	0.846	+0.6%
1922	0.846	+0.0%
1923	0.846	+0.0%
1924	0.846	+0.0%
1925	0.846	+0.0%
1926	0.846	+0.0%
1927	0.846	+0.0%
1928	0.846	+0.0%
1929	0.846	+0.0%
1930	0.84	-0.7%
1931	0.84	+0.0%
1932	0.84	+0.0%
1933	0.84	+0.0%
1934	0.84	+0.0%
1935	0.84	+0.0%
1936	0.84	+0.0%
1937	0.848	+1.0%
1938	0.848	+0.0%
1939	0.845	-0.4%
1940	0.716	-15.3%
1941	0.716	+0.0%
1942	0.716	+0.0%
1943	0.716	+0.0%
1944	0.716	+0.0%
1945	0.821	+14.7%
1946	0.868	+5.7%
1947	0.868	+0.0%
1948	0.878	+1.2%
1949	0.885	+0.8%
1950	0.899	+1.6%
1951	0.899	+0.0%
1952	0.899	+0.0%
1953	0.901	+0.2%
1954	0.901	+0.0%
1955	0.901	+0.0%
1956	0.901	+0.0%
1957	0.901	+0.0%
1958	0.901	+0.0%
1959	0.901	+0.0%
1960	0.901	+0.0%
1961	0.901	+0.0%
1962	0.901	+0.0%
1963	0.901	+0.0%
1964	0.907	+0.7%
1965	0.915	+0.9%
1966	0.915	+0.0%
1967	0.915	+0.0%
1968	0.915	+0.0%
1969	0.915	+0.0%
1970	0.94	+2.7%
1971	0.94	+0.0%
1972	0.94	+0.0%
1973	0.94	+0.0%
1974	0.94	+0.0%
1975	0.94	+0.0%
1976	0.94	+0.0%
1977	0.94	+0.0%
1978	0.94	+0.0%
1979	0.94	+0.0%
1980	0.943	+0.3%
1981	0.943	+0.0%
1982	0.943	+0.0%
1983	0.943	+0.0%
1984	0.943	+0.0%
1985	0.943	+0.0%
1986	0.943	+0.0%
1987	0.943	+0.0%
1988	0.943	+0.0%
1989	0.943	+0.0%
1990	0.947	+0.4%
1991	0.947	+0.0%
1992	0.947	+0.0%
1993	0.947	+0.0%
1994	0.947	+0.0%
1995	0.947	+0.0%
1996	0.947	+0.0%
1997	0.947	+0.0%
1998	0.947	+0.0%
1999	0.947	+0.0%
2000	0.947	+0.0%
2001	0.947	+0.0%
2002	0.947	+0.0%
2003	0.947	+0.0%
2004	0.947	+0.0%
2005	0.947	+0.0%
2006	0.947	+0.0%
2007	0.947	+0.0%
2008	0.947	+0.0%
2009	0.947	+0.0%
2010	0.944	-0.3%
2011	0.944	+0.0%
2012	0.944	+0.0%
2013	0.944	+0.0%
2014	0.944	+0.0%
2015	0.944	+0.0%
2016	0.944	+0.0%
2017	0.944	+0.0%
2018	0.944	+0.0%
2019	0.937	-0.7%
2020	0.945	+0.9%
2021	0.944	-0.1%
2022	0.945	+0.1%
2023	0.907	-4.0%
2024	0.84	-7.4%
2025	0.818	-2.6%

Finland compared with similar countries

Finland's 0.818 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.847, 97% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
Finland's 0.818 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.7865, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.815	0.809	0.823	10
1910s	0.8178	0.809	0.841	10
1920s	0.8455	0.841	0.846	10
1930s	0.8421	0.84	0.848	10
1940s	0.79	0.716	0.885	10
1950s	0.9004	0.899	0.901	10
1960s	0.9086	0.901	0.915	10
1970s	0.94	0.94	0.94	10
1980s	0.943	0.943	0.943	10
1990s	0.947	0.947	0.947	10
2000s	0.947	0.947	0.947	10
2010s	0.9433	0.937	0.944	10
2020s	0.8998	0.818	0.945	6

Countries ranked near Finland

51 Lithuania 0.823 compare
52 Italy 0.822 compare
53 Gambia 0.821 compare
55 Croatia 0.811 compare
56 Slovakia 0.807 compare
57 France 0.8 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More social development data for Finland

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 102,544 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0182 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Finland →

Frequently asked questions

What is academic freedom index in Finland?: Academic freedom index in Finland was 0.818 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest academic freedom index recorded in Finland?: The highest recorded value was 0.947 in 1990.
What is the lowest academic freedom index recorded in Finland?: The lowest recorded value was 0.716 in 1940.
How does Finland rank for academic freedom index?: Finland ranks 54th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is academic freedom index rising or falling in Finland?: Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Finland data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Academic Freedom Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Academic Freedom Index in Finland. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/academic-freedom-index/finland/

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About this data

Indicator: Academic Freedom Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 174 places, 16,942 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which academics can research, teach, publish, express opinions, and participate in academic bodies without interference, censorship, or institutional restrictions, and universities exercise institutional autonomy.