Category: Welcome to UH

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Guest blogger: Finding my way to University of Helsinki

Inkeri in the library

I never knew what I wanted to do as an adult. I found many things interesting, but when I had to decide which discipline could be my field, I had no idea. I will tell you how I ended up studying in Adult Education and Developmental Work Research Master’s Degree Programme (ATMO) and why I find it the best choice for me. This is also a story about the fact that by drifting you can eventually end up in something that really interests you. It is not easy to know what you want after high school.

Long story short: After high school I was kind of interested in studying in University of Art and Design, as I thought I was artistic and creative (and I was very interested in art student boys…), but ended up studying bachelor’s degree in Business Polytechnic. After studies I ended up working in a big Telecommunication company. I did not find it my thing and was still dreaming of becoming an art teacher. I started to study Educational Sciences at the Helsinki Open University. There I realized that I was very interested in Adult education, and wanted to learn more about it. I quit my job and applied to University of Helsinki.

After studying Education at University I heard about the ATMO Master’s degree programme in Adult education and developmental work research. This was the thing that I was really interested in! I really enjoyed my studies in the programme. The best part was to do my Master’s Thesis to a real research project. I felt I could really see what it is like to do research at University. Though I had my doubts about work research at the beginning; am I really interested enough to concentrate my studies in work research? I was happily surprised by the fact that among Activity theoretical work research, only the sky is the limit to choose your research interest! My fellow students made their Master’s thesis from the following subject: Foreign professionals’ experiences at the University of Helsinki, Patient participation in Healthcare consultations in new care model, the development of debt counselors’ work, and the formation of indigenous University at Bolivia.  Talk about diversity!

The best thing about Cultural historical Activity theory, which developmental work research is based on, is that it is an excellent framework to study various fields of interests. Only your imagination is the limit!

Inkeri Aalto-Setälä

P.S. Next intake for ATMO is in 2014, please visit the ATMO website for more information on the programme.

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Come up with a name for the “First Year Experience” –project and win a set of movie tickets!

Since the beginning of the year 2012 there has been a project at the University of Helsinki which centers on the First Year Experience of our students. The aim of the project is to promote the first year university students to keep up with their studies and integrate to the university community. With the help of the project the university wants to make the first year experience a functional but also a fun whole from the students’ perspective.

Now we are looking to find the project a groovy name that works in all three languages of the university (FI, SWE, EN) and in the best case also describes the first year of the studies, keeping up with one’s studies and the feeling of belonging to the university community. All the name suggestions will take part in the lottery for two sets of movie tickets including five tickets each. The final name of the project will be announced in the new university intranet Flamma during Autumn 2012.

You can take part in the contest with an electronic form latest 28.10.2012.

More information about the project is available in the Teacher Section of Flamma.

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The ABC of Finnish Bureaucracy

Are you aware of your rights as tenant? Would you like to know more about
working life in Finland, housing possibilities or welfare services? Counselling Centre Ne-Rå and Kalliola Adult Learning Centre organize The ABC of Finnish bureaucracy for foreigners. Those who have arrived to Finland for example for work, studies or marriage would benefit from the
course.

The ABC of Finnish Bureaucracy
25.10.-22.11.
Thurdays 17-20
at Kalliola, Sturenkatu 11

Join the course at Kalliola and discuss and learn more about Finnish society and welfare system. The course will be held in English and it is free of charge Enrolments: www.kalliolankansalaisopisto.fi or you can just drop in.

For more information: info(at)ne-ra.fi

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A month in Helsinki

Already a month has passed since all of you new degree and exchange students arrived in Helsinki. Time really flies!

Do you still remember hitting that like button for the New students at UH Facebook page? Packing your bags and arriving in Helsinki? The chaos of the first few days at the University?

Well, we hope that you have settled in alright and that Helsinki is starting to feel like home to you.

Now that you are a not-so-new student at the University of Helsinki, we would encourage you to hit the like button for the University of Helsinki Facebook group! That way you will stay updated on what is going on at the University.

The New Students FB page will probably start to feel like old news to you, at least next year when we start informing all the new incoming students for the year 2013 on all the things they need to be aware of when arriving. You already went through all that!

Wishing you a great autumn semester!

Staff at the Student Services, the International Exchange Services and the Admissions Services

Picture: 123rf

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Dear neighbours in Russia, welcome to study at UH!

In 2011 UH visited student fairs in St. Petersburg. Here we had some time to admire the Winter Palace after rain.

University of Helsinki (UH) is once again visiting Russia to meet local students. We visit our favourite city St. Petersburg and student fairs there every year. Why? Because the University of Helsinki wants to actively recruit bright Russian students to our international programmes. Already now Russians are one of the largest groups among international students at UH.

Come and meet UH and other Finnish universities during the Study in Europe Day in St. Petersburg.

  • Time: Saturday 22 September, 2012
  • Place: Finnish Consulate, Preobrazhenskaja pl. 4, 191028 St. Petersburg

Did you know that the University of Helsinki is consistently ranked in the top 100 out of world’s 15 000 universities? Here some examples:

The reason which makes international students choose the University of Helsinki is the university’s good reputation and the high level of research and teaching. Helsinki is also a great place to be and our international students say it is a very safe place to live in. Nowadays the two cities, Helsinki and St. Petersburg, are closer than ever before. It is barely a four hour train-ride away (5 times per day), a flight takes only an hour and you can take a cheap minibus or an overnight ferry, too.

The application period for Master’s Degree Programmes opens 19 November, 2012 and closes 31 January, 2013. If you are planning to apply, please pay attention to the application documents. Russian applicants must submit the official government-granted degree certificate and transcript (you should get this automatically from your home university) and you must have your degree certificate and transcript verified by apostille. For more information see the How to Apply website.

See you at the Consulate!

Admissions Services

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Got your new home @ Vuolukiventie?

Please join to meet other Vuolukiventie tenants and to get info on the ongoing renovation project.

Date: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at 6 pm, (coffee, tea and a cinnamon bun served from 5.30 pm)
Place: University Main Building, Center Campus, street address: Fabianinkatu 33, lecture Hall 10, 3rd floor

Organizers: University of Helsinki International Exchange Services & University of Helsinki Housing and Accommodation Services in co-operation with HOAS [Foundation for Student Housing in the Helsinki Region]

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Join the UH Alumni Network Now!

University of Helsinki AlumniWhether you’re here for six months or six years, you’ll probably create a close-knit network of friends during your stay at the University of Helsinki. But how do you make sure that you don’t lose touch with your friends and Uni after your studies come to a close?

Even though you probably are already active in your own discipline’s Facebook group you should still register to Campus Alumni, so that we don’t lose track of you and you won’t forget us. Granted, we’re still in the process of developing our international alumni activities, so this is the time to join and give us your input!

On Campus Alumni you can also register a lifelong university alumni email address, find friends and see where in the world UH alumni have headed off to find new adventures. You’ll also get our eHUB  newsletter directly to your inbox.

If you register at Campus Alumni before October 3 at the Think Corner (Aleksanterinkatu 7), you’ll get a 20% discount on UH sweatshirts and T-shirts. (They’re really nice, just look at the picture!)

Also feel free to join our LinkedIn alumni group  Helsingin yliopisto | University of Helsinki Alumni.

Read more about Campus Alumni and other alumni services at www.helsinki.fi/alumnus and register!

More information from UH Alumni Cordinator Saara Vihko at saara.vihko[at]helsinki.fi or +358 9 191 22802

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The University Promotes a Smoke-Free Environment

“Towards a tobacco-free academic community. Our University will work towards a non-smoking environment.” This was the decisions of the University’s Cooperation Committee at the beginning of 2012 in response to a proposal by the occupational health and safety committees concerning a smoke-free University. The non-smoking policy will apply to the academic community as a whole, including both staff and students.

The non-smoking policy will be adopted during the academic year 2012–2013. After the launching of the policy smoking (normal and electronic cigarettes) will be forbidden in all University facilities and permitted only in designated areas outside University buildings. Areas designated for smoking will be located, with signs, at an appropriate distance from buildings to ensure that tobacco smoke does not enter the buildings. Smoking areas will be indicated on campus maps, and any changes will be reported on each campus. All University events will also be smoke-free.

After a tentative launch of the non-smoking policy last spring, the Kumpula Campus has removed established smoking areas which were unofficial or close to the main entrances.
On the City Centre Campus, areas previously used for smoking on the stairs outside the Main Building on Unioninkatu and in the immediate vicinity of the Fabianinkatu entrance were designated smoke-free. Waste bins incorporating ash trays at the entrance to the Porthania building were also moved closer to the street.

Want to know more about the smoke-free university? Ask Pirjo Kekäläinen, Occupational Safety Officer, Tel. 09 191 22257

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Night at the Campus: A Student Festival

On the 10th of September the city centre of Helsinki will be filled up with young energy when students from the metropolitan area take over Senate Square. The square will be filled with student action from 5 pm to 10.30 pm.

The Night at the Campus festival will include, among other things, panel discussions, design in many different forms as well as the results of the idea contest for new student housing. You can visit a student flat built inside a container and a pop-up library. MIAU, an increasingly popular garage rock trio, will perform at 9.30 pm. In addition, several student clubs and organisations are presented around the square through debates, performances and theatricals.

The programme is divided into four themes; student housing, cycling, the promotion of a lively campus culture and social entrepreneurship. A cross-cutting theme is space and the use of space. This theme will become more concrete when the surroundings of the Alexander Statue are transformed into a large living room with couches and tents.
Join the Night at the Campus Facebook event to know more. See you there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aura, Project coordinator

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Thanks for visiting the Welcome Fair!

Last week’s Welcome Fair was once again a success! It was great to meet over 500 new exchange students and over 100 international degree students there! We hope you all got a good start to your studies and enjoyed the fair as much as we did!

If you still have exchange related paperwork to do, the International Exchange Services office is located at the University Main Building, Fabianinkatu 33, and we’re open Mon-Thu 10-15. Instructions for Erasmus students can also be found here.

We are here just for you and we’re doing our best to make our services as good as possible. If you have any feedback to give us about the Welcome Fair, please leave a comment here or in facebook

We really hope you will enjoy your stay in Helsinki!

Kaisa from the International Exchange Services

 

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