Ways of supporting international degree students in Finland - global competency and citizenship - Helli Kitinoja, Manager of International Affairs, Seinäjoki UAS Tampere, May 13, 2014
School of Business and Culture School of Technology School of Health Care and Social Work School of Food and Agriculture Approx. 4 500 full-time students 10 % of them are international degree and mobile students 4.5 % are international degree students 20 Bachelor s programmes and 7 Master s programmes Three programmes are taught in English (IB, Nursing, MBA) 17 programmes have international degree students 31 nationalities
Three Campuses of Seinäjoki UAS
KUORTANEEN URHEILUOPISTO 20.5.2014 HK
In 2012 there were 399 foreign-language-taught degree programmes offered in Finland, 142 of them were provided by the UASs Finland has been on the top in Europe together with NL, DE, SE and FR the demand for HE is expected to grow rapidly, from the current 99 million students worldwide to 414 million by 2030 (China, Brazil, India) Out of 139 double and joint degree programmes 67 were hosted by the UASs
INTERNATIONAL STUDY AND STUDENT COUNCELLING 1) Academic councelling 2) Student councelling arrangement of studies and living in Finland 3) Advicing related e.g. to student housing, financial issues, legal permits and other practicalities 20.5.2014
20.5.2014
First Step: Seamless admission process for internationally mobile degree students
ORIENTATION one week for international degree students Student housing Residence permit and other practicalities Health care services and insurances Finnish language studies Student pastor s services Basic information about the city and region Introduction to the Student Union Academic Library Study regulations and study guide Finnish culture, facts about Finland Seinäjoki sight seeing Social programme 20.5.2014
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Student Union openings, sport activities, trip to Lapland and Stockholm, parties International Club, ISG Church activities Seinäjoki City reception Concerts Trips to the forest, cottage trips, skiing etc. Christmas Party, Tango course More than half (61 %) of the UASs offer extra-curricular activities SUMMER PROGRAMME BUDDY - TUTORING Picking up from the railway station Survival package Support and advising in studies and living in Finland 20.5.2014
FRIEND FAMILY ACTIVITIES - Started in December 2008 - Now we have around 80 friend families - Friend family meetings twice a year - Peer-support for the families SUPPORT FOR PRACTICAL TRAINING AND JOB- SEEKING - Company visits and seminars course in optional studies - Training for job-seeking certificate - Pair-training Finnish and international students 20.5.2014
Attention - collaboration with private sector associations; brochure; media Interest face-to-face meetings Desire face-to-face meetings; winwin; previous experience Action database for matching companies with most suitable students; easiness; assistance from Seinäjoki UAS Most (71 %) of the international degree programmes have obligatory student visits and / or practical training to the local enterprises, 91 % of the UASs said that practical training can be conducted also outside Finland
SURVEY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEGREE STUDENTS In 2009, 2010, 2013 (response rate 43-70%)
Choosing Finland as destination Comparison of the means How much did the following reasons affect you when choosing Finland as your destination? 2009 (n=26 27) 2010 (n=20 22) 2013 (n=19 21) (scale 1-5, 1=not at all 5=very much) Mean Mean Mean A safe country 4,6 4,7 4,43 High-quality education 4,6 4,5 4,33 4,4 4,3 Easy to get a study place 3,7 3,7 3,80 An interesting country 3,5 3,8 3,71 Flexibility of studies in Finland 4,0 4,0 3,60 3,8 3,7 3,6 Demanding entrance examinations 3,7 3,5 3,24 Challenging studies in Finland 3,7 3,6 3,03,05 Effective marketing and recruiting 3,0 3,1 3,0 2,95 Friends' recommendation 2,7 3,2 2,9 2,89 Friends or family live in Finland 2,1 2,4 2,5 2,45 Finland was a random choice 2,3 2,4 1,8 1,76 MARKKINATUTKIMUSPALVELUT 16
How to get an information about Seinäjoki UAS Where did you get your information about Seinäjoki UAS? 2009 (n=27) 2010 (n=23) 2013 (n=21) % % % Internet 70 65 57 Other students who have been in Seinäjoki UAS 15 17 38 38 Personnel of Seinäjoki UAS 11 0 14 14 Educational fairs/exhibitions 7 0 10 10 Brochures about Seinäjoki UAS 7 4 10 10 Other 15 26 5 5 MARKKINATUTKIMUSPALVELUT 17
Participation in Finnish language courses MARKKINATUTKIMUSPALVELUT 18
Organization of arrangements 2013 MARKKINATUTKIMUSPALVELUT 19
Organization of studies 2013 MARKKINATUTKIMUSPALVELUT 20
Living environment - employment MARKKINATUTKIMUSPALVELUT 21
Living environment - employment MARKKINATUTKIMUSPALVELUT 22
Living environment public services Which public services have you used while studying in Seinäjoki UAS? 2009 (n=27) 2010 (n=22) 2013 (n=21) % % % Public library 81 55 86 86 Public transportation 41 45 62 62 Tax office 37 23 57 Health centre services 15 27 43 43 Employment office 56 59 24 24 Church services 30 41 19 19 Social services 19 5 14 14 Dental care 7 9 10 10 Acute care in hospital 4 9 5 5 Other 0 5 0 0 MARKKINATUTKIMUSPALVELUT 23
Living environment public services 2013 MARKKINATUTKIMUSPALVELUT 24
Student Health Care Services MARKKINATUTKIMUSPALVELUT 25
Plan for international study and student counselling covering academic counselling and advise on career paths and living in Finland support for social intergration 1) Background information - family, language skills 1) Educational background 2) Work experience 3) Own skills and strengths 4) Hobbies 5) Aims of the studies (language studies, training, career plan etc.) 6) Action plan Special support and guidance needed Evaluation (kotoutumissuunnitelman tarkistus) Contact person Signatures (tutor-teacher, international coordinator, student)
Action Plan for International Student Counselling Aikataulu Vastuutahot Toteutus ja arviointi ACADEMIC COUNCELLING toteutuu yksiköissä ja koulutusohjelmissa STUDENT COUNCELLING Orientaatio Ennakkoinformaatio Vastaanotto Suvival Package Opastus asumisessa Sight seeing SeAMK:n yhteinen orientaatio Yksikön orientaatio
Kieli ja kulttuuri Finnish language course at SeAMK UUNO virtual Finnish language course Kieli käyttöön, S1 (aikuislukio) Kielen harjoittelua harrastuspiireissä Ystäväperhetapaamise t kieli ja kulttuuri Keskustelutuokiot suomeksi esim. vanhainkodilla suomen kielen harjoittelua Tutorointi
Harjoitteluun liittyvä ohjaus ja verkostoituminen Yritysvierailu/teem apäivät 4 kertaa vuodessa Ryhmä- /parityöskentely suomalaisen opiskelijan kanssa kummiyrityspohjalt a tai harjoittelupaikoissa, harj. paikan saannissa avustaminen Sosiaalinen ohjelma Vierailut yksiköissä Student International Club Konsertit, teatteri ja muut kulttuuritapahtuma t Kaupungin vastaanotto SAMO:n tarjonta Seurakuntien tarjonta
Terveydenhuolto Opiskelijapastorin palvelut Ystäväperhetoiminta ADVICING Viisumi ja oleskelulupa-asiat Kotikuntaoikeus Osa-aikaisen työpaikan saannissa opastaminen ja avustaminen Intra Sähköposti Facebook
Conclusions Committee of the international education coordination degree programmes, international office, student admission office, student union, student pastor, student affairs office Multicultural and pedagogical education for the staff members Developing student-tutoring in collaboration with student union and international office Crises management / prevention Resources are needed Finnish language studies are important Double degree students as a new challenge 20.5.2014
20.5.2014 Efficient study and student counselling support integration to the Finnish society