I think many people don't realize that the costs of education are quite fixed, especially in subjects were you don't have a lot of expensive consumables, which is the majority of degree programmes in English at the moment.

If you have courses which are already running for Finnish students, extra 10 foreigners don't add anything to costs. In fact these foreigners pay minimum 500e a month for living expenses, which is money they bring INTO the country, or if they work during summers, make themselves in the country and pay taxes for.

Another point is that the people who apply here are very carefully evaluated and only the best ones are accepted. It is in Finland's best interest to attract capable minds into the country because that's what drives innovation.
The free education is the only attraction point Finland has at the moment, with only a single institution in the top 100 universities in the world, sure it's nice for a small country, but it's not like research here can be compared with US or UK (and I say that after working 7 years as a researcher here and then 4 years in the US).
If you take away free education, no bright foreigner will have any incentive to come here (other than the lovely weather).

#8: Dr. Evil - Free education to foreigners 

" The free education is the only attraction point Finland has"

 

Absolutely agree.

#8: Dr. Evil - Free education to foreigners 

 Absolutely. Thank you for pointing out the unpleasent truth to our local friends.