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Mastering Globalisation and Education |
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By Dan Murphy
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Monday, 08 December 2008 |
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International students in Oulu have been neglected in the past but this is changing writes Dan Murphy.
Rauni Räsänen, Professor of International Education at Oulu University, looks at the 70-odd students chatting over dinner and nods approvingly.
"Events like these are important for international students' empowerment, and creating a sense of feeling welcome and at home," she reflects. "It's also good for these students to mix, exchange ideas and learn from each other's cultures."
Prof. Räsänen had popped out from working late in her office one Friday to find the education faculty's café abuzz. The occasion was the inaugural party thrown by the international committee of the student union. As well as a fine Indian meal, the evening featured Thai dancers, Irish music and a chance for students to get out of their apartments and mix.
The lot of a foreign student in Oulu can be a lonely and alienating one. There is a lot to get used to and Finnish social and cultural mores do not always lend themselves to rapid integration.
This is an important issue for Oulu and its learning institutions. Around 550 international students study here currently - most on two-year masters programmes - and this number is set to grow.
Professor Räsänen has established a number of international education courses which attract applicants from all over the globe. She is a strong believer in the benefits of student mobility.
"The greater diversity of the student body is expanding worldviews, increasing international understanding and building global networks," she says.
The city's authorities and two higher education institutions echo these sentiments in official pronouncements but are they reflected in reality?
There are some encouraging signs. A joint venture between the City, the University and the University of Applied Science launched recently promotes Oulu to prospective students abroad and aims to improve services to those here.
With help from European Union funds Promoting the Higher Education Institutions of Oulu Internationally is also increasing awareness of the international education supply among local employers.
Key to realising these goals is making people's stay in Oulu a happy one. The project employs two staff at the University of Applied Science who are overseeing an orientation and support program for foreign students. Meanwhile, Oulu University Student Union has just appointed a Secretary for International Affairs. A new website www.studyinoulu.fi has also been launched.
When discussing international student mobility it is important to make the distinction between degree and exchange students. The latter usually come for three or six months to enhance their bachelor's studies. This process is supported by a multitude of international programmes. The EU is particularly keen on student exchanges and invests heavily in them.
At Oulu University exchange students have traditionally been well catered for. A well resourced International Relations office employs ten staff to help make the exchange spell as enjoyable as possible.
By comparison, international degree students have until recently had little in the way of personnel and resources dedicated to them. This is odd considering international students stay for longer. They are much more likely to require assistance establishing a stable living environment, finding employment, and complying with various laws.
Emma Haskins, of mixed Finnish and English parentage, arrived here last year after a stint teaching in Afghanistan. With fellow students she set about breathing life into the student union's international committee.
"Arranging social events and providing a venue for discussion of issues facing international students has been valuable," she says. "Also it has been encouraging to see more of an effort this past academic year with the orientation day put on jointly with the polytechnic and the appointment of an international secretary."
While acknowledging these, Emma suggests further improvements.
"More contact with Finnish people who aren't students would be a good start," she says. "Like the 'kummi' (godparents) system in which exchange students are paired with a Finnish family who meet them at the airport and spend time with them over the first few months, inviting them to their home or taking them out. This would have huge impact on the student's understanding of the culture and sense of being welcome."
"It would also be great to see Finnish student organisations taking more initiative to welcome international students - even better if some took up the cause of organising some practical help, particularly on the point of arrival to Oulu."
Emma and others trying to raise the profile of international students have found campus politics and culture an obstacle. By international standards Finnish university life is quite staid. In a culture where campaigns and activism are a prominent feature of college life it is easier for new students to find their place and get involved.
Then again, there is no real need to be storming the dean's office every week. Subsidised housing, meals and health care are provided at high quality. Guilds are officially recognised in all faculties and make sure students' views are considered by decision makers. The lot of the Finnish tertiary student must be among the best in the world.
International students I have spoken to recognise this and are grateful for the chance to study in such an environment. They just make the point that seeing as they are here - and if Oulu is serious about encouraging some to stay - a bit more effort to understand their issues would go a long way.
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