Studying in Finland – why and how?

The most intensive week – HAMK and World Model United Nations in South Korea

Teacher Education in HAMK – Global Perspectives

Construction double degree students spend two years in Denmark

International edition2016

HAMK STORIES

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Contents

World-class education in modern learning facilities ............. 3

Making dreams come true ........................................................... 4

Quality assurance at HAMK

Professional Higher Education ................................................... 6

HAMK’S degree programmes ......................................................7

Putting our skills into practise ...................................................10

A ROBOT designed by students led the field in a competition in Germany ...............................12

Intensive week provides students with business contacts and new friends ................................. 14

I hate salmiakki – but otherwise Finland is pretty cool! .....16

Construction double degree students spend two years in Denmark .................................................... 17

Summer technology projects bring students and companies together with impressive results! .......................18

Master’s degree students attend thesis camp .....................19

Teacher education in HAMK – Global perspectives ...........20

Professional teacher education ...............................................21

This is Finland ..............................................................................22

Bachelor-level degree programmes conducted in English:

Master-level degree

programmes conducted in

English:

Professional teacher education

conducted in English:

Business Management and Entrepreneurship

(part-time)

Hämeenlinna

Professional Teacher Education

(part-time)

Hämeenlinna

International Business

Bachelor of Business Administration

(full-time and part-time)

Valkeakoski

Mechanical Engineering and Production

Technology

Bachelor of Engineering

(full-time)

Riihimäki

Construction Engineering

Bachelor of Engineering

(full-time)

Hämeenlinna

Electrical and Automation Engineering

Bachelor of Engineering

(full-time)

Valkeakoski

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Here at Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), we offer not only world-class education, but also modern learn-ing facilities and methods. HAMK, with its seven campuses, is a state-recognised higher education institution with over 7000 students from 70 countries. We offer several bachelor-level and master-level degree programmes, and around 10 double degree programmes with partner universities around the world. Five of our degree programmes are delivered in English and each field of education offers courses in English.

Learning is organised in terms of projects according to the needs and demands of the labour market. In order to link research and development into teaching, our students do real-life projects and write commissioned theses. Entrepre-neurship, creativity and innovativeness are core elements of teaching. All students receive basic knowledge of entre-preneurship and business competence in their own field.

Our goal is to ensure that all aspects of the student’s life are taken care of, and we believe that a balanced everyday life provides the best framework for students to become outstanding global citizens and experts in their professional fields. Student wellbeing, in addition to issues regarding the academic environment, includes such areas as social integration, employment prospects and professional devel-opment during and after studies, study guidance services and comfortable housing conditions.

FUAS, the Federation of Universities of Applied Sciences, is a strategic alliance formed by Häme, Lahti and Laurea Universities of Applied Sciences. We operate in the Greater Helsinki Metropolitan Area and have been nominated as centres of excellence for more than 10 times. Together we offer our students a very wide range of study opportunities.

World-class education in modern learning facilities

Follow us:

www.facebook.com/hamkuas

www.youtube.com/hamkuas

www.youtube.com/hamkstories (video blog from our students)

www.pinterest.com/hamkuas

twitter.com/HAMK_UAS

instagram.com/hamk_uas

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HAMK has

Making dreams come trueTexT by PerTTi Puusaari, recTor PhoTo by Ville salminen

I began in my current job as the President of HAMK in spring 2013. Before that, I had worked in different posi-tions in our institution for almost 20 years. If I was to name one thing that has changed in that time, it would be our level of internationalisation. Twenty years ago, just a few of the teachers at the institute of technology where I worked spoke English – luckily, also the number of foreign visitors was low, not to mention that of foreign students. Initially I was afraid of the new developments, but soon I found my-self thinking that my dream institution would involve real, genuine, effortless and interactive cooperation with inter-national partners. My dream was a campus where students representing different continents, cultures and nationalities would enjoy working in the same projects and also share activities in their free time.

Today, more than 700 foreign students are studying in the six English-language degree programmes offered by HAMK, and hundreds of our own students have completed studies abroad. We are actively implementing teacher ex-change programmes with our partner institutions, and have also launched researcher exchange activities.

In an institution of higher education, the shrinking of the globe means not only active student and staff exchange but

also the international evaluation of our activities. Prepara-tions for the international evaluation of quality manage-ment to take place in 2016 have already started.

We have also initiated the goal-oriented development of our international research activities. HAMK is currently forming joint research groups with our international stra-tegic partners. Sharing information, exchanging results and developing new ideas acquire a completely new dimension when work related to the project is being done simultane-ously in Brazil and Denmark. This also means more effec-tive utilisation of research results. The first training courses sold abroad and establishing the role of HAMK in the in-ternationalisation of our Kanta-Häme and Southern Pir-kanmaa regions constitute further interesting openings in this respect.

I might even venture as far as to say that my dream would seem to be coming true. We still have some way to go. Even today, in our daily lives, few of us pick up the phone to call an international colleague to discuss research projects or student projects. On the whole, the more extensive benefits of internationalisation are still around the corner.

around 7300 studentsaround 700 staff members5 fields of education4 bachelor’s degrees programmes delivered in English1 master’s degree programmes delivered in English1 professional teacher education programme delivered in English

around 10 double degree programmes with partner universities around the worldover 100 international partner institutions of higher educationover 70 ongoing projectsannual turnover around 70 million eurosR&D funding around 5 million euros

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Quality Assurance at HAMKIn Finland, the Finnish Higher Ed-ucation Evaluation Council (FIN-HEEC) audits the quality assurance systems in higher education. The quality assurance system of HAMK was audited at the end of 2010. The overall status of HAMK’s quality assurance system is “advanced” - which is the highest level and the best ever of a Finnish higher edu-cation institution.

At HAMK, quality assurance refers to the procedures, processes or sys-tems that are used to secure and develop the quality of the institu-tion’s education and other opera-tions. Quality assurance comprises quality control and quality develop-ment. The HAMK quality assurance system refers to the entity formed by the quality assurance organisation, including its responsibilities, proce-dures, processes and resources.

Audited by FINHEECIn Finland, the Finnish Education Evaluation Council (FINEEC) au-dits the quality assurance systems in higher education. The quality assur-ance system of HAMK was audited at the end of 2010. The overall status of HAMK’s quality assurance system is “advanced” - which is the highest level and the best ever of a Finnish higher education institution.

International Student Barometer 2010HAMK students participated in the i-graduate International Student Barometer 2010. According to the results, 85% of our international students recommend HAMK.

Diploma Supplement LabelHAMK has been awarded a Diploma Supplement Label for 2013 – 2016 by the European Commission. The Commission (DG Education and Culture) awards labels to Higher Education Institutions that dem-onstrate excellence in applying the Diploma Supplement. The Diploma Supplement Label is an honorary distinction.

• H

AM

K •

HÄM

E UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SC

IENC

ES

HÄM

EEN AMMATTIKORKEAKOU

LU •

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Universities of applied sciences are multi-field institutions of professional higher education. The aim of studies is to provide the necessary knowledge and skills needed in ex-pert functions in the world of work and to meet workplace requirements and development needs.

Universities of applied sciences award bachelor-level de-grees and master-level degrees. In all fields of study the cur-riculum comprises basic and professional studies, optional studies, a practical training period and a thesis. Higher education is funded by the State. Students enrolled in regular degree programmes pay no tuition fees, but do have to pay for their books and other materials, plus their accommoda-tion and living expenses.

Professional Higher Education

BASIC EDUCATION(comprehensive schools) 7 – 15-year-olds

Pre-primary education, 6-year-olds

MATRICULATION EXAMINATIONGeneral upper secondary schools

BACHELOR’S DEGREESUniversities

MASTER’S DEGREES

DOCTORAL DEGREESlicentiate degrees

VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONSVocationals Institutions and

apprenticeship training

BACHELOR’S DEGREESUniversities of Applied Sciences

MASTER’S DEGREES

Additional basic education

Work experience 3 years

Work experience

Specialist vocational

qualifications

Further vocational

qualifications

Work experience

Duration in years

4 – 5

1 – 3

1 – 3

1

1 – 9

ISCED classifica-

tionISCED classification:0 Primary education1 Primary education or first stage of basic education2 Lower secondary or second stage of basic education

3 (upper) secondary education4 Post secondary education5 First cycle of tertiary education6 Second cycle of tertiary education

6

5

4

3

2 and

1

0

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HAMK’S BACHELOR’S PROGRAMMESfull-time and part-time studies in English

• Construction Engineering• Electrical and Automation Engineering• International Business• Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology

full-time and part-time studies in Finnish:

• Agricultural Industries• Biotechnology and Food Engineering• Built Environment• Business Administration• Business Information Technology• Construction Management• Construction and Civil Engineering• Design• Electrotechnology and Automation Engineering• Equine Industries• Forestry• Horticulture• Information and Communication Technology• Mechanical and Production Engineering• Nursing• Public Health Nursing• Social Services• Sustainable Development• Traffic and Transport Management

HAMK’S MASTER’S PROGRAMMES part-time studies in English

• Business Management and Entrepreneurship

part-time studies in Finnish:

• Bioeconomy Business Development • Business Development• Construction and Environmental Engineering• Social and Health Care Development, Leadership and Management• Strategic Leading of Technology-based Business

Professional Teacher Educationpart-time studies in English

• Professional Teacher Education

part-time studies in Finnish:

• Professional Teacher Education• Professional Special Needs Teacher Education• Professional Student Counsellor Education

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Start your trip to Finland

- apply online!• Full-time bachelor-level degree programmes at

www.studyinfo.fi in January

• Part-time bachelor and master-level degree programmes at www.studyinfo.fi starting in March

Check detailed application instructions at www.hamk.fi

Any questions? Ask from

admissions@hamk.fi

tel. 358 3 646 4503

Frequently asked questionsShould I send attachments to my application?It depends on the country in which you have com-pleted your qalification. Please check our websites at www.hamk.fi for detailed instructions.

Do I need to submit a language skills certificate?It depends on your nationality and also on the coun-try in which you have completed your qualification. Please check our websites at www.hamk.fi for detailed instructions.

Do I need to take an entrance examination?Yes, all applicants need to take an entrance examina-tion.

What is included in the entrance examination?The entrance examinations are usually field-spe-cific. Further information about the content of different entrance examinations is available at www.hamk.fi.

Can I take the entrance examination in my home country?The entrance examination locations are decided on a yearly-basis. Please check the entrance examination locations for next application round from our websites at www.hamk.fi.

The entrance examination to Business Management and Entrepreneurship (master’s degree programme) will be held in Hämeenlinna.

Student exchange – International Semester at HAMK

HAMK’s International Semester consists of cours-es specially selected to maximise your learning experience with us. These courses are delivered entirely in English and are meant for exchange students from our partner institutions and also for the students of HAMK. The studies last for ap-proximately for one semester.

For more information: www.hamk.fi/exchange international@hamk.fi

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CITY OF HÄMEENLINNATraditional and vibrant education-al and cultural town at the junc-tion of nationally important rail, road and waterway network.

Living up to its vision, Hämeen-linna is a lively, beautiful and pleasant lakeside town in South-ern Finland.

Inhabitants: 67 804

Distances: To Helsinki 98 km To Tampere 75 km

Study here in English:• Construction Engineering• Business Management and

Entrepreneurship• International Professional

Teacher Education

HAMK is part of the FINNIPS network. It is convenient for you because it means that

you can participate in HAMK entrance exams all around the world! Our entrance exams might be closer to you than you think, check the website www.hamk.fi for locations and more information.

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popular local newspaper, our project promotion might have hit failure in the very beginning as we had only one Finnish-speaking team member. All these project steps, such as ne-gotiating with companies to receive funding, helped us develop our profes-sional skills at a scale which is practi-cally impossible to reach while sitting in classes.

At some point during the project, I re-alized that this is the prime benefit of studying at HAMK: it offers flexibili-ty to develop in the areas which we as-sume we belong to. If we fail, HAMK always provides another chance for us to try and see what is that one thing we are best at. By basing our work on these very fundamentals, we were able to succeed in our project; we never let each other down and were very grate-ful when we were offered help. We learned that, even though our team was divided in students coming from two very different fields, we could al-

All of us had heard about it and were, therefore, interested in the topic. The excitement that we had at that stage of life, or should I say at that specific time and place, was passed on to the idea of organizing a team which was going to represent HAMK at the World MUN conference. This idea would have never come to life had it not been for HAMK as our main financial supporter and project su-pervisor, and certain individuals who invested their time and effort in bring-ing the idea to real life.

The first three months went by in the blink of an eye. We had already man-aged to get some finances by selling homemade cookies in the city center of Valkeakoski. Luckily, we never re-ceived any complaint on the quality of our cookies. We were still fighting with our time, trying to enhance our project plan and promote the project itself simultaneously. If it weren’t for the help of Valkeakosken Sanomat, a

Before I share my story I have one thing to confess: Last year has been the best year of my life, so far. This, I believe, didn’t occur to me only, but to some of my friends as well. The story I want to share is not what we typically call a university story; it is much more than that. Here I go.

As a student of International Busi-ness at HAMK, I have to be around campus a few days before the school starts; that is late August. Fortunate-ly enough, I usually meet with some friends around that time and we use the “free days” to do what students do best: dream. Well, party is another thing we do best, but that is not the case with this.

Andrei, a third year student at that time, and a very serious dreamer, brought up the topic about the next World Model United Nations (World MUN) conference which was go-ing to be held in Seoul, South Korea.

– HAMK and World Model United Nations in South Korea TexT by FesTë isuFi

Putting our skills into practice

11

ways complement each other by put-ting our best skills to work. Diversity proved itself right, once again this time.

Back to the story, after we had spent too many hours flying over Russia, we did at some point arrive in South Korea, 11th of March to be specific. For those who do not know, being a team in WORLD MUN conference means that you are given a country to prepare on, and you go and represent that country in a very formal way, pre-tend United Nations conference. Leg-islations are passed and amendments made, all resembling the processes in the real United Nations’ conferences, except that WORLD MUN is a youth conference rather than an authorita-tive, international institution. Our team had New Zealand to prepare on, and we really did a lot of work before-hand. That all paid off when we were able to compete with top ranked uni-versities worldwide, including Oxford and Harvard. We need to mention that our success does derive from our

ability to productively put our skills into practice which is what we focus most on in school.

We used our time in Seoul very wisely; we made contacts, visited a Finnish company operating there, and gave a presentation at Sungkyunkwan Uni-versity about HAMK and discussed about a possible partnership between the two universities.

This is, by far, the most intensive week I have spent in the learning process as a HAMK student. It was also, as I previously said, the trip that made this year the best one in my life so far. In order to wrap it all up, I want to share with you an excerpt from our time in Seoul.

As we were all seated at a restaurant enjoying our last Gimpab dinner in a very traditional restaurant in a windy night in Seoul, we started talking about how it all began. We had made a story out of one sentence which Andrei said during one of those neverending, late

August afternoons at HAMK. “Hey guys, do you know about this World MUN conference being organized in Seoul?” We sure did. But we never ex-pected what was to come.

”HAMK offers flexibility to develop in the areas which we assume we belong to. If we fail, HAMK always provides another chance for us to try and see what is that one thing we are best at.”

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pola, who tutored the field robot team. “It proved that our expertise is second to none. First place in the freestyle assignment showed that the students are able to put their innovative and challenging ideas to and make them work. Success in this summer’s event will inspire us to go for a more de-manding project next year”, Kippola enthuses.

For the students, the project was challenging but motivating. Samrat Gautam, who led the field robot team, describes the project as rewarding and practically oriented. “It is the best thing we did during my studies”, says Gautam.

In order to take part in the event, the field robot team received support from the Claas Foundation and the Henry Ford Foundation.

Studies focus on designing automation applications and on understanding the operating principles of automation targets, the structure of logics and automation systems, programming, instrumentation, and electrical design. The core competences deal with electrotechnology, engineering, electronics and device safety, basic circuits as well as processes, equipment and systems.

We educate future engineers who are able to apply technical solutions in measurement technology, control engineering, electronics, telecommunications, electrical power engineer-ing, programming and maintenance, as part of automation technology integration. In order to operate as a technical professional, you must have a blend of communication and team working skills, an advanced practical approach to technical knowledge, and an understanding of the financial management of a company.

The jobs available for automation engineers include design, programming, consulting, purchasing and sales, project management, maintenance, administration and training. Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) careers include: Design Engineer, Automation Engineer, Program Designer, Factory Services Manager, Project Engineer, Sales Engineer, Testing Engineer, Quality Manager, Product Manager.

www.hamk.fi/automationengineering

TexT by Taina lehTomäki, PhoTo by uniVersiTy oF hohenheim

Degree Programme in Electrical and Automation Engineering

A field robot

designed and built by students for targeted irri-

gation won first place in the freestyle assignment of a competition in Ger-many. In targeted irrigation, the robot measures soil humidity at certain in-tervals, and if the soil is dry, it waters the plants.

Students in HAMK’s English Au-tomation Technology and Mechani-

cal Engineering programmes from Valkeakoski and Riihimäki took part in a field robot event in Germany in summer 2014. It was organised as part of the DLG-Feldtage crop farm-ing event. The three-day event attracted a total of over 23,000 visitors from 42 countries.

HAMK’s field robot team consisting of international students had built the robot as part of their studies. Building, developing and test-ing the robot took almost a year.

The robot project was part of a new format of teaching at HAMK. While building the robot, the students trans-lated their theoretical knowledge into practice.

“The event gave us an opportunity to evaluate our skills at the interna-tional level”, explains Markku Kip-

A ROBOT designed by students led the field in a competition in Germany

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We have students from over 30 na-tionalities making HAMK Valkeako-ski Campus an international hub for various cultures. We offer multicultural, motivating and professional environ-ment for you to study international business.

You can choose International Man-agement or Global Marketing as a major. Former emphasizes manage-ment and leadership and the latter markets and marketing especially in Europe and China. The studies include a lot of real life projects and collabora-tion with local companies giving you an excellent opportunity for growing your professional network.

The Bachelor of Business Administra-tion degree at HAMK International Business is more than a degree, it’s a professional and personal network for life. The study environment is chal-lenging and motivating. Students can also complete studies or work place-ment abroad or take part in short intensive periods and excursion. It is also becoming more popular of our students to complete a double degree with one of our partner universities in Germany, the Netherlands, France or Ireland. You get the degree diploma from two universities.

www.hamk.fi/ib

CITY OF VALKEAKOSKI

Valkeakoski, in the centre of Finland’s lakeland, invites you to enjoy its rich cultural offerings, lively summer events and high-level services.

Inhabitants: 21 146

Distances: To Helsinki 145 km To Tampere 35 km To Hämeenlinna 44 km

Study here in English: Electrical and Automation engineering, International Business

Degree Programme in International Business

14

studies. It’s also great to see how not only the students but also the businesses involved benefit from the course”, says Senior Lecturer Sven Rassl from the Degree Programme in International Business.

Students of International Business are encouraged to take part in exchange programmes. However, not all students have the opportunity to spend a long time abroad. The in-tensive week is an excellent alternative for students who cannot commit to a long sojourn. The course is worth 7.5 credits and students are also awarded a certificate. The main advantage of the course is that teams get to try new things in an environment they would not be able to work in with-out the course.

Joint intensive weeks have been organised since 2007. To begin with, the number of partner institutions was smaller, but as word has got around, the number of partners has grown and the project has seen continuous development. In addition to lectures by teachers, students also get to hear lectures by experts from the business world. Examples of the lecture topics include marketing, business negotiations, and intercultural communication.

Students enrolled in the Häme University of Applied Sci-ences (HAMK) Degree Programme in International Busi-ness are provided with several different internationalisation options every year. One of these options is participating in an intensive week project carried out in collaboration with several partner universities. The project includes forming multinational teams that work on actual business projects. The teams work together both through virtual meetings and face to face during the actual intensive week, which partner universities take turns in organising.

Currently, the project includes five partner universities from Finland, Denmark, Germany, Latvia and Sweden. The stu-dents participating in the course are divided into teams of five to ten, and each team is given an internationalisation-related development project by an SME. The course can help students form important business connections: a cou-ple of years ago, a Latvian student was employed by the same company that had provided the student’s team with a project for the course.

“The best part of the intensive week and the virtual stud-ies related to it is that we can provide our students with something they have not previously experienced in their

Intensive week provides students with business contacts and new friendsTexT by eVeliina ToiVonen, PhoTos by sVen rassl

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CITY OF RIIHIMÄKIRiihimäki is a dynamic, small town in Southern Finland, with excellent transport links on the Helsinki–Tam-pere axis. Journeys within the town are short and services are close at hand. Inhabitants: 29 371

Distances: To Helsinki 63 km To Tampere 103 km To Hämeenlinna 28 km

Study here in English: Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology

The aim of the programme is to provide you with the modern engineering knowledge and skills needed in an international working environment. The core competences deal with me-chanics, strength of materials, actuators, machine elements, technical drawing, materials and manufacturing. Supervised laboratory exercises support theoretical learning. The pro-gramme allows you to focus on either design of mechanical systems or production systems.

You will graduate with a Bachelor of Engineering degree and you will be able to work in both design and operating tasks. You will have the necessary design, production and automa-tion skills required in machine design and manufacturing. Additionally, you will be well-versed in materials technology, which is necessary in the selection of raw materials. Mechani-cal engineers are employed by industry and the public sector alike.

Our graduates are well-recognised experts in cross-cultural teams and projects thanks to their strong skills in English and intercultural communication, which also opens the door to many career opportunities. Potential positions for a graduated mechanical engineer are, for example, product development engineer, design engineer, production development engineer, technical sales engineer or project engineer.

www.hamk.fi/mecheng

Degree Programme in Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology

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meenlinna, where he worked in a test laboratory writing reports and taking measurements. At the end of the sum-mer he was transferred to Riihimäki, which made his commute much shorter.

According to Sergejs it is easy e.g. to play sports in Riihimäki, and there are lots of activities and events for students. The most difficult thing has been combining studies and work: Sergejs delivers newspapers in the mornings, which means that he has to get up very early.

Once Sergejs has graduated he would like to stay and work in Finland, and possibly continue his studies in a Master’s programme. He also dreams of becoming a teacher.

Sergejs recommends that others apply to study at HAMK as well: apart from a free, high quality education the university also offers lots of activities such as student tutoring and market-ing. The food is also pretty similar to Latvian food. But there is one thing in Finland that Sergejs can’t stand: “I hate salmiakki!” he laughs.

Sergejs Kasjanovs comes from Vent-spils in Latvia, which is a town of the same size as Hämeenlinna. Sergejs decided to study in Finland after he visited Häme University of Applied Sciences’ (HAMK) stand at an edu-cation fair in Riga. He found lots of information about the study pro-gramme online, and the application process was simple. In school Sergejs enjoyed maths and physics, so it felt natural for him to enter a technical field. He is currently in his fourth year in the Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology programme, which is carried out in English and

located in Riihimäki. Finland’s advantages ac-

cording to Sergejs are e.g. free education, Finland’s

good reputation when it comes to education,

and that Finland is located close enough to his home town.

Sergejs was surprised by how friendly the staff at HAMK and the Finnish authorities are, and he says that everyone has been very help-ful. Sergejs also participates actively in helping new students as a student tutor, e.g. by helping first year stu-dents find a place to live. “It’s easy to get an apartment if you´re a first year student”, Sergejs explains. Most stu-dents in Riihimäki live in shared flats in student apartments, where they have their own bedroom, an internet connection and a shared kitchen and bathroom.

At university Sergejs has made lots of friends both in his own and other student groups, and there is a great sense of community. He also has plen-ty of Finnish friends, despite it often being claimed that it is difficult to get to know Finns.

During the summer of 2015 Sergejs had an internship in Sheet Metal Cen-tre. Part of the summer he spent in Hä-

I hate salmiakki – but otherwise Finland is pretty cool!TexT and PhoTo by karin Pasila

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Degree Programme in

Construction Engineering

The construction and environmental engi-neering field oper ates in an increasingly international environment. Companies in Finland and in Europe have become inter-national and focus on international mar-kets. The Degree Programme in Construc-tion Engineering answers the demands required of internation ally-focused experts in the construction industry and environ-mental business.

The programme aims to educate students to become experts in steel constructions or in environmental engineering and to work as internationally-focused project managers and de signers. A degree com-pleted in English provides construction engineers with good language skills and international know-how, making it possi-ble to work anywhere in the world.

The tasks of engineering graduates may be related to the construction of new premises and to the repair of existing structures in engineering, development or project manage ment in Finland and abroad. Daily tasks may involve design, product development, supervision in an official capacity, or trading. Construction professionals constantly monitor devel-opments in the sector, they are familiar with the latest design and production techniques. They can also manage mod-ern management techniques, and they are capable of applying them to practical situations at work. Construction engineers must have a view of the entire construc-tion process in addi tion to their specialty.

Careers: Project Manager, Designer, Sales Engineer, Structural Engineer, Export Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Pro-moter, Sales Manager

www.hamk.fi/construction

Students in the degree programmes in Construction and Civil Engineering can take half of their studies at partner universities in Denmark. The gradu-ates will have earned a double degree: they will have both a Finnish Bachelor of Engineering degree and a Danish Constructing Architect degree.

The studies abroad will not extend the time needed to complete the de-gree. Naturally, the students can freely choose whether or not they wish to pursue a double degree. They can take the first academic year to find addi-tional information and mull over their decision.

Johan Rikberg is a third-year student who has one academic year at VIA University College in Denmark un-der his belt. ”Personally, I was already finding out about double degrees be-fore I applied to HAMK. Once we had started our studies, we received more information, and we also met students who had taken part in this programme”, explains Johan. ”How-ever, my mind was already made up.”

”The learning method used at VIA is the so-called PBL (Problem Based Learning) method, in which the tuition is student centred and the teacher’s principal role is to provide guidance. In addition, the studies are

team-oriented and teach good project management skills. We thus brought our team work skills back to Hämeen-linna as a sort of modus operandi”, Jo-han stresses.

The students spend alternate years at HAMK and at VIA , which puts them up against new challenges. Their stud-ies progress at a different pace from others who started at the same time.

”When I returned to HAMK this year, in particular, I had missed out on some of last year’s basic courses. Once back here, we had to move straight on to more advanced courses, which was challenging”, Johan says, describing the details of his studies.

”On the other hand, I have gained many valuable experiences during these years.” The university town of Horsens is at a two or three hours’ train ride from Copenhagen. Horsens is located in Jylland , and it is thus part of the European continent. It has di-rect train connections to such cities as Berlin in Germany. ”In other respects, too, all practical aspects of my stay were easily managed by an EU citizen, and finding somewhere to live through VIA’s partners was simple. Above all, if you keep an open mind, you will be fine abroad”, says Johan.

Construction double degree students spend two years in TexT by marko Tuominen, PhoTo by Johan rikberg

Making a scale model in Via

Denmark

18

Students at Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) worked on company projects for the sixth consecutive sum-mer in Riihimäki. A total of 27 projects were implemented during the summer, involving 75 students from the Traffic and Transportation Management, Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology, and Information and Com-munication Technology programmes.

The summer projects are part of the FUAS Innovation School, which is in turn a part of FUAS summer studies. FUAS studies are common for students at the Häme, Lahti and Laurea Universities of Applied Sciences.

“The summer semester is an important element of FUAS and HAMK activities, and HAMK has a long history of summer studies”, says Principal Lecturer Tuija Engbom, who is responsible for the Riihimäki summer projects. “The summer projects provide students with a good contact in the world of work and and are an integral part of learning. For the companies involved, the summer projects provide a new perspective and new solutions,” continues Engbom.

Summer projects give students the opportunity to gain work experience under company guidance. The students who participated in the projects describe their experiences as being very instructive. “We learned new skills and were able to apply skills learned earlier when solving real prob-lems,” says a group of students from the English language Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology pro-

gramme as they describe the benefits of the summer pro-jects.

Traffic and Transportation Management students also ap-preciate the summer projects: “A summer project allows stu-dents to complete a more extensive project than would be is possible during the academic year. It also allows the student focus for a longer time on the topic being developed.”

All of the students agree that working on real projects, in which the participants deal with pro per issues, bring added motivation and enthusiasm to UAS studies. The credits earned during the summer also speed up the pace of stud-ies and provide constructive activity for the summer, if a student was unable to find a summer job in his or her field.

Company representatives have been satisfied with the level and end results of the student projects. Summer projects were completed for a total of 20 companies this year. For example, the Riihimäki-based company Ekokem offered students a project related to mechanical and production engineering. Ekokem Project Manager Viivi Leiviskä is pleased with the students’ efforts: “Ekokem has been im-pressed with the results achieved in the summer projects. The students’ teamwork and mechanical engineering skills made the cooperation a success. The goal of the project was to find new applications for recycled material, and this fits in very well with our new strategy ‘Towards the Circular Economy’.”

Summer technology projects bring students and companies together with impressive results! TexT by Taru kosunen, PhoTo by abass adeyinka

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planning and implementation of the event. The number of participating students amounted to 70.

Master Thesis Camp was implement-ed in Finnish and English. Students planned their own schedule in a way that best supported their thesis project. The short information lectures and other lectures organised during Mas-ter Thesis Camp provided students with information on subjects such as research-based development, choice of research method, data analysis, in-formation literacy, information seek-ing, and academic writing. During in-dividual meetings with staff and work performed in small groups, students received help in polishing their re-search questions and selecting suitable research methods, among other things.

The students who participated in the intensive week were very satisfied with the offering of the week and the

FUAS Graduate School organised a joint intensive week for FUAS mas-ter’s degree students at the beginning of June 2015. The event, known as Master Thesis Camp, was held at the Laurea Tikkurila campus. The purpose of the intensive week was to give stu-dents a study boost and promote and speed up their thesis projects. Master’s degree students from three different fields of study from Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK) partici-pated in the intensive week with good results. The programme of the inten-sive week included short information lectures designed to support students in their thesis projects, inspirational lectures, work in small groups, work-shops, and independent thesis work. Master Thesis Camp was planned and implemented as a collaborative pro-ject by teachers from FUAS member institutions during spring 2015. More than ten principal lecturers represent-ing different fields participated in the

Master’s degree students attend thesis camp TexT by helena Turunen

results they achieved. In their feed-back, they emphasised the intensive support received from teachers, but also the importance of the peer sup-port and encouragement received from other students. During the week, students worked in multidisciplinary teams, which was seen as a positive matter: students felt that they gained new points of view and new ideas for the implementation of their thesis projects. Students also felt that the short information lectures and inspi-rational lectures were useful as they provided new information and clari-fied students’ thoughts.

Both teachers and students were satis-fied with the first Master Thesis Camp. The event will be one of the priority projects of FUAS Graduate School in the future, and the planning of next year’s camp is already under way.

Master’s Degree Programme in Business Management and Entrepreneuship (part-time studies)

The Degree Programme in Business Management and Entrepreneurship is in-tended for persons who wish to develop their international competences and know-how in international business. The studies develop the students’ under-standing and knowledge of global business environments, strategic management and innovation as well as customer relationship management in international markets. The degree programme provides students with a Master’s degree (Master of Business Administration).

The core themes of the degree programme include: Strategic Thinking and Managing Change, Global Business Excellence, Customer Focus in International Business, and Organisational Development.

The studies are part-time studies and can be completed alongside a normal day job. The Students come approximately once a month on Friday to Hämeenlinna Visamäki campus. E-learning and virtual methods are used efficiently in group work.

The entrance exam to master’s degree programme will be held in Hämeenlinna.

www.hamk.fi/bme

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Success comes in nine months: Case Bolashak, Kazakhstan

The first Bolashak scholarship programme took place at Häme University of Applied Sciences, School of Profes-sional Teacher Education during the 2013 – 2014 academic year. The Bolashak programme was establised in 1993 by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and promotes internationalisation of their education sector. Every year thousands of students and scholars are sent to universities around the world to study and learn. The successful candi-dates came from 18 upper secondary school teachers, two vocational school teachers and one human resource manager.

Over the negotiation table, Bolashak and HAMK co-creat-ed a unique training programme that opened up the secrets of the success of the Finnish education system. This flagship course combined theory and practice in the Finnish learn-ing environment and its success was separated from other Bolashak sponsored courses because the scholars were able to observe and experience first hand at the primary source.

The course consisted of those primary needs set down by the Bolashak directive, the individual needs of the schol-ars and the expertise that Finland has to offer. During the six-month English communications training for pedagogy

Cooperation in educational reforms in Kazakhstan and Brazil

HAMK School of Professional Teacher Education has established cooperation in Kazakhstan and Brazil in connection with the development of teachers and educational institutions. The cooperation has resulted in a process that has evolved into strong, beneficial partnerships between Finland and the two countries.

and the three-month Finnish pedagogy training, the schol-ars, through theory, observation and practice, peaked at the end of the course by demonstrating the ability to analyse and create the requirements needed in their own learning environments. This demonstration was evidenced in their final seminar, thesis, master classes and teaching in English in regional institutes. Finland presented its expertise and strengths through its regional education cluster in Kanta-Häme.

This cluster and HAMK’s expertise form the flexible re-sources needed to tailor, so as to meet the requirements of international learning communities like Bolashak. The pi-lot course with Bolashak has enriched our understading of their needs and gives us a wonderful opportunity to move forward. In the future, HAMK with its partners will con-tinue collaboration with Bolashak and other organisations from Kazakhstan and tailor the programmes using the uni-versity’s already establised global networks.

After the programme, the participants returned to Kazakh-stan and made an impact on the future of the Kazakshtan education by disseminating, training, developing, and tak-ing on higher responsibilities as methodological and cur-riculum developers, principals and vice-principals within national and international educational sphere.

Teacher education in HAMK – Global perspectivesby Mr brian Joyce, Senior Lecturer and MS Maaret ViSkari, Manager, gLobaL education; HaMk ScHooL of ProfeSSionaL teacHer education

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The vocational teacher education programme is meant for teachers and teacher applicants who plan to work at voca-tional institutions or colleges or at universities of applied sciences. The HAMK international professional teacher education programme in English is recommended for stu-dents who are not proficient in Finnish. The programme includes the basic studies in pedagogy, teacher training, vo-cational pedagogy studies and other studies.

The extent of the studies is 60 credits and the programme is 13 months long.

The application period is from 8 – 27 January 2016. Appli-cation period ends 27 January 2016 at 3.00 p.m. Finnish time. The national joint online application is available at www.studyinfo.fi. Numbered copies of certificates and oth-er appendices must be submitted by February 3rd, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. Finnish time.

hands-on experiences, as well as the-oretical insight into the core compo-

nents of applied learning. The second phase of the programme concentrates

on the practical application of the newly learned methods in the local learning environ-

ments. Each participant produces a development plan in collaboration with and under the guidance of our Finnish experts, and in cooperation with the home institu-tion.

In the case of the Brazilian VET Teachers for the Future, the teachers developed their own teaching and organisa-tions based on their local and regional needs using the resources available to them. And cooperation between the two countries is ongoing.

The VET Teachers for the Future – Professional Develop-ment Certificate Programme was sponsored by the Brazil-ian National Council for Scientific and Technological De-velopment, CNPq (Process 473467/2014-3).

VET Teachers for the future/Professores para o futuro Thirty professors from the Brazilian Federal Institute network partici-pated in the professional development programme “The VET Teachers for the Future – Professional Development Cer-tificate” 2014-2015, provided by Häme and Tampere Universities of Applied Sciences. The pro-gramme is a continuing education programme for higher education and vocational teachers of various technical sub-ject fields. It is competence-based and multidisciplinary in nature. Teachers learn how to combine theory and prac-tice in teaching their own field of expertise. The latest re-search results, contributions and best practices of the global benchmark, which is the Finnish VET and professional education, are tested and contextualised to meet the needs in various countries and home institutions.

The ten-month programme is divided into two parts. Dur-ing the first five months in Finland, the participants study in the Finnish learning environments depending on their field of expertise. The programme provides both practical,

Professional teacher education

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People• Population 5.4 million• Literacy level 100%• Official languages Finnish (92%), Swedish (6%)• Religion Evangelical-Lutheran (75%),

Orthodox (1%)

Geography• Total area 338,145 km²• 188,000 lakes• Capital Helsinki (ca 620,000 inhabitants)

Climate• Four seasons• Cold winters (mean temperature in Helsinki in

February -5.7 Celsius)• Warm summers (mean temperature in Helsinki

in July +17 Celsius)

Finland is a peaceful country in northern Europe with four distinct seasons and nature-loving people. We have a strong and reliable education system, infrastructure, healthcare system in addition to an exciting cultural life.

The Finnish people are friendly and hospitable. Many of us speak several foreign languages.

Famous news providers, such as the Economist Intelligence, Newsweek and Harvard Business Review, rank Finland high in innovation and education.

THIS IS FINLAND

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THIS IS FINLAND

Economy• Currency euro• GNP per capita €37,102

Governance• Parliamentary republic since 1917• 200-member, single-chamber parliament elected every

four years• Head of the republic is the President• Member of the EU since 1995

12 things about Finland by our international students

1. Bring wool socks and mittens! Take your vitamin D! - Hanna, Supply Chain Management

2. Be active - it’s all up to you! - Festë, International Business

3. People drink lots of coffee and put milk in it - Mike, International Business

4. People drink coffee 10 times a day! - Daria

5. Finland is really non-formal. Officials are helpful and friendly. -Sergejs, Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology

6. There’s freedom in studies, but along comes also responsibility - you are stud-ying for yourself, not for school or others. No point in skipping classes! - Sergejs, Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology

7. Small amount of people - Maria8. People dont do small talk - Ksenia9. People follow the rules - Anna10. Beautiful winter and christmas time -

Anna, Maria and Ksenia11. Beautiful nature - foxes & squirrels - lots

of lakes - Anna, Maria and Ksenia

Inari

Rovaniemi

Oulu

VaasaKuopio

Joensuu

Tampere

Jyväskylä

Helsinki

Turku

LahtiValkeakoski Evo

RiihimäkiMustialaForssa

HämeenlinnaLepaa

Why HAMK?

HAMK has pedagogically highly-qualified lecturers, who are trained to combine theory, practice, and the latest educational technologies in their teaching.

There is no tuition fee.

Small class sizes ensure that teaching is engaging and lecturers have more time for each individual student.

HAMK has modern physical and web-based learning environments.

There are several options for student exchange mainly within the European Union. HAMK has more than 100 partner institutions around the world.

Our students have an opportunity to complete a double degree through our partner institutions.

The environment at HAMK is multicultural and international. We have students from over 60 different countries.

Why Finland?

In the past decade, Finland has consistently ranked high in the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

Excellent infrastructure and a well-functioning society.

Safe, clean and environmentally conscious.

Most Finns speak English.

Four beautiful seasons.

The home of Angry Birds, Super Cell, Linux, Kone and UPM.

8 S’s – Santa Claus, Sauna, Sibelius, Sisu, Social welfare, Safety, Snow, Silence – Suomi

Finland ranked as the best overall country, as well as the best high-income country and the best country for education (Newsweek, 18 August 2010).

Dare to be different

– study in Finland!

www.hamk.fi/english