About
Mission
At Finland International School (FIS), our mission is to empower students to become innovative, critical thinkers equipped to thrive in a rapidly changing world. We are dedicated to providing an education that goes beyond textbooks, focusing on the holistic development of each child.
Vision
We envision a learning environment where every child is valued, their unique potential is nurtured, and they are prepared to excel in life and contribute meaningfully to society.
Our Legacy
Founded by Goenka Inc, a leader in diverse industries, FIS brings together a rich legacy of excellence and a commitment to transformative education. In partnership with EduCluster Finland, we integrate the best of Finnish education with the needs of Indian students, offering a truly global learning experience.
Partnership with EduCluster Finland
EduCluster Finland, a pioneer in educational innovation, collaborates with FIS to bring Finland’s globally renowned learning methodologies to India. This partnership ensures that our students receive an education that is both cutting-edge and deeply rooted in proven practices.
Shashank Goenka
Managing Director- Goenka Inc.
Mr. Goenka graduated from Purdue University, USA with a Bachelor’s in Science with a specialisation in Industrial Management. Hailing from a business background and equipped with an entrepreneurial spirit, he chose to lend his business acumen to something noble.
Having experienced the education curriculum in India as a student, and closely observing the system thereafter, he saw the gaps that needed to be bridged for education to be more holistic in India.
Moreover, his exposure to the global landscape urged him to take a step to set up an institution that emphasizes the students’ ability to learn, holistically imbibe knowledge and apply the same in every walk of life. His vision has been to enable students to push the boundaries of possibility so that with their learning they can fulfill their intellectual and social potential in the future. With this focus, the Goenka Global Education has been set up and prides itself on a progressive educational approach to learning and teaching.
Nikke Keskinen
COO, Goenka Inc. Founding Principal of Finland International Schools
Nikke Keskinen is the Founding Principal of Finland International Schools in India, and COO at Goenka Inc. He is a Master of Education from Tampere University, Finland, and he holds a Certificate in Educational Administration from the Finnish National Agency of Education. He is also a certified Head of IB World School.
His previous international leadership positions were in Almaty, Kazakhstan, as the principal of an innovative PBL school, High Tech Academy; in Baku, Azerbaijan, working for an educational start-up project, and in Doha, Qatar, as the general manager and head of Qatar-Finland International School.
His versatile, 30-plus year working experience covers class teaching and principal duties, and project management in family service administration. He has also served as a manager of early childhood education, basic education and special education in the city of Hämeenlinna, Finland.
Manish Srivastva
Head of Business Development, Goenka Inc
Manish Srivastva is at the forefront of transforming education through innovative, technology-driven learning models that cater to the evolving needs of the modern workforce. His approach focuses on redefining traditional education by integrating adaptive, personalised learning experiences that go beyond textbooks to offer real-world skill development. Believing that education must be a continuous journey, Manish emphasizes constant refinement of learning methods to ensure they stay relevant in today’s fast-changing global competitiveness. His visionary eCorts are directed toward creating sustainable, flexible, and engaging educational ecosystems that empower individuals to upskill and remain competitive in the dynamic world.
"Education should be a catalyst for transformation, constantly evolving to meet the demands of an ever-changing world while empowering individuals to achieve their highest potential."
– Manish Srivastva
Elina Kataja
Head of Teacher Training, Goenka Inc
Elina Kataja, an early childhood education specialist, is the Head of Teacher Training at Goenka Inc. She is responsible for teacher professional development and curriculum development in particular.
Elina has a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education. She has worked 18 years in various positions in the field of Education, being a preprimary teacher, leader and project manager in various development projects, as well as a mentor and an academic coordinator. Elina has trained thousands of preprimary teachers in Finland prior to coming to India.
Early childhood education is Elina’s professional passion. She believes that there is hardly anything more important than supporting young children in building good social skills, comprehensive learning readiness, a healthy self-esteem, and a positive outlook on the future. In early childhood education, in addition to laying the foundation for strong academic skills, Elina wants to support the child's right to play, hear stories and fairytales, use their imagination, dream, and express themselves through various ways of art. Childhood lasts only a short moment, and Elina firmly believes that we must remember to cherish that unique time.
John Hart
Director of Digital Learning & Innovation, Goenka Inc.
John holds a BSc in Psychology in addition to his post-graduate teaching qualifications from the UK. He has experience of a wide range of curricula, including the IB PYP, the English National Curriculum, the IPC and, of course the Finnish National Core Curriculum. Before moving to India, he held the dual roles of Primary Coordinator and Lead Teacher for Digital Learning at the European School of Helsinki.
John is a keen advocate for the meaningful, considered integration of technology in school and was one of the first cohort of seven teachers in Finland to be recognised as an Apple Distinguished Educator in 2015. Since then he has attended, run workshops or spoken at ADE Institutes in Amsterdam, Berlin and London as well as providing in-service training for teachers at a range of schools across Finland and the Middle East. In 2017 he was also awarded as one of the top two ‘tech-savvy’ teachers in Finland (Suomen Digiosaavin Opettaja) for his work with the Helsinki City Museum. Since moving to India, he has been certified as an Apple Professional Learning Specialist, ensuring that he remains at the cutting edge of advances in education technology and teacher training.
Aside from his work in schools, John has guest-written on the topic of education for the Guardian newspaper in the UK and acted as a mentor for xEdu, which is Europe's leading business accelerator for edtech startups.
Kati Loponen
CEO, EduCluster Finland Ltd.
Kati has been actively engaged in developing Finnish educational excellence and expertise internationally for over 10 years. Alongside hands-on experience of operationalizing schools in MENA she has special expertise in adapting Finnish curricular, pedagogic, leadership and management best practices into international contexts.
Mark Barratt
Director of Global Sales & Partnerships, EduCluster Finland Ltd.
Mark Barratt is a specialist in sales and marketing, with 21 years of experience in the education sector. Mark's background and expertise is derived from working in academic publishing, digital language learning and Finnish educational products and expert services. His background spans content creation and development, digital content, development of digital services and applications for language learning and acquisition.