20 18 PHENOMENON / FUTURE OF EDUCATION
EDUCATION IS THE DRIVER OF CHANGE CLOSE UP / TATJANA TIKHONOV
BREAKING BOUNDARIES EXPORTING EDUCATION
OCEAN-CROSSING BUSINESS EXPERTISE BUILDING BRIDGES
WORK-BASED LEARNING BENEFITS EVERYONE SIGNALS HAAGA-HELIA’S STAKEHOLDER MAGAZINE
PICTURE THIS
SHINING THE LIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE PHOTO MARKUS THOMENIUS / VASTAVALO.FI
Porvoo, by the Baltic sea, is the location for one of Haaga-Helia’s five campuses – as well as the 156-year-old Söderskär lighthouse. The idyllic smalltown offers the kind of environment where our students can find a healthy balance between work, study and play.
2018
SÖDERSKÄR, PORVOO, FINLAND
20 18
6
2 PICTURE THIS 5 EDITORIAL 6 PHENOMENON /
FUTURE OF EDUCATION Education is the driver of change The gateway to Finnish education
12 BUILDING BRIDGES Work-based learning benefits everyone
4
14 CLOSE UP /
TATJANA TIKHONOV Breaking boundaries Three Haagahelian coaches in the Olympics
18 EXPORTING EDUCATION Ocean-crossing business expertise Unique sports ed programme between Finland and China
14
20 AROUND THE GLOBE Pointers for education exporters
22 INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARKING Partners in continuous development
24 FIGURE OUT Facts on education export
25 FLASHBACK
18
In search of the lost cat
26 SHORT AND SWEET
22 2018
EDITORIAL
FINNISH SUCCESS HAAGA-HELIA SIGNALS Publisher Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Ratapihantie 13, 00520 Helsinki, Finland, tel. +358 9 229 611, www.haaga-helia.fi Editor in Chief Ari Nevalainen, ari.nevalainen@haaga-helia.fi Editorial team Ari Nevalainen, Nina Finell, Mikaela Berghem/ Recommended Finland Oy. Contributors Anna Hyödynmaa, Klaus Luttjohan, Virve Vainio, Kari Viinisalo, Harri Palomäki, Timo Sormunen Layout Recommended Finland Oy, Helsinki, Finland Cover image Shutterstock Paper Cover Galerie Art Silk 200g Pages Galerie Art Silk 115g Printing Newprint Oy, Raisio, Finland Print ISSN 2242-9948
THE FINNISH EDUCATION SYSTEM has been widely recognised and appreciated. Thanks to our excellent success in PISA, we receive each year hundreds of delegations trying to discover our "secrets and magical procedures". To be quite honest, we Finns have a very pragmatic approach to education. Because our nation is small, we think of education as a most important survival strategy. We also value education and the people working in it. Education is widely discussed in society, and there is political consensus about its importance. We are happy with our system but do not think by any means that it is perfect. IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK TO STAY AT THE TOP, and you have to be humble. As many nations invest heavily in education, the competition is tough. With new technologies offering many possibilities, the biggest challenge is to choose the winning horse. At Haaga-Helia our academic results reached an all-time high last year (2017). Our position in our selected markets can be characterised as very strong. We have almost 25,000 applicants each year and are capable of attracting lots of future talent. Our students are our ambassadors, and the feedback we receive about their activities is only positive. The statistics show that the employment rate among our graduates is approximately 98%. WITH OVER 1,200 INTERNATIONAL DEGREE STUDENTS and around 300 incoming exchange students, we are a key player in Finland. Practically all our courses are offered also in English, and our international network consists of more than 200 fine international universities and institutions of higher education. Without that valuable network, Haaga-Helia would not be in the position it is in at the moment. HAAGA-HELIA HAS ALSO BEEN VERY ACTIVE in commercial activities. We export education and have a large number of ongoing projects in several countries. Together with two other Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences – Laurea and Metropolia – we have created a strategic alliance: "The Helsinki Metropolitan Universities of Applied Sciences". This has included the creation of a company – EduExcellence Ltd. (www.eduexcellence.fi) – for our joint international commercial activities. Through EduExcellence, we anticipate an even stronger presence in international markets.
I HUMBLY THANK all our international partners both on behalf of my institution and personally. Haaga-Helia is strongly committed to internationalisation and international co-operation. Therefore, I hope that our paths will cross. I also wish you interesting moments reading this issue of Signals – and a good and prosperous year 2018!
TEEMU KOKKO Principal and CEO of Haaga-Helia
5
PHENOMENON / FUTURE OF EDUCATION
6
2018
EDUCATION IS THE DRIVER OF CHANGE TEXT TIMO SORMUNEN PHOTOS DAMIR KLAIC-KLJUC, MEERI UTTI AND SHUTTERSTOCK
The world is full of excellent teaching and education innovations. Many of them come from Finland, but we have a lot to learn from others as well. There are changes ahead not only for education but also for schools and learning environments.
T
he hundred most exciting education innovations every year. That is the ambitious task of HundrED, a non-profit, parnerfinanced company. The aim of HundrED – part of Idealist Group, owned by Saku Tuominen and Juha Tynkkynen – is to help education innovations developed and used in various countries to spread from one school, country and continent to another. The objective of the company itself is to be the leading global expert in its field by 2020. The goals HundrED has set for itself may seem rather challenging. Tuominen doesn’t think so. He believes the world of education is full of great innovations and everyday practices that will work everywhere, either out-of-the-box or slightly localised. “That is the actual challenge. You can find good, usable practices in a small African village school as well as a top American university. It’s just that too often these innovations stay within the school walls,” Tuominen says.
TURNING PISA SUCCESS INTO BUSINESS
Finland has been enjoying the glory of excellent PISA survey results. That doesn’t, however, necessarily mean that the best education innovations always emerge here. Sometimes success in international rankings may even hinder change. “If there is a lot to lose, risks are often avoided. Continuous development is important in a changing world. A great education system doesn’t automatically mean that the innovations are also the best in the world. For example, the system in the United States doesn’t always function perfectly, but there are some really good schools all the same. That is why we need to learn from overseas developments as well,” Tuominen says. While many have been worried about Finland missing out on the top spots in the latest PISA surveys, Tuominen is more concerned by other issues. Firstly, the negative tone of the discourse on education. And secondly, the cutbacks in education, since educating children and young people is ultimately the most important driver of change. Skimping on
7
education is like sawing off the branch we’re sitting on. The entrepreneur is also bothered by the fact that in education export the great PISA results haven’t been sufficiently capitalised on. While there have been a few promising starts, the business as a whole is still at a rather modest level. “For example, the standard of our teacher training is one of the highest in the world. We could do with the Swedish branding and marketing skills in selling this expertise. The product is of top quality, but sales are lagging,” Tuominen says.
The aim of HundrED is to help education innovations developed and used in various countries to spread from one school, country and continent to another.
hundred.org /HundrEDorg /HundrEDorg
PHENOMENON / FUTURE OF EDUCATION
THE CHANGE WILL DEMAND NEW KIND OF CO-OPERATION Pasi Sahlberg HundrED, Advisor IT’S ALL CHANGE IN SCHOOLS
PHOTO DAMIR KLAIC-KLJUC
8
2018
Professor of education policy
Pasi Sahlberg Advisor, HundrED
PHOTO DAMIR KLAIC-KLJUC
There are changes and upheaval ahead not only for education but also for schools as learning environments – at least according to Pasi Sahlberg, our internationally best-known expert in the field of education and one of HundrED’s advisors. Sahlberg works as a professor of education policy in the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Sahlberg believes that the classrooms, rows of desks and chalkboards of our childhood will to some extent be a thing of the past. Routine tasks, such as marking assignments and tests, will be taken care of by robots and artificial intelligence. Teachers will also be assisted by virtual reality applications that enable pupils and students to immerse themselves in, for example, the Middle Ages or space exploration. “In fact, these advances have already been partly realised. In some countries, teaching robots have entered schools and day care centres,” Sahlberg points out. Yet the traditional teacher-pupil relationship still has a place in education. A capable, encouraging teacher will still be of paramount importance to both the school system and the pupils. “In the future, teachers won’t need to know or do everything by themselves, since there will be teams of 2–3 teachers in classrooms. This kind of arrangement has produced good results. Naturally, the change will demand new kinds of cooperation and communication skills from teachers,” Sahlberg says.
IS DIGITALISATION REALLY THE SOLUTION?
Already several years ago Pasi Sahlberg expressed his worry about schools getting pupils sufficiently interested in studying, learning and developing themselves. He pointed out the odd dilemma of the Finnish education system: our comprehensive school pupils are among the best in the world when it comes to learning results, but their commitment to studying leaves a lot to be desired. This is a problem, especially for boys of the upper level age. Digitalisation – electronic study materials and learning environments – has been seen as a possible saviour. Sahlberg believes digital solutions may well offer some relief and inspiration, but they will not necessarily eradicate the underlying problem. “It also feels somewhat worrying that you could graduate from upper secondary school without reading an actual book or writing even one sentence by hand. I think that this would leave pupils without some rather essential skills that would surely be useful in life.” Sahlberg himself considers that as a learned person you should be able to read a book every month, to write post card greetings to relatives, and to have constructive face-to-face conversations – also with people you don’t know. What’s more, there is a threat that the current enthusiasm about digitalisation might have a divisive effect on the education system. Digitalisation, robotics and artificial intelligence will be increasingly used in public schools to cut costs, whereas privately funded institutions will rely on traditional teaching methods and the skills of top teachers. “We have already seen this, especially in elite American schools and universities. On the other hand, inspiring lectures and guidance are also something that educational institutions are prepared to pay for,” Sahlberg points out.
PHOTO MEERI UTTI
Creative Director, HundrED
PHOTO MEERI UTTI
Saku Tuominen
9
PHENOMENON / FUTURE OF EDUCATION
10
THE GATEWAY TO FINNISH EDUCATION TEXT KLAUS LUTTJOHAN PHOTOS MEERI UTTI
2018
The world is changing fast – and education needs to change even faster. According to the report of Institute for the Future for Dell Technologies, 85% of the jobs we'll be doing in 2030 haven’t been invented. We need to develop competences for professions that don't even exist yet. TOMORROW'S PROFESSIONALS need to be prepared for continuous learning. The education system must support their learning processes regardless of the time and place and provide them with the required tools and services. The goal of EduExcellence Ltd. – the joint education export company of Haaga-Helia, Laurea and Metropolia Universities of Applied Sciences – is to do just that. EduExcellence focuses on offering professional higher education services, such as tailor-made practicaloriented academic education, degree programmes and short courses, consulting services, and education development and reforms. “At EduExcellence our expertise areas are pedagogy development, clean technologies, business, innovation and entrepreneurship, health and wellbeing, ICT and engineering, and hospitality and tourism. Additionally, our company has some interesting educational specialities such as sports, aviation business and culture,” says Tuija Pulkkinen, the CEO of EduExcellence.
EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WAY TO PROVIDE A BETTER FUTURE. Tuija Pulkkinen CEO, EduExcellence
TUIJA PULKKINEN CEO OF EDUEXCELLENCE What is your background?
From her perspective, the educational portfolio differs from those of many other global educational providers. The three universities – with approximately 2,300 experts from almost every field of study – have a long history of using and trying out pedagogical innovations and working in close cooperation with companies. This all enables EduExcellence to offer the latest in working life competences. EduExcellence customers are governments, public and private universities, schools and companies that are developing the competences of their personnel. The company has clients in, for example, China, Southeast Asia, South Africa and Latin America, and the goal is to be the educational gateway to Finnish topclass education. “Education is the most powerful way to provide a better future for the next generation and to address global challenges that we are facing today,” Pulkkinen sums up.
I have a strong experience in building new business and leading sales teams in India, Singapore, Spain and Eastern Europe. I also founded a startup and tested my own idea in the field of continuing education. My areas of interest are business design and innovation technology.
What is your and your team’s role in EduExcellence? As the CEO of EduExcellence my role is to integrate the existing activities in export of education and to scale them up to meet the market demand. We have very multilingual and multicultural staff so we can provide tailor-made training for our clients´ needs in languages such as English, Spanish, Russian, French, and Chinese.
What do you see as strengths of EduExcellence? The current offering of the three universities of applied sciences and the combination of their expertise is very appealing to the international market. We have to utilise the experience gained from different projects, such as development of education system reforms, teacher training, and training of the trainers, hospitality and management training, just to mention a few. info@eduexcellence.fi www.eduexcellence.fi
11
BUILDING BRIDGES
WORK-BASED LEARNING BENEFITS EVERYONE TEXT ANNA HYÖDYNMAA ILLUSTRATION SHUTTERSTOCK
12
An increasing number of students work during their studies, which has forced institutions of higher education to seek solutions for sensible integration of studies and work. This has resulted in models for work-based learning that are unique on a global scale.
W
ork-based learning – where the competence acquired on the job is utilised in the completion of a degree – in itself is not a new phenomenon in Finland: onthe-job learning in vocational upper secondary education and training has been a natural part of studies for a long time. However, it is a relative newcomer at institutions of higher education, except for practical training or project learning. “Even 10 years ago, people were less than welcoming of the idea that university-level competence could be acquired in places other than institutions of higher education,” says Alisa Pettersson, a senior lecturer and student counsellor at Haaga-Helia. Since then, universities of applied sciences, in particular, have started developing ways of studying that integrate work and study. Work-based learning can be seen from three different perspectives: In institution-oriented learning the instruction is implemented through, for example, schemes and company projects. In company-oriented learning a company improves the competence of its personnel through supplementary training or degree-awarding education. In student-oriented learning the focus is on the individual student’s opportunity to complete degree studies on the job or in recreational activities. Haaga-Helia’s work-based learning model, Work & Study, focuses on student- and company-oriented work-based learning solutions.
2018
AID AND RELIEF FOR STUDENTS
Some 50–60 per cent of students at institutions of higher education also have a job. The flexible solutions of the Work & Study model offer all students equal opportunities for integrating work and studies, regardless of their field of study. The model can provide tangible aid and stress relief for hard-working students. It can also promote graduation, which benefits students and the educational institution alike. Tiina Neuvonen completed her degree programme in Tourism Management while working full-time, thanks to the Work & Study model. “Working develops different ways to learn and observe things. I feel that I can study and learn more diversely when supported by theory and practice,” says Neuvonen. DIALOGUE WITH WORKING LIFE FOR EDUCATORS
Through work-based learning, the university of applied sciences gets to have constant dialogue and share information with working life. It also allows teachers and instructors to advance their professional skills. “Work-based learning almost automatically keeps the teaching staff up-to-date on working life,” says Pettersson. Haaga-Helia has been a pioneer of work-based learning. The Work & Study model has provided a trial platform through which good practices are now spreading to the entire organisation. Haaga-Helia has also driven national work-based learning projects, such as the extensive, ongoing Toteemi project (www.amktoteemi.fi).
50–60% OF FINNISH STUDENTS WORK DURING STUDIES
THEY WORK ON AVERAGE
15–24H/W >50% OF THEM HAD NOT
RECEIVED FEEDBACK ON OR RECOGNITION OF LEARNING AT WORK
13
Companies play a major role in work-based learning. They can raise experts that meet their needs and recruit students straight from the classroom. Companies also seek new perspectives through the cooperation. Construction company YIT, for example, offers students study modules involving work-based learning through the Work & Study model. Employment Relation Manager Sari Hagelberg, who coordinates the programme at YIT, finds it exciting. “We seek strength from the acquisition of different kinds of competence. Students, in turn, get to see how the things they learn in school can be applied in practice. We are aiming for a win-win situation.”
RECOGNITION OF LEARNING
WORK-BASED LEARNING IS THE FUTURE
DITAT
VERSATILE COMPETENCE FOR COMPANIES
N
DE M
RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING
ST R A
TI
ON
RE
IO
ON
ACC
“The Work & Study approach to studies is the future. Institutions of higher education must increasingly collaborate with companies because working life is changing very quickly,” says Alisa Pettersson. Tiina Neuvonen also envisions a bright future for work-based learning. “The main goal of education is employment, and I think it is wonderful that working students are given the opportunity to complete studies through on-the-job learning.”
AT HAAGA-HELIA
WORK & STUDY
CLOSE UP / TATJANA TIKHONOV
BREAKING BOUNDARIES TEXT ANNA HYÖDYNMAA PHOTOS MEERI UTTI
14
In winter 2017, Tatjana “Tiki” Tikhonov applied for Haaga-Helia’s Sports Coaching and Management Bachelor's degree programme, with emphasis on ice hockey, all the way from California. She has the work ethic and the self-belief to break into the maledominated world of hockey coaching.
H
ow does a 33-year-old ice hockey coach end up applying to a Finnish university of applied sciences from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean? The study place was not chosen at random, even though Tikhonov encountered the coaching degree by chance. According to Tikhonov, a Finnish degree is a key to a top coaching job. “I really want to be here,” she says. This is not Tikhonov’s first time living in Finland. Her family stayed here while her father Vasili Tikhonov was coaching SM-liiga teams in the 1990s and early 2000s. “I have always had a soft spot for Finland. Especially in ice hockey, I follow Finnish teams,” says Tikhonov. BETTER COACH THAN STUDENT
Tikhonov is more familiar with Finland’s reputation as a good coaching country than its reputation for top-grade education. More experienced than the other students, Tikhonov seems determined in her studies. After six months of studying, she has a detailed plan for her thesis, the topic of which will be “Breaking through barriers as a female head coach in a men’s sport of ice hockey”. The title is straight from Tikhonov’s own life.
2018
After Tikhonov got used to studying, everything has gone well, although she says that she prefers to learn things in real-life situations instead of reading books. “I am a better coach than student. On the other hand, I could read texts about ice hockey forever.” A LIFE OF ICE HOCKEY
Tikhonov received her coaching licence over 16 years ago, but she was already coaching her brother, who currently plays in Russia, before that. “As a coach, I am dedicated and ambitious; ice hockey is my life, and my days are spent with this sport,” Tikhonov says. “I learned my work ethics from my father and grandfather.” According to Tikhonov, everything she does is guided by respect towards them. Her father and grandfather both passed away within a short period of time a few years ago. “Through that experience, I learned how much ice hockey means to me and how much I mean to ice hockey.” After her father passed away, Tikhonov decided to start an ice hockey camp in his memory. Established in 2013, Tikhonov Training Camp has already had many successful years. As a coach, Tikhonov has diverse skills. “I am not a master of all trades but I know quite a lot about many things,” she says.
15
I LEARNED HOW MUCH ICE HOCKEY MEANS TO ME AND HOW MUCH I MEAN TO ICE HOCKEY.
CLOSE UP / TATJANA TIKHONOV
I BELIEVE IN MYSELF NOW MORE THAN EVER.
16
Tatjana Tikhonov Education: AA graphic design and getting the coaching degree from Haaga-Helia Age: 33 Profession: Ice hockey Motto: “Family is hockey and hockey is family”, “Be brave enough to find the life you want and the courage to chase it!” Immediate family: Mother Tatjana, brother Viktor and Spike the dog : #tikhonovtrainingcamphockeytiki #tikhonovtrainingcamp
2018
THREE HAAGAHELIAN COACHES IN THE OLYMPICS TEXT NINA FINELL PHOTO MAREK SABOGAL
BREAKING BOUNDARIES AS A WOMAN
Tikhonov’s resume beats that of most male coaches, but what is it like to be a woman in the male-dominated world of coaching? “Advancing as a female coach requires knowledge, attitude and self-confidence. I am trying to change the world and break boundaries,” Tikhonov says emphatically. And that she does. Tikhonov has coached Vierumäki United as the first female coach working on the ice and got to run a couple of practices for the Finnish men’s national ice hockey amputee team. “I smiled on the ice then, which usually never happens. It was my greatest experience as a coach,” says Tikhonov. When asked about her goals and dreams, Tikhonov replies promptly. She wants to get a degree from Haaga-Helia and coach a men’s national team to an Olympic gold medal, no more and no less. “I believe in myself now more than ever. I am the best version of Tikhonov.”
IN FEBRUARY, three coaches from Haaga-Helia set off for the ice hockey tournament in the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Kari Savolainen, a lecturer in coaching who has also served as team leader of the Finnish national team, has been appointed head coach of the Slovenian men’s ice hockey team, which took part in the Winter Olympics. Savolainen is already well-known to Slovenian ice hockey – he worked as the team’s head coach in 2003–2005 and as an adviser in 2011–2014. The team will also participate in the Division 1 World Championships in Budapest in April. The Olympics were the climax of the season also for Haaga-Helia coaching lecturers Pasi Mustonen and Markus Arvaja, who travelled to Pyeongchang with the Finnish women’s national team. Mustonen coached the team, while Arvaja worked as their mental coach. Mustonenhas been guiding the team for the past 3 1/2 years and will continue as head coach in spring 2019 at the women’s World Championships to be played in Finland.
DEGREE PROGRAMME IN SPORTS COACHING AND MANAGEMENT Get on your way to becoming the next top professional of sports coaching and management by applying to HaagaHelia. The degree programme in Sports Coaching and Management at the Vierumäki campus prepares students with the knowledge and skills needed in today’s sports and leisure industry. The teaching is organised in English, which enables students to work in an international environment during their work placement and upon completion of the studies. www.haaga-helia.fi/en
17
EXPORTING EDUCATION
18
OCEAN-CROSSING BUSINESS EXPERTISE
TEXT ARI NEVALAINEN PHOTOS HAAGA-HELIA AND SHUTTERSTOCK
Haaga-Helia has launched a four-year International Business degree programme in Mexico. The programme is one of Finland’s first exports of complete UAS degrees. Teachers from Haaga-Helia have been closely involved in the planning of the programme.
H
aaga-Helia launched a Bachelor’s degree programme in Mexico in August 2017. One of the first Finnish degree programmes offered overseas, the four-year degree programme in International Business is delivered in cooperation with the Mondragón University in Querétaro.
ADAPTED TO LOCAL NEEDS
Starting with fifteen students in the first intake, the degree programme in International Business offers core content on customer relationship management, communications, and supply chain management. The programme's strong international focus allows students to spend part of their studies in other countries, including Finland and China. Teachers from Haaga-Helia had lead responsibility for the development of the course contents and the methods of delivery. The curriculum is nearly identical 2018
to the International Business programme offered by Haaga-Helia in Helsinki, with some adjustments to meet the needs of the local market in Mexico and Latin America at large and the region’s business communities especially. Querétaro is home to multinational car manufacturers and aerospace industries.
“There’s a lot of interest in Finnish pedagogy thanks to our strong brand in education. The development of the degree programme was a huge undertaking for our teachers. The workload was substantial, as we adapted the programme to the requirements of both Mexican and Finnish laws and regulations. Our teachers have put great effort and passion into it,” says Teemu Kokko, Principal and CEO of Haaga-Helia. QUALITY ASSURANCE BY TEACHERS
THERE’S A LOT OF INTEREST IN FINNISH PEDAGOGY THANKS TO OUR STRONG BRAND IN EDUCATION. Teemu Kokko Principal and CEO of Haaga-Helia
Teachers from Haaga-Helia have trained their Mexican peers in order to ensure that the programme is delivered to a high standard. At the start of each term, a team of Finnish teachers will travel to Mexico to assist their local counterparts. “So many have volunteered, more than we have been able to take. This shows how enthusiastic our teachers are about exporting our education,” Programme Director Anne-Mari Karppinen says.
UNIQUE SPORTS ED PROGRAMME BETWEEN FINLAND AND CHINA TEXT ARI NEVALAINEN PHOTO HANNA KERMAN
Each of the Mexican teachers has a named contact on Haaga-Helia’s staff with whom they can consult. Some of the courses are delivered virtually. “It’s amazing how smooth our cooperation has been,” Karppinen enthuses. “This is an important opening for Haaga-Helia and Finnish education exports. We see great opportunities in this area, and future growth will come from the international market. Degree exports offer a flexible way to sell our education products to other countries. The global education market is worth around EUR 3.3 trillion. The biggest demand – as much as 90 percent – is in degree education,” Teemu Kokko states. “The value of Finnish education exports is expected to reach EUR 350 million by 2018. Our aim is to keep growing as an international university of applied sciences. In our education exports, we have always taken profitability as the starting point. We want to compete on quality and courses delivered to a high standard – not on price. The Finnish education brand is very strong, and we have built excellent consortia to service a variety of markets and needs,” Kokko concludes.
HAAGA-HELIA’S VIERUMÄKI CAMPUS has entered into education cooperation with the Chinese Guangzhou Polytechnic of Sports. A total of 75 Chinese students will annually attend a sports training programme where each group completes a three-year study programme, including two years of studies in China and one year in Finland. The programme was launched in 2016, and the first students came to Vierumäki for their final study year early last autumn. The study module includes teaching in sports management, sports entrepreneurship and sports marketing. The contract period with Haaga-Helia and Guangzhou Polytechnic of Sports spans until 2020. The agreement with China is unique in the field of sports management. According to Haaga-Helia’s Senior Lecturer Kari Puronaho, this is only the beginning. “I am very pleased with the accomplishments of our partner in China. They have constructed separate teaching facilities for us and hired an English-speaking teacher for the students.”
19
AROUND THE GLOBE
QUESTION: POINTERS FOR EDUCATION EXPORTERS? EDITED NINA FINELL PHOTO SHUTTERSTOCK
20
In education export, the product must be adapted to both the customer’s needs and the local culture. Many of our familiar teaching methods may be out of place in the local context in other parts of the world. We asked experts from Haaga-Helia for some pointers on what to consider when exporting Finnish education products.
MALTA
COLOMBIA
Anu Moisio 3UAS process director
No matter what your target country is, there is one golden rule: don’t assume anything. You can prepare by drafting initial plans and finding information online, but you can’t go in with a ready-made product. You can’t get the full reality until you’re there, and being able to react quickly with your colleagues is essential. You should also bear in mind that education is always connected to local society and its values. Some things that we take for granted may not be obvious in other places. It’s better to take the position of knowing nothing and be willing to learn. You shouldn’t compare and contrast different countries’ education systems: respect the work done by local teachers. All we are doing is giving them ideas and our perspectives. In education, change tends to happen through small steps and at the classroom level. All experts who are involved in the export process should be able to tolerate incompleteness. You have to trust the process even though you will hit problems along the way. We are lucky as we haven’t had to deal with situations on our own: it’s much easier to tackle problems together with talented colleagues.”
Marjaana Mäkelä Principal lecturer in tourism management
Although teaching settings are not that different in Malta, there are some differences between the Maltese and Finnish systems that need to be taken into account. For example, in Malta the teacher is more of an authority, ideas about learning are quite traditional, and the communication culture is different. Cultural awareness is essential when exporting education. Teachers must familiarise themselves with the environment in which they will be working. For example, having even just a little bit of knowledge about Malta helped us connect with the students, because the Maltese have a strong sense of their history and culture. In addition, teachers’ previous experiences and solid expertise are important. Luckily, we have experienced teachers who are used to working with mature students and able to address any problems at the outset. Education exports benefit all parties. We should trust our learning philosophy and expertise – Finnish knowhow is valid anywhere in the world!”
2018
IRAN
Jari Luomakoski Senior lecturer in business
Teaching in another culture requires common sense, good manners, respect and knowledge of local customs such as how to address people. It’s important to believe in yourself and what you’re doing, but avoid being arrogant. I always try to listen to the other party’s needs and wishes, while at the same time flying the flag for Finnish education expertise. Trying to accommodate different types of requests can be a balancing act. In all of our education export projects, we have worked with local experts to put together an orientation package on local customs, culture and safety matters. For example, in our Iran project, Haaga-Helia’s teachers are given cultural induction by one of our colleagues who is originally from Iran. You should embark on your export project with an optimistic and dynamic attitude, but bear in mind that you will probably have to revise your plans along the way. Teaching requires patience, understanding and listening before you act.”
21
CHINA
Kari Puronaho Principal lecturer in experience economy
The old proverb When in Rome, do as the Romans do is futile advice in some places, like China. You’re better off just tuning your eyes and ears to what’s going on around you. Each country has its own cultural norms that you need to learn and take into account. In China, seniority is highly respected. It’s important to stick to what has been agreed. It’s also very important to appreciate the work done by the locals. It took us the first autumn term to realise the effort that Chinese teachers and students put in to learn English and a completely different writing system. We kind of took our alphabet for granted. In teaching, you should try to promote a relaxed and open atmosphere and give students the responsibility for their own learning. Trust is everything, both in negotiations and in teaching. Teaching in a different culture also requires patience – cooperation doesn’t have to be po-faced, wherever you are.”
INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARKING
PARTNERS IN CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT TEXT ANNA HYÖDYNMAA PHOTO NHL STENDEN UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
22
Good benchmarking is like peeling an onion – you always find a new layer to develop. In addition to its national quality and development work, Haaga-Helia is also peeling the onion with international partners.
S
ince 2000, two ambitious universities of applied sciences, Haaga-Helia and NHL Stenden, have engaged in student, teacher and staff exchange as well as cooperation in teaching and projects. The relationship has grown closer and gained new dimensions since the signing of a key partnership between the business and tourism fields of Haaga-Helia’s Porvoo campus and NHL Stenden’s Emmen campus in 2015. Shared values and practices have provided fruitful ground for building a successful partnership. The choice of a partner is vitally important in order to have a sensible foundation for the comparison and development of practices. “Haaga-Helia and NHL Stenden are united in their working life orientation and desire to improve their activities and operate more internationally,” says Sirpa Holmström, Head of International Relations at Haaga-Helia.
HIGHLIGHTING GOOD PRACTICES AND DEVELOPMENT NEEDS
The years of working together have led to comparison of good practices and enabled the parties to learn from each other. Benchmarking that focuses on the role of staff in internationalisation aims especially to make visible the things that enable or hinder the internationalisation of the universities of applied sciences – not just strategically but also on a practical level. The knowledge generated by the process is used in decision-making. In the case of Haaga-Helia and NHL Stenden, the long-standing partnership has increased mutual trust and allowed the benchmarking to evolve into something deeper and more conversational.
2018
“It is unique to be able to compare institutions in so much detail and to go behind the scenes. This is something that can only be achieved when there is a high level of trust underpinning the cooperation,” says Wayne Johnson, Director of International Affairs at NHL Stenden. IMPROVING PERSONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL COMPETENCES
For the staff, benchmarking offers an interesting way to improve their personal competence. More than 100 staff members of Haaga-Helia and NHL Stenden have participated in the benchmarking focus group discussions. “First and foremost, the key partnership has directly benefited staff in their personal development through a range of shared projects and exchanges. Content-wise, curricula have been improved on the basis of mutual learning and benchmarking,” says Johnson. “On a more strategic, institutional level, the cross-institutional benchmark between Stenden and Haaga-Helia has already led to important insights in terms of what role staff play in the process of internationalisation,” he continues. International benchmarking between institutions opens new perspectives into the practices of one’s own institution – what works and what does not. Perspective and an outside gaze are a resource for quality and development work. Degree Programme Director Kaija Lindroth was also interviewed for the article.
23
NEW PERSPECTIVES FROM TEACHER EXCHANGE A KEY PARTNERSHIP has brought new dimensions to cooperation between institutions of higher education: an increasing number of colleagues collaborate in, for example, teaching. Next summer, Haaga-Helia tourism teacher Monika Birkle and her family will exchange their jobs and home for two months with Hans Dekker, a teacher at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, through the Erasmus+ mobility programme. “I want to expand my horizons and leave my comfort zone,” Birkle states as her reasons for doing the teacher exchange. “I expect to gain new perspectives, meet new colleagues and learn a lot.” A good example of the closer relationship, the exchange also advances and supports the benchmarking process.
The teachers’ glimpse into the everyday life of another school introduces perspectives that are personal and focus on the practices and daily life of the schools. At Haaga-Helia, teacher exchanges are usually fairly short, rarely lasting more than a week. “The long exchange at NHL Stenden provides opportunities to examine the teaching and activities at our partner school in a sustained manner and share competence in the long term,” says Sirpa Holmström. “Because of this, there should be more of such longer exchanges.” “Teacher exchange also provides students with new perspectives and familiarises them with different kinds of instructors,” says Kaija Lindroth. “What’s more, exchanges enhance the international atmosphere on campuses.”
FIGURE OUT
FACTS ON
EDUCATION EXPORT Process technology
Machinery and metal technology
Social and health care
TURNOVER Finnish education export (2014)
> 21,000
– tripled in the 21st century
F DE N I GR EE STUDENTS
degree 7.1% ofstudents ASIA 45% – above OECD average
SOURCES: CIMO, FINNISH NATIONAL AGENCY FOR EDUCATION, EDUEXPORT.FI
2018
350 GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME M€ TARGET 2018
D
N EIG FOR
260 M€
3,300 B€
Product development
AN
THE MOST POPULAR DEGREES
GLOBAL EDUCATION AND LEARNING MARKET:
Electricity and automation technology
IN L
Entrepreneurship
DUCATION E E XP SH I N
T OR
24
FIN
Management
EUROPE 39%
AFRICA 10%
FLASHBACK
IN SEARCH OF THE LOST CAT TEXT VIRVE VAINIO, KARI VIINISALO PHOTO PETRI ANTTILA / SLUSH 2017
The column was written by lecturer Virve Vainio from Haaga-Helia School of Vocational Teacher Education and education management professional Kari Viinisalo from Oppisopimuskummit ry.
AT THE SLUSH 2017 EVENT IN HELSINKI, former Formula 1 driver Mika Häkkinen gave a very impressive presentation where he explained what it meant to drive a F1 racing car. After every race he “looked in the mirror” and analysed in detail how he achieved the result he did – we call this reflection. Häkkinen emphasised that he learned to be a better driver by being always able to ask help from the team in making the analysis. Through this, he got close to the idea that is essential to the flexible education path, in which action and theory are interweaved with a certain kind of rhythm. The rhythm is adapted individually, and the reflection is guided by mentors. In ancient Greece, the roles of the actors and interpreters were divided up and allocated to different people. In a present-day society, we can conceive the actors as the practical workers and the spectators as the theoreticians and planners. This set-up nicely depicts the act of reflection in learning, except everybody in the ancient world had only one role. In any event, it is very important in the learning process that both roles – the roles of the actor and the spectator – are available to the learner. The essence of role-taking is in the timing and the rhythm. The lost cat is hiding in this role-taking. The well-timed rhythm in the reflection made by oneself or together with others (spectators/mentors) has to be practiced. During acting, the actor is enhancing embodied cognition, knowledge that is largely subconscious but highly meaningful for learning. Along this separation of the two roles we have lost the holistic approach to learning. The theoretical cognitive part is valued in education, while practical work is underestimated. However, if we want to strengthen and reinforce the enthusiasm in the young students’ learning experience, we should let them avail themselves of both these roles – the actor and the spectator – evenhandedly. In addition, we need the competence to find the right rhythm in assuming these roles.
25
SHORT AND SWEET COMPILED BY NINA FINELL
HELSINKI METRO AREA UAS'S TIGHTEN RDI COOPERATION
26
Three universities of applied sciences in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area – Haaga-Helia, Laurea and Metropolia – have formed a strategic alliance (3AMK) for closer cooperation in the search for new and agile solutions in anticipation of the changes in society and business life. One facet of the cooperation is RDI activities that serve working life: R&D Excellence. The aims of the joint RDI activities of the three UAS's have been set for 2017–2020. The cooperation focuses on the themes of sustainable urban development and people’s overall well-being. The joint RDI activities also serve the university community by bringing the latest knowledge closer to the everyday life of students. In October 2017, R&D Excellence presented the opportunities offered by joint RDI activities at the Nordic Business Forum. www.rdexcellence.eu
HAAGA-HELIA LAUNCHES FUNDRAISING Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences started fundraising in autumn 2017 to support the activities and aims of the university of applied sciences. “The fundraising makes it possible to raise Haaga-Helia’s competence and research to a brand new level. Donations support our students and research projects, through which the future of Finland is built,” says Teemu Kokko, Principal and CEO of Haaga-Helia. New legislation that gained legal force this spring allows universities of applied sciences to raise funds for non-profit activities. Although the state will continue to cover the basic funding of universities of applied sciences, the focus of the financing structure will shift increasingly towards outside funding. www.haaga-helia.fi/fi/lahjoita (in Finnish)
HAAGA-HELIA GETS A QUALITY LABEL
The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) has conducted an audit of Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and awarded it a quality label that is valid for six years from 16 June 2017. According to the decision, the quality system of Haaga-Helia fulfills the criteria for the quality management of higher education institutions and corresponds to the European principles and recommendations. The audit team especially praised Haaga-Helia’s highly committed, dynamic approach, strategy orientation and inclusion of working-life contacts and students in quality work. Haaga-Helia’s pedagogical approach was also considered a strong point. Principal and CEO Teemu Kokko says: “The quality label we received is a recognition of Haaga-Helia’s strong development work, which leads with strategy and the quality system. A functional quality system helps us continuously challenge ourselves, seek new operational dimensions and develop our operative activities.” www.karvi.fi/en
2018
YOU CAN NOW APPLY TO HAAGA-HELIA WITH SAT
HAAGA-HELIA BECOMES IATA'S AUTHORIZED TRAINING CENTER
As an alternative to entrance examinations, you can now apply to Haaga-Helia UAS with the SAT test. There are six English-language programmes available for application for spring 2018 and four for autumn 2018. In order to be eligible for the bachelor's degree programmes you must have a higher secondary education. For Master's degree programmes, you must have at least Bachelor’s level education and three years of relevant work experience after completing the Bachelor's. Applicants who have taken the new SAT (taken after March 2016) are accepted in order of best points.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has approved Haaga-Helia as IATA’s Authorized Training Center. IATA training is recognised for its demanding standards. Haaga-Helia will soon offer IATA training courses and certificates. The teaching staff can also utilise IATA courses to maintain their expertise. IATA is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing some 280 airlines. The contacts between IATA and Haaga-Helia have been active for several years. In 2017, IATA recognised Haaga-Helia’s instructional expertise and ability to provide quality training.
www.studyinfo.fi
FRESH PUBLICATION TAKES FINNISH EDUCATION ABROAD Haaga-Helia School of Vocational Teacher Education has published a new book on the vocational education and training in Finland. Vocational Education with a Finnish Touch (eds. Jari Laukia, Annica Isacsson, Päivi-Kristiina Juutilainen) concentrates on how to make vocational education attractive and of high quality. The concept of vocational education includes education of professionals and specialists in all vocational education sectors. The publication is aimed at students, teachers, directors, civil servants and political decision makers who are interested in vocational education. Vocational Education with a Finnish Touch has been edited and published by Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, School of Vocational Teacher Education. shop.haaga-helia.com/en
FURTHER INFORMATION: Reija Anckar, Degree Programme Director reija.anckar@haaga-helia.fi
E-SIGNALS BRINGS EXPERTS TO ONE PLACE Haaga-Helia’s e-publication platform e-Signals is now available also in English. Similarly to the Finnish e-Signals, we publish blogs, articles and audiovisual content by our specialists at Haaga-Helia as well as our stakeholders. The new English platform enables us to better target our expertise to international audiences. esignals.haaga-helia.fi/en
APPLY FOR THE FULBRIGHT–HAAGA-HELIA SCHOLAR AWARD The award enables American scholars to teach at Haaga-Helia for a period of 3–10 months. Application round for the academic year 2019–2020 is open from February till the beginning of August 2018. FURTHER INFORMATION: Sirpa Holmström, Head of International Relations sirpa.holmstrom@haaga-helia.fi www.haaga-helia.fi/en/international
MEET HAAGA-HELIA INTERNATIONAL SERVICES
MAREK SABOGAL
APAIE Conference in Singapore 25–29 March 2018 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO BOOK A MEETING: international@haaga-helia.fi
27
DID YOU KNOW... International student mobility has been getting increasing policy attention. Engaging students, especially if they stay permanently, is a way to gain global talent, compensate weaker educational capacity at lower educational levels, support innovation and production systems and reduce the impact of an ageing population. For young adults, studying abroad is a key experience and a means to access high-quality education, acquire new skills and improve employability. The number of foreign degree students in Finland has tripled in the 21st century. In 2016, there were 9,867 international students in universities of applied sciences.
SIGNALS HAAGA-HELIA’S STAKEHOLDER MAGAZINE 2018