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Situated on a series of mini islands in the south of Finland, the country’s capital city Helsinki may not be the most obvious study abroad choice. However, this is a city which ranked in the top 70 in the QS Best Student Cities 2023 ranking, and which boasts a world-class university, an outdoor lifestyle most people could only dream of, and fantastic quality of life.
If you need any further proof that Helsinki must be doing something right, consider the fact an impressive 10 percent of its student population are international students.
We’ve been fortunate enough to be able to speak with two of them from the University of Helsinki to find out what attracted them to study in the Finnish capital and what their experience has been like so far.
Home to a world-renowned university
Finland’s academic reputation is renowned worldwide as it prides itself on innovation, pioneering research and collaboration with industry.
In fact, the University of Helsinki, a leading multidisciplinary academic research institution, took top spot as the best university in the country in the QS World University Rankings® 2023.
Canadian student, Eva Miras, is a Master’s in European and Nordic Studies student and shared with us how she came to choose studying in Helsinki. She said: “I knew that I wanted to do my master’s degree in Europe, so I started looking at different programs in various countries, and it was the Master’s in European and Nordic Studies that first caught my eye.
“I also learned more about the University of Helsinki and found that it had a really good international reputation, and learned that the education system in Finland is considered one of the best in the world, so it was a no brainer.
When it comes to Eva’s academic experience so far, it’s evident that the level of support and access to services has been nothing short of impressive.
“I’ve been able to take so many interesting courses with some of the best professors and researchers in the country, and have learned so much in the process.
“The university provides students with almost endless amounts of academic resources and support to help guide your studies, and there is always help available to you if you need it,” says Eva.
A unique and innovative teaching style
Finland’s education system is admired around the world. For many international students, the innovative teaching style may come as a shock to begin with, but it soon becomes a unique and pleasant learning experience.
“The teacher-student ‘gap’ is almost zero, meaning the teachers are very approachable and open to great conversations both about and outside of the studies,” explains Chaitanya Bhargava, an MSc in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology student from New Delhi.
Students who study here are encouraged to embrace new learning methodologies and techniques. Sometimes students will be working and learning alongside peers from other classes in completely different countries via Skype, for instance.
Field trips, learning diaries, lab work, hackathons, and even participation in research groups are also part of the academic experience. Such academic freedom means opportunities for development are in abundance, but it does come with a price – as students are expected to manage their own workloads and work independently.
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