uLead 2016

International benchmarking in education is a common practice today in educational leadership in all developed education systems in the world. But international benchmarking is still relatively young and therefore underdeveloped area in educational leadership. In many countries education policies are introduced and changed based on what seems to be the evidence from so called 'high performing' education systems. In this presentation I will offer more critical perspective to understanding lessons from one of the most often referred educational systems, Finland. This perspective includes still to be tested hypothesis that – at least regarding Finland – much of the explanation of its consistent high educational performance may be associated to invisible factors that are primarily found outside the school and formal education system. The conclusion is that if this hypothesis is verified, then education leaders need to take much broader and systemic view also in international education benchmarking, policy-making and education reform design than what has been done until now.