Does Information Sharing Encourage Participation in Education? Final Report on the Letter Mail Experiment and the Outreach Pilot

Hannu Karhunen, Antti Kauhanen, Jani Kuhakoski, Krista Riukula, Tuomo Suhonen, Pekka Vanhala and Hanna Virtanen

No 174, ETLA Reports from The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy

Abstract: Abstract This study evaluated the effectiveness of two different measures in increasing participation in adult education among adults with low educational attainment, using a randomised field experiment. In the first part, an information letter was sent to 50,000 individuals with only basic education, outlining educational options, the benefits of studying, and available financial support. The results indicated that providing general information alone had no effect on starting studies. In the second experiment, service providers visited SMEs and offered tailored educational guidance, organising 1,322 information sessions attended by 2,726 employees. Of these, 1,718 belonged to the target group, with their highest level of education being comprehensive school or upper secondary school. This more personalised and intensive measure increased participation in upper secondary education within the target group by 0.75 percentage points (approximately 8 percent), but also caused a slight decrease in monthly earnings, suggesting a shift in time allocation between studying and working. The study demonstrates that simply disseminating information is insufficient; effectiveness requires more individualised and costlier actions, the benefits and costs of which must be weighed carefully.

Keywords: Adult education; Low-educated; Information intervention; Field experiment; Lifelong learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I21 J24 O15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 40 pages
Date: 2026-03-16
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