The Giellagas Institute

The Giellagas Institute for Saami studies was established in 2001 with the funding provided by the Ministry of Education. Pursuant to the ‘national task’ assigned by the State, the Giellagas Institute is responsible for Finland´s highest education and research into Saami language and culture.

Saami language and culture have been taught as an independent academic subject at the University of Oulu for nearly 40 years, first as a minor and as a major from 1982 (see history of Saami studies). In 2004 Saami language and culture was divided into two major academic subjects, Saami Linguistics and Saami Culture.

The Giellagas Institute has its own role in the education of the Saami people as well as in the maintenance of the culture. Nowadays the situation of the Saami people seems to be better understood by the mainstream society than previously. This positive attitude can be seen in the good prerequisites of action that we have been provided with.

From the very beginning, the Giellagas Institute’s field of activity has included the training of Saami subject teachers. Interpreter training will be inaugurated in autumn 2005. The last two study programs will be implemented as distance teaching. We have also been involved together with the universities of Kansas in the setting up of an exchange program for indigenous students that is called World Indigenous Graduate Exchange (WIGE) that is run in English. We are also creating contacts with the University of the Arctic to reach more indigenous students. Exchanges within the Nordic Countries take place supported by the NORDPLUS –program.