Inter­na­tion­al­ity

Inter­na­tion­al­i­sa­tion is strate­gic collab­o­ra­tion and team play!

Inter­na­tion­al­ity is one of the strate­gic aims of Karelia Univer­sity of Applied Science (Karelia UAS). Karelia2030 strat­egy iden­ti­fies five main areas to work with and develop until 2030 to meet with the regional and global chal­lenges. At the time of disrup­tion and chal­leng­ing global trends, foster­ing the pros­per­ity and well-being of the some­what remote and densely popu­lated region is the utter­most goal of the Karelia Univer­sity of Applied Sciences. North-Karelia is suffer­ing from a fast-growing ageing popu­la­tion, severe lack of exper­tise and compe­tent labour in the near future and decreas­ing economic expec­ta­tions. Yet a lot of poten­tial is avail­able and with a systemic co-creative approach in selected high-quality networks it is possi­ble to tackle the chal­lenges and shape our future in a posi­tive way.

Strate­gic focuses

  • first, educa­tion and compe­tences (goals: smooth path­ways for contin­u­ous learn­ing and systemic U2B operations);
  • second, inter­na­tion­al­i­sa­tion of the region and promo­tion of educa­tion-based immi­gra­tion (goals: more degrees and in-service train­ing avail­able in English; strong contri­bu­tion into inter­na­tional RDI and global education);
  • third, sustain­able well-being (goals: promo­tion of active ageing; inno­va­tions in health and care technologies)
  • fourth, smart produc­tion and services (goals: inno­va­tions in smart special­i­sa­tion, power BI, digi­tal­i­sa­tion), and
  • fifth, carbon neutral solu­tions (goals: foster sustain­able busi­ness, inno­va­tions and tech­nolo­gies in renew­able ener­gies and construc­tion) which all will be system­at­i­cally worked with and devel­oped in rele­vant partner ecosys­tems. These all areas are needed when we meet with the chal­lenges in a posi­tive way.

Karelia UAS has strong inter­na­tional networks, compe­tence and refer­ences on mean­ing­ful inter­na­tional research, devel­op­ment and inno­va­tion (RDI) collab­o­ra­tion that has impact in a long-run and serve the regional devel­op­ment in a coher­ent manner. Karelia UAS partic­i­pates in the Erasmus+, Nord­plus, NPA, and TFK programmes. From Novem­ber 2020 Karelia UAS is part of INVEST Erasmus+ Euro­pean Univer­sity Alliance consortium.

Inter­na­tion­al­i­sa­tion is for the future. It strength­ens students’ and staff’s profes­sional and trans­ver­sal compe­ten­cies provid­ing inter­na­tional aspects to degree and contin­u­ous educa­tion, RDI and services.

Exchange studies and traineeships

Karelia UAS has more than 100 partner insti­tu­tions in 25 differ­ent coun­tries. Every year about 160 students from Karelia UAS are either study­ing or doing prac­ti­cal train­ing abroad and about 120 inter­na­tional students are study­ing or doing prac­ti­cal train­ing in Karelia UAS/in the region. Karelia UAS offers courses and modules for incom­ing exchange students. Find more infor­ma­tion for incom­ing Exchange Students.

Outgo­ing students will gain more infor­ma­tion and support about their possi­bil­i­ties for student and trainee exchanges and other ways to inter­na­tion­alise them­selves from the inter­na­tional coor­di­na­tor of their study field. Studies completed abroad are fully cred­ited into the degree at Karelia UAS.

>> Euro­pean Policy State­ment
>> Erasmus Charter for Higher Educa­tion 2021-2027
>> Karelia Infor­ma­tion sheet 2024-2025

Educa­tion in English

Bachelor’s degree programmes Inter­na­tional Busi­ness, Indus­trial Manage­ment and Infor­ma­tion and Commu­ni­ca­tion Tech­nol­ogy are offered completely in English. More infor­ma­tion about the appli­ca­tion proce­dure is avail­able at: studyinfo.fi.

Inter­na­tion­al­i­sa­tion at home

Becom­ing inter­na­tional does not always require students trav­el­ling abroad – personal barri­ers can be many, start­ing from family and work situ­a­tions. Karelia UAS offers plenty of possi­bil­i­ties to go inter­na­tional at home during the studies.

Karelia UAS Inter­na­tional Edition

Inter­na­tional Edition 2020

Inter­na­tional Edition 2018

Inter­na­tional Edition 2016

Inter­na­tional Edition 2015

Inter­na­tional Edition 2014

For more information

Head of Inter­na­tional Affairs
Dr. Liisa Timonen
Inter­na­tional part­ner­ships and networks, Inter­na­tional RDI (Erasmus+, Horizon), Global educa­tion services
+358 50 5913397, [email protected]

Head of Educa­tion
Ms. Ulla Asikainen
Inter­na­tional degrees and mobil­ity, HEI services for immi­grants, Inter­na­tional student recruit­ment
+358 50 5234355, [email protected]

Inter­na­tional Rela­tions Coor­di­na­tors
Ms. Antonia Stavri­dou
Outgo­ing and incom­ing students, TFK and Nord­plus progammes
+358 50 3458262, [email protected]

Ms. Katri­ina Korho­nen
Erasmus+ Insti­tu­tional coor­di­na­tor, Erasmus+ agree­ments, mobil­ity funding and EWP, staff mobil­ity
+358 50 5855146, [email protected]