This Master’s thesis for MA in Media Education at the University of Lapland discusses education export as a part of country branding, especially in respect of self-perception and as experienced national identity.

Education is an integral part of “Brand Finland”. Brand is a set of values, hopes and characteristics associated with any organization or a product. The Finnish government has included education to be one of the elements that encapsulate what Finland stands for.

To make the issue more concrete, the second part of the thesis discusses a video presentation created to communicate “Finnish Education Excellence” to selected audiences. The video presentation belongs to a genre of info-promotional material, as it is not only marketing a product, but also delivering information. Often marketing material is being analyzed in the context of the receiver of the message, however, in this study this setting is reversed. Analysing a info-promotional video is also bringing forth perhaps hidden or unconscious values through selection themes and how issues are presented to the viewer.

I analyse the research material with a tailor-made method combining semiotics, three-layered visual analysis and content analysis. The method proved out to be very fruitful in discussing and processing especially the multisensory nature of the audio-visual material.

It is evident that the themes selected for the info-promotional video analysed were consistent with the themes in more general “Brand Finland”. These themes included nature and sustainability, easy-going and simple living, high-technology, dynamic youthfulness, working together and solution-centred attitude. Furthermore, connections with visual narrative with Brand Finland were clear. Education, including education export, are an essential aspect of the nation brand of Finland.