List of firsts in Finland

This is a list of firsts in Finland.

• First director of the first Finnish research institute in applied psychology: Ester Hjelt^[1]
• First Finnish-speaking teacher training college: University of Jyväskylä^[2]
• First state schools for females in Finland: Svenska fruntimmersskolan i Åbo (English: Swedish Women's School of Åbo) and Svenska fruntimmersskolan i Helsingfors (English: Swedish Women's School of Helsingfors) (1844)

• Dissertations
  • First dissertation by a Finnish woman (chemistry, University of Zurich): Lydia Sesemann (1874)^[3][4]
  • First dissertation by a Finnish woman in Finland (Doctor of Medicine and Surgery): Karolina Eskelin (1895)^[4]
  • First female opponent at a dissertation (Faculty of Medicine): Elsa Ryti (1927)^[4]
  • First dissertation by a Finnish woman in Physics: Eugenie Lisitzin (1938)^[4]
  • First dissertation by a Finnish woman in Finnish language studies: Eeva Lindén (1942)^[4]
  • First dissertation by a Finnish woman in Astronomy: Liisi Oterma (1955)^[4]
  • First dissertation by a Finnish woman in Economics: Vieno Rajaoja (1958)^[4]
• Doctors
  • First female Doctor of Philosophy: Tekla Hultin (1896)^[4]
  • First female Doctor of Agriculture: Synnöve von Hausen (1936)^[4]
  • First female Doctor of Laws (Justice) in Finland: Inkeri Anttila (1946)^[4][5]
  • First female Doctor of Theology: Eira Paunu (1952)^[4]
  • First female Doctor in Social Sciences: Elina Haavio-Mannila (1958)^[4]
• Professorships
  • First female professor in Finland (Personal Extraordinary Professor, Åbo Akademi): Alma Söderhjelm (1927)^[4][6]
  • First female professor of Medicine and holder of a permanent chair (Obstetrics and Gynaecology): Laimi Leidenius (1930)^[4][7]
  • First female professor of Chemistry: Salli Eskola (1947)^[8]
  • First female professor in Physical and Natural Sciences (assistant professor in Chemistry): Salli Eskola^[4]
  • First female professor of Pedagogy: Inkeri Vikainen (1959)^[4]
  • First female professor of Law in Finland: Inkeri Anttila (1961)^[4][5]
  • First female professor of Sociology: Faina Jyrkilä (1964)^[4]
  • First female professor of Philosophy in Finland and in Scandinavia: Raili Kauppi (1969)^[3][9]
  • First female professor of Women's Studies: Päivi Setälä (1991)^[4]
• Members of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters (Founded 1838)
  • First female member of the Math and Physics division: Eugenie Lisitzin (1960)
• Other
  • First female academic in Finland: Sara Wacklin
  • First female folklorist in Finland to complete a doctoral degree: Elsa Enäjärvi-Haavio^[10]
  • First female in Finland to earn a doctorate in the field of philosophy: Raili Kauppi^[9]
  • First female Licentiate of Medicine (without being officially enrolled at a University): Rosina Heikel (1878)^[4][11]
  • First female Magister of Philosophy: Emma Irene Åström^[4]
  • First female Minister of Justice in Finland: Inkeri Anttila^[5]
  • First female Rector of a university (University of Jyväskylä): Aino Sallinen (1992)^[4]
  • First female to attend a university in Finland: Maria Tschetschulin (1870)^[12]
  • First female to defend a doctoral degree in Finland: Karolina Eskelin^[13]
  • First female to practice medicine in Finland and within all the Nordic countries: Rosina Heikel^[11]
  • First female to receive a Ph.D. degree in Astronomy in Finland: Liisi Oterma^[14]
  • First female veterinary surgeon in Europe and Finland: Agnes Sjöberg^[15]
  • First Finnish woman to be appointed docent at a university: Alma Söderhjelm^[6]
  • First Finnish woman to complete a doctorate: Lydia Sesemann^[3][4]
  • First Finnish woman to take the matriculation examination: Maria Tschetschulin^[4]
  • First Finnish woman to teach: Alma Söderhjelm^[6]

• First book in the world and Finland written solely in text messages: Viimeiset viestit (English: Last Messages) by Hannu Luntiala (2007)^[16]
• First female writer in Finland: Sara Wacklin
• First Finnish language encyclopedia: Tietosanakirja (1909-1922)
• First Finnish language grammar book published: 1649
• First novel published in Finnish: Seven Brothers (Finnish: Seitsemän veljestä) (1870)

• First active feature film company: Lyyra-Filmi
• First Finnish computer-animated feature film: The Emperor's Secret (Finnish: Keisarin salaisuus) (2006)
• First Finnish feature film and first fictional film: The Moonshiners (Finnish: Salaviinanpolttajat) (1907)
• First full-length Finnish feature film: Sylvi
• First full-length sound film with song and talk: Say It in Finnish (1931)
• First Finnish film: Novelty from Helsinki: School youth at break (1904)
• First Finnish film company: Atelier Apollo (1906)
• First Finnish film distributed widely abroad: When Father Has Toothache (1923)
• First Finnish film released on Blu-ray: Ganes (2007)^[17]
• First Finnish film with a soundtrack: Dressed Like Adam and a Bit Like Eve Too (1931)
• First public screening: 1896

• First Finnish album to certify gold based on downloads and streams: AMK Dropout (2014)
• First Finnish publisher to sell manga: Sangatsu Manga (2003)
• First Finnish video included in MTV Nordic's daily video-rotation: U Drive Me Crazy

• First Finnish Air Force base established: Utti (1918)

• First President: Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg
  • First National Progressive President: Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg
  • First Agrarian President: Lauri Kristian Relander
  • First National Coalitionist President: Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
  • First Social Democratic President: Mauno Koivisto
  • First female President: Tarja Halonen^[18]
• First Prime Minister: Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
  • First female Prime Minister: Anneli Jäätteenmäki^[19]
• First Finnish Black Member of Parliament: Jani Toivola
• First time the President had been solely elected by a popular vote: 1994^[20]
• First openly gay Member of Parliament: Oras Tynkkynen
• First female Members of Parliament elected in Finland and the world: 1907
• First President of the Supreme Court of Finland: August Nybergh, 1918

• First class of locomotive manufactured within Finland: Finnish Steam Locomotive Class A5, 1874

• First Finn to play in the Stanley Cup Finals: Matti Hagman
• First Finnish basketball player to play in the National Basketball Association: Jarkko Ruutu
• First Finnish boxer to win an Olympic medal: Bruno Ahlberg^[21]
• First Finnish cross-country skier to win an Olympic gold medal: Veli Saarinen
• First Finnish Olympic gold medalist: Verner Weckman
• First Finnish player within the National Hockey League: Pentti Lund^[22]
• First Finnish player to play in the German Bundesliga: Juhani Peltonen
• First Finnish player to play in the Women's United Soccer Association: Anne Mäkinen
• First Finnish woman to reach Olympic finals in swimming: Eila Pyrhönen

• First Finnish Nobel Prize winner: Frans Eemil Sillanpää
• First Finnish Olympic gold medalist: Verner Weckman
• First time winning the group stage at the Bandy World Championship: 2011

• First Finnish "freedom fighter": Lalli
• First Finnish entry in the Eurovision Song Contest to be awarded with a maximum score since the start of the twelve-point tradition in 1975: Lapponia
• First Finnish professor of forest inventory: Werner Cajanus^[23]
• First homoerotic stamps produced in Finland and the world: 2014 Tom of Finland stamps^[24]
• First time participating in the Eurovision Song Contest: 1961
  • First representative of Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest: Laila Kinnunen

• List of firsts in Sweden