Kategoria: Opiskelijat
Theory and Practice Go Hand in Hand in UAS Studies
Bridging Worlds & A Journey of Growth Only imagine being uprooted from one's life, leaving behind everything that was familiar, and stepping into an entirely new culture for higher education. It was not only the academic ambition per se, but also a leap of faith. This was where I stood at the crossroads of being an accomplished banking professional and yet a fresh student from Sri Lanka, when entering Finland with a resolution to grow, evolve, and thrive. This was the reason, when choosing to study at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, why it was so critical for me that this university would have a different approach to learning. I wanted a blend of theory and practical application to prepare my for the real world. It was a promise of not only academic insights but also of a holistic face-lift to my professional trajectory and personal journey. Why Finland? Why Metropolia? These were some of my many questions. I did my choice for reasons including Finland being ranked high in education and Metropolia for connecting the gap between theoretical and practical learning. I chose to risk and go ahead with the application. With more than 18 years of work experience in the banking arena, I grew deeply interested in data analytics and operations efficiency. The Master's programme in Business Informatics at Metropolia was appealing not just for its industry relevance, but also for its practical application and problem-solving approach. Challenges and Triumphs: The First Steps Moving to Finland with my family was not an easy decision, as it would mean leaving behind a well-settled life and starting afresh. But this challenge was simultaneously an opportunity: the possibility of exposing ourselves to a new culture, new ideas, and new opportunities. It all started with a journey of unexpected hurdles. Due to visa delays, I had to begin my studies remotely from Sri Lanka. What could have been an intimidating experience was relatively easy, thanks to the support from Metropolia. Online classes were well structured, keeping everyone engaged and moving forward in a fruitful direction, which the university itself clearly showing the ways how to stay connected and take part in the activities online. Meanwhile, during this period, I also tried on my own initiative to complement my learning with additional activities and completed some optional courses in AI. Such a proactive approach allowed me not only to be on schedule but also enhanced my knowledge of emerging technologies, which proved so valuable later on when I was working on the thesis. Settling in Finland When my family and I finally arrived in Finland, the culture was warm in Reception and welcoming. Finland's emphasis on education and community integration were visible into every aspect of our new life, be it the language classes designed for migrants or the academic environment which felt very welcoming. What really caught my attention when it came to Metropolia was how much they focused on collaborative and work-related learning. The classes are set up to ensure interaction, critical thinking, and practical application to concepts. This is not just education; it is preparation for the future. The Metropolia Advantage: Theory Meets Practice The education at Metropolia is different because it is not just about attending lectures and then doing an exam; it is about understanding how to use your knowledge in a real-life scenario. It was a nice discovery for me that Metropolia also provided learning opportunities beyond just the classroom. It offered opportunities for professional certifications (in Project Management and in Power BI), study tours, and company visits, which made it into a more diverse learning experience and enhanced both my knowledge and skills. This unique blend of academic theory and hands-on application, hallmarks of UAS studies, prepared me for real-world challenges, bridging the gap between classroom learning and workplace demands. The Thesis Experience The culmination of my studies was the completion of my thesis and the project was a real test of everything I had learned at Metropolia. The autumn semester was particularly demanding, as personal challenges tested my resolve. Although I began my thesis work early, the last two months became a race against time. With all credits except my thesis completed, I faced a pivotal decision: to graduate in December or postpone it for one more semester, until next June. The unwavering support of my thesis supervisor and the staff of the Master’s degree programme in Business Informatics, was the turning point. Their professional guidance, empathetic approach, and steadfast encouragement were instrumental in helping me overcome the odds. They exemplified how Metropolia’s faculty truly invests in the success of their students, ensuring no one is left behind. Their belief in my potential and their determination to see me succeed pushed me toward the finish line. It is their guidance, combined with the practical learning approach of Metropolia, that allowed me to complete not only my thesis but also to deliver meaningful results. Reflections & Lessons Learned Looking back, my time at Metropolia has been a journey of growth, resilience, and discovery. Here are some of the key lessons I have taken away: Adaptability is Key: Whether it is starting your studies remotely or integrating into a new culture, flexibility and willingness to adapt are essential. Proactive Engagement Leads to Success: Taking initiative whether it is exploring additional learning opportunities or seeking help when needed can make all the difference. Support Systems Matter: From family and friends to university faculty and peers, having a strong support network is invaluable. Practical Learning is Empowering: Metropolia’s focus on applying knowledge to real-world problems prepares students not just to understand concepts but to use them effectively. Advice for Future International Students To those considering studies at Metropolia, my advice is simple: embrace the journey. Plan Ahead: Whether it is organizing your study schedule or preparing for life in a new country, planning can ease the transition. Stay Open to New Experiences: Finland has a lot to offer, from its education system to its culture. Be open to learning and growing both inside and outside the classroom. Leverage Available Resources: Metropolia offers a wealth of resources, from language classes to career services. Make the most of them! Stay Resilient: Challenges are inevitable, but they are also opportunities to grow. Stay focused on your goals and don’t hesitate to seek help when needed. A Final Word Metropolia is more than just a university, it is a community. It is a place where students from diverse backgrounds come together to learn, grow, and make a difference. My journey here has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life, and I am so grateful for all the opportunities provided by it. I carry with me, as I move on, not just the knowledge and skills I have learned but also the memories and lessons that have shaped me into what I am today. For everyone considering Metropolia, I´d say: take a leap. It is one decision that will challenge you, inspire you, and prepare you for a better future. About the author Jayampathini Kumarasinghe is a Master of Business Administration in Business Informatics (2024), a Metropolia´s alumnus, and an experienced banking professional from Sri Lanka who refreshed her professional skills in her Master´s studies at Metropolia and continues her professional career in Finland.
Accelerating DEI agenda for companies, their reporting and KPIs
Both researchers and industry experts concur that workplaces with diverse and inclusive environments make positive impacts on organizations. They point out that having diversity, equity, and inclusion (hence DEI) initiatives at work improves corporate culture, client relations, enables the organization to move into new markets and even positively affects profitability. The three essential components – diversity, equity, and inclusion are interlinked and, when combined with business strategies, can help organizations thrive amid societal changes. (Ely and Thomas 2020.) These topics inspired me during my MBA studies and I chose them as a topic for my Master’s thesis. In my thesis, I collaborated with a company in Finland that has a nascent DEI strategy and was interested to develop a roadmap to amplify the benefits of having DEI in the workplace to the company’s leadership. Why the need to place a focus on DEI? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), as a social pillar of sustainability policies, is part of the global goals in order to make a positive difference in own industry, as well as generate impact on society. DEI topics, as non-financial indicators, may be difficult to measure, unless they are conceptualized and well aligned to the strategy. This may pose a challenge to smaller companies, new to this area, and therefore the experience and developments in big companies deserve attention and dissemination. Especially the appropriate selection of DEI indicators is the necessary step for any organization in the new era of CSRD. For organizations, key performance indicators (KPIs) are the essential managerial tools to determine whether the company is headed into the right direction. Metrics are vitally important, as evidenced by the proverbs "if you can't measure it, you can't manage it" and "what gets measured gets done" (Marr 2022). The DEI KPIs are important not only for reporting, but for implementing and truly “living” the strategy of the organization. They are indicative tools that will shed light on performance and point out the areas that require special care. A look at EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) For the last two decades, the EU has been a champion in promoting DEI. The latest CSRD regulation (adopted since 5th January 2023) and its newly adopted EU standards (ESRS) include not only sustainability, but also - profoundly - social issues reporting, including DEI (see ESRS S1). As communicated in the EU Commission’s website on Corporate sustainability reporting: “Companies subject to the CSRD will have to report according to European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). The standards were developed by the EFRAG, previously known as the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group, an independent body bringing together various different stakeholders. The standards will be tailored to EU policies, while building on and contributing to international standardisation initiatives.” This latest EU CSRD legislation requires that all large companies disclose the information on the opportunities and risks they perceive as emerging from social and environmental issues, as well as their effects of their actions on the environment and human population (EU Commission, Press Corner, Q&A, 2023). At the European Commission's request, EFRAG (European Financial Reporting Advisory Group) drafted the standards to enforce the proposed CSRD, that focus on appropriate due process, transparency, and the knowledge of pertinent stakeholders. The 12 new standards (ESRS) cover the full range of sustainability issues and include the four significant “must-do” reports under the social facet, namely: ESRS S1: Own workforce ESRS S2: Workers in the value chain ESRS S3: Affected communities, and ESRS S4: Consumers and end-users. The ESRS standards point to a range of recommended metrics for disclosures under the social pillar, namely in “ESRS S1: Own workforce” (such as the characteristics of the undertaking’s employees to collective bargaining and social dialogue). Figure 1 shows the range of KPIs in the newly adopted CSRD and ERSRS recommended for corporate reporting. Figure 1. Metrics recommended by EFRAG for ESRS S1: Own workforce” (EFRAG 2022. Educational session on the first set of draft ESRS). In addition, the newly adopted CSRD and ESRS give room for flexibility to organizations which specific aspects of DEI they can select for reporting on their DEI related topics. Especially the gender diversity policies are seen as the most common focus in workplaces and reporting practices. By having a gender-balanced workforce, companies can demonstrate their commitment to having an inclusive and equitable work environment. This condition gives a unique chance to the front-running companies to excel and stand out among competitors by demonstrating their leadership via adopting not just mandatory, but wider reporting practices, beyond the required minimum. Nordic companies are at the forefront in DEI reporting Companies, especially the larger ones, have undergone digital and other transformations in the past decades. These changes were also closely related to sustainability and diversity issues. The organizations that successfully embraced these efforts as part of their business strategy were immediately spotted by other industry players, to a big extent, due to their excellence in reporting. These companies have managed to set examples of reporting that other organizations - as well as students in DEI topics - can learn from. The widely acknowledge examples of DEI leadership from Nordics include, for example, the following front-running companies. AFRY can be considered as an inspiring example of a leading international engineering, design, and advisory company when it comes to sustainability reporting. AFRY´s Annual and Sustainability Report 2023 (published in March 2024) measures and follows us on sustainability commitments through targets that encompasses its solutions, operations, and people. It also monitors its progress on a wide range of KPIs in DEI area (which is especially obvious when comparing to reports on DEI topics published in 2020 or earlier). Also, CGI make an interesting example among the largest IT companies in Finland that emphasizes in its DE&I governance. DEI is endorsed by the CEO and the executive committee, and that accountability for DE&I is a shared responsibility. DEI topics are embedded in the annual business plans for each Strategic Business Unit (for example, in CGI 2022 ESG report, p.45). The company clearly indicates its DEI targets and KPI also in its 2023 Sustainability report (published in 2024) and sets the targets, for example, to achieve the same level of gender diversity representation in leadership positions as is present across the entire company by 2025. (CGI 2023 ESG report, p.21). These Nordic examples demonstrate that, by understanding and selecting measurable DEI targets and KPIs, the companies can create and follow more professional development plans, identify the multitude of domains where DEI can bring benefits to an organization, and thus point to a measurable impact of DEI on the overall performance. It makes this topic worth studying, also by the students at universities of applied sciences. About the author: Joan Mhyles Cruz is an MBA graduate in Business Informatics. In her student times, Joan was a student ambassador of Metropolia UAS and an advocate of DEI. She made this topic into her Master´s thesis done for one of the front-runners of DEI in Finland. References: AFRY (2022). Annual and Sustainability Report 2022. Retrieved on 30.10.2023. https://afry.com/sites/default/files/2023-04/annual-and-sustainability-report-2022.pdf CGI (2022). Environmental, Social and Governance Report. Retrieved on 20.11.2023. https://www.cgi.com/sites/default/files/2023-03/cgi-2022-esg-report.pdf CGI (2023). Environmental, Social and Governance Report. Retrieved on 20.04.2023. https://www.cgi.com/sites/default/files/2024-05/cgi-2023-esg-report-en.pdf Cruz, Joan Mhyles (2024). A DEI Roadmap for an Organization and Its Sustainability Reporting:Master´s Thesis. Metropolia UAS. https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024053018232 EFRAG (2022). Educational Session on Draft ESRS S1 Own workforce. Educational videos on the first set of draft ESRS (downloaded). Retrieved 30.11.2023. https://efrag.org/Assets/Download?assetUrl=%2Fsites%2Fwebpublishing%2FSiteAssets%2FFINAL_26.01_Long_S1_SR%2520PPT%25201%2520vers230126%2520%281%29.pdf EFRAG (2022). European Sustainability Reporting Standards (Draft). ESRS S1 Own workforce. EFRAG November 2022. Retrieved on 20.11.2023. https://www.efrag.org/Assets/Download?assetUrl=%2Fsites%2Fwebpublishing%2FSiteAssets%2F13%2520Draft%2520ESRS%2520S1%2520Own%2520workforce%2520November%25202022.pdf Ely, Robin J. and Thomas, David A. (2020). Getting Serious About Diversity: Enough Already with the Business Case. Harvard Business Review, Nov-Dec 2020. https://hbr.org/2020/11/getting-serious-about-diversity-enough-already-with-the-business-case EU Commission. Corporate Sustainability Reporting. EU rules require large companies and listed companies to publish regular reports on the social and environmental risks they face, and on how their activities impact people and the environment. (online). Retrieved on 01.02.2024. https://finance.ec.europa.eu/capital-markets-union-and-financial-markets/company-reporting-and-auditing/company-reporting/corporate-sustainability-reporting_en EU Commission (2023). People first – Diversity and inclusion. Fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Retrieved on 5.12.2023. https://commission.europa.eu/about-european-commission/organisational-structure/people-first-modernising-european-commission/people-first-diversity-and-inclusion_en#fostering-a-diverse-and-inclusive-workplace EU Press Corner (2023). Questions and Answers on the Adoption of European Sustainability Reporting Standards. 31.07.2023 (Brussels). (online). Retrieved 20.11.2023. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_23_4043 EUROPA. EUR-Lex. Directive - 2022/2464. Official Journal of the European Union. Directive (EU) 2022/2464 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 amending Regulation (EU) No 537/2014, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Directive 2013/34/EU, as regards corporate sustainability reporting (Text with EEA relevance). 16.12.2022 (online). Retrieved on 10.12.2023. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2022.322.01.0015.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2022%3A322%3ATOC Marr, Bernard (2012). Key Performance Indicators: The 75 measures every manager needs to know. Introduction. KPIs are vital management tools (xxv). Pearson Education Limited.
Ethics in Medical History: How can we understand the history and the choices they made?
This blog reflects on my impressions ranging from disgust to respect in the Medical Museum of Copenhagen when exploring history and cultural well-being on the study trip with CRASH Master´s students of Metropolia. “The Body Collected” exhibition in the Medicinsk Museion presented the body parts collected from the 18th century to the present. The newest exhibits include dnas, cells and biopsies from bio banks, and the older ones were body parts, deformed foetuses, bones, skeletons, organs, tumours, lungs and so on. Visit to museum in a study trip to Copenhagen I took the stairs down to see the Indsamlade Menneske (“The Body Collected”) exhibition. The first element catching my eye was a full-term foetus in her mother’s womb. The birth had been obstructed due to the placenta being attached to other tissues and thus blocking the way out. I could clearly see the baby's face, hair, finger nails, all the possibilities of a new person being born. And why can I explore these samples, which were collected up to 200 years ago? It made me think if it is ethical to present these now? and what kind of ethical questions existed 200 years ago? Asking questions is a relevant part of ethics I can only imagine what has happened to the mother since her body was left in the hospital. Family might have been poor, or the mother was ill, or she might have gotten pregnant by the wrong man, or without being married. No matter what was the reason, their bodies were left to science, because no one paid the hospital fees and did not collect their corpses for burial; and this is how surgeons learnt the anatomy of the human body and learnt to practise their profession. This was also the way, ethical or unethical, how hospitals operated, and this is how medical science developed. I noticed a lot of unpleasant emotions and thoughts rising in my mind during this visit to the museum. Should I watch these at all? Can I be interested in the anatomy of a human, when it is presented via dead human beings and surely without consent? How many of the human rights and the laws are violated by portraying deceased person’s body parts? I do not have answers to these questions. I can only understand the history from the perspective of my time. This all seems so unethical considering modern time values and guidelines and legislation. From disgust to respect I continued my tour of the exhibition. Slowly, my disgust started to melt down. First, my emotion changed to wonder and interest, then to curiosity and finally to huge respect. It really hit me deeply. I realised that we would not have modern medicine without these scientists. They had the courage to explore human bodies in this way and teach the next generations by exploring these samples. It is way too easy to judge them with today’s ethical criteria and standards. Before these samples, the physicians were trained by exploring animal bodies. But we all can see the difference in the accuracy comparing, for example, the humans’ and the pigs’ anatomy. How many of us would be alive without the development and the research of these earlier generations? The driving motive behind these actions and modern science is nevertheless exactly the same, human’s need to learn, explore, develop, and they have the scientific enthusiasm. All these, of course, in addition to the influence of such much more down-to-earth factors as professional competition, need for funding, reputational considerations, personal ambitions, etc. just like nowadays. Later in the exhibition, I noticed that the museum had a separate room for ethical questions. They pondered on the same questions as I did. They asked from the audience if it is ethically bearable to have these collections presented to the public. The visitors’ answers varied from absolute “no” to “yes, of course”. My opinion swung to acceptance during the 30 minutes I spent watching these beautiful and remarkable samples. What did I learn from ethics? My main learning point was very simple and yet quite revolutionary on a deeper personal level. This experience touched on my physical body, my emotions, my thoughts and my biases. I felt my judgement and the resistance were melting away. My conclusion was that it is not fair to interpret history with current values and criteria. Who am I to say 200 years later that those actions were unethical? I felt that seeing the exhibition offered me a mindset change. I understood the proportionality of ethics, and how all actions need to be evaluated related to that time and place when these actions happened with their participants. How will this insight and experience influence me? How can I generalise this insight to a wider level? I came up with the following reflections from my part. What is ethical at this, modern time? What is ethical in our society and community? What are our values? In politics, values change every four years with the new elections, at least partly. Then, how about science? If science is based on our current understanding and knowledge, how should I think of what happened 20 years ago, and how will it be in 200 years to come? I can only come to the conclusion that ethics and our understanding of ethics needs to be re-evaluated and it transforms constantly. And yes, historical structures need to be dismantled, like the colonisation and the patriarchy. We need to be prepared to ask difficult and unpleasant questions, and see those unbearable painful injustices that happened in our society. Similarly, we will be embarrassed and judged by future generations for the actions of today. But without stepping into the unknown areas and taking risks, there is no development, no creativity, and no new insights. It is for the future generations to judge us. So, be fearless! Be the future-maker and take actions based on the values and ethics of our time and our understanding! Like Sanna Marin, the Prime Minister of Finland, encouraged us all to do in her speech at the New York University’s Commencement 17.5.2023 where she was recognized for her own courage. Similarly, we need to honour those who were before us and our time. They did their very best with all the understanding, the experience and the knowledge they had. Let’s consider their work and actions with respect and learn from them. It sends a clear message to our generation: be bold to change and yet honour the history! Why am I writing this? I’m one of the hope-holders for the future. I believe in the good in human beings. I see it in people’s willingness to respect our future by finding the ways to save our nature and planet. They try their best to find a harmonious and sustainable way of living with other living organisms on earth. So, what does this have to do with my experience in the Medical Museumn? I believe, it is exactly the same. Our enthusiasm is to learn, know, understand, develop, cure, find solutions, and ground them to the solid base of science, rather than contribute to prejudice of randomness. We strive to mix the knowledge and experiences with creativity to generate something new. We have the courage for new approaches, the tolerance of not knowing, but exploring constantly, and we have the attitude of respecting others and capacity to empathy; the ability to use our instincts and heart among the scientific knowledge. When wandering in the exhibition, I connected to those persons and their imaginary stories, not only their collected body parts in the exhibition. Those persons have a meaning even hundreds of years after their death. They help me to understand the core of ethics, develop my professional and personal thinking, and ground my own life actions more on respect. In short, I have had inspirational moments with ethical questions in my life, work, studies and research! and I encourage you to do the same. About the writer Hanne Aura is a student in CRASH, Master’s Programme in Creativity and Arts in Social and Health Fields. She has a work history over 30 years, in such roles as nursing in psychiatric care, as a nursing expert and counsellor, as a specialist in social and health care data system development, as a key account manager, and as a therapeutic worker utilising embodiment and other creative approaches. Presently, she is a practitioner and student of the counsellor of Systemic Constellation. References Medicinsk Museion (2023). Medical Museion of København Universitet, Copenhagen. Web-site of the museum: https://www.museion.ku.dk/en/forside/ The Body Collected: Exhibition (2023). Medical Museion of København Universitet, Copenhagen. Web-site of the exhibition: https://www.museion.ku.dk/en/the-body-collected/ Also available as a virtual tour: https://www.museion.ku.dk/en/product/the-body-collected-en/ Speech by Prime Minister Sanna Marin at the New York University commencement on 17 May 2023. Prime Minister´s office (17.5.2023). https://vnk.fi/en/-/speech-by-prime-minister-sanna-marin-at-the-new-york-university-s-commencement-17.5.2023
Designing for Sustainability in Berlin. A master´s study trip to “International Week on Sustainability 2022”
The Berlin School of Economics and Law (1) organizes the annual International Week on Sustainability (IWS) since 2019 with the goal is to integrate sustainability into the higher education curriculum. This year 2022, HWR invited master’s students from Metropolia for the second time to participate in the design and development of sustainable solutions together with companies and students from other countries in a series of workshops that lasted for 4 days, 18-21 November 2022. Our group of 10 master´s students was excited to get an approval from Meropolia´s International office. Additionally, the IWS study trip offered a chance to earn 3ECTS while solving real-world sustainability concerns, so we longed to go and try. The final argument in favor of the trip was its destination, as Berlin represents significant historical legacy, making it a unique opportunity to visit and experience it, difficult to pass by. Fast forward to November, it felt surreal to land at Berlin airport, and we were too excited to feel exhausted. Even the rain, slushy streets, and chilly air could not dim our spirits. In Berlin, we were all determined to expand our knowledge and make new connections. Day 1. Opening Day and Kick-off The program kick-off took place in HWR Startup Incubator Space located in the Siemens industrial park. It started with a briefing with project partners from Startup Incubator Berlin, which featured the startups in the sustainability field. The introduction also included a brief review of Service Design methods and tools covered by Prof. Christian Klang of HWR. There were about 30 participants coming from different academic and business fields who were assigned to five working teams. Each team selected one of the following challenges: 1) incentivizing nature-based solutions to climate change; 2) making travel sustainable and meaningful; 3) incentivizing CO2 reduction during commute; and 4) communicating vegan food delivery effectively. Teams put their hands to work on the challenge they had selected. The startups sat down with the teams to explain their projects and share their motivations and visions. Ideas poured in as each team concentrated on solving the issues and gathering data. Day 1 came to a close with more questions than answers. Day 2 and 3. Ideation and Prototyping Day 2 sessions were held on the HWR campus (2). As we had grown accustomed to the modern design of Metropolia´s campuses, the large corridors, arched hallways, and marble floors in the HWR campus were a little surprising. Teams worked seriously to build and test their prototypes. It became obvious that cooperation is essential to the success of the projects and this is where online tools for team collaboration became critically useful. Ideas and information were together put in an online board to make sure that good ideas and critical pieces of information are not missed out. The challenge was to make business sense out of all the ideas and information that we had, as we quickly realized that bright ideas and passion were necessary but not enough. We kept reminding ourselves that we needed to find solutions that would be viable, feasible, doable, and would make business sense for our partner startup. The second day ended with coffee and laughter, as we watched the first snowfall of the year covering HWR. On Day 3, we went to The Morp Company, a consulting firm that offers sustainability advice. A brief workshop on the use of the business model canvas as a tool to address corporate sustainability concerns was held and received very well as a hands-on new tool. Day 4. Pitch for Impact Day 4 was a pitching day. As teams presented their ideas and answered questions from partner startups and other participants, it was inspiring to see the variety of proposed solutions. There were no earthshaking proposals, but the teams focused on concepts that made real business sense and would advance true sustainability. Although the solution reports still need to be finalized, we felt a sense of accomplishment for having done something worthwhile as the last session ended. Discovering Berlin In all honesty, finding our way to the session locations in the morning was a bit challenging. Because of this, coffee and Google Maps have become our close allies. When in Berlin, we didn’t just snap pictures. We needed to get out there, interact, and connect. Berlin is blissful for shoppers and vibrant for foodies and art lovers. A frequent conversation starter during this trip was “Is this your first time in Berlin?” It was easy to say “Yes” in response to this question. “How do you find Berlin?” and “Which sites have you visited?” were the typical follow-up queries. With each passing day, we would find ourselves giving different answers because Berlin is too diverse to describe in a few words. Despite our time constraints due to working 4 full days on projects, we were nevertheless able to visit some famous sites. We were lucky to witness the start of Berlin's Christmas market and were able to sample local food including currywurst, kebab, stollen cake, and local wine. We had our taste of misadventure too during the first attempt to visit the Brandenburg gate, as we ended up at a factory site due to our over-reliance on Google Maps. On the last day of the trip, it was difficult to bid Berlin goodbye. Armed with new knowledge and filled with the brilliant sparks of Berlin, we boarded our plane to return to Finland. References The Berlin School of Economics and Law (Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht, HWR, Berlin) is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Berlin. It was founded in 2009 as a result of merged of two other big higher education institutions, and it now enjoys more than 150 partners around the globe, including Metropolia UAS, its long-time partner. Read more about HWR from its web-pages: https://www.hwr-berlin.de/en/ Berlin School of Economics and Law, Badensche Str. 52, 10825 Berlin. The picture below shows the marble floors and grand interiors of this campus. About the author Karen Espiritu is a 1st year MBA student in Business Informatics at Metropolia Business School. Karen is a certified project manager and a result-driven professional who is passionate about fostering organizational sustainability on all three fronts: economic, social, and environmental. She enjoys blogging in her spare time and is an active student ambassador of Metropolia. Her video about IWS-2022 in Berlin can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPiUds0fVvo
Creating a Roadmap to Digital Transformation: A strategic plan to overcome the barriers to digital acceleration
Today, the digital opportunities are evolving faster than the pace of transformation in the organizations. To better understand the path our business is on, where to focus the efforts, and how to overcome the disruption and resistance to change, I decided to use this challenge as a topic for my Master´s thesis and created a roadmap for accelerating the digital transformation towards achieving my company’s future state (1). In the course of this research and development project, I realized several important things which I want to share with the readers. What is Digital Transformation? Many companies often end up with misunderstanding the concept of digital transformation. They often do not differentiate between beliefs and realities about digital transformation. Instead, before embarking on a digital transformation journey, companies need to become aware of a wide professional discussion going on in the professional world and be aware of key findings that business practitioners have came up with based on the experience of industry leaders. I summarize these key points below: First, digital transformation is not just about implementing new technology. It is about the adoption of digital technology to improve business processes, value for customers and innovation. (2) Second, digital transformation is not just a buzzword for business but a way to grow. Therefore, it requires clear targets for each source of value creation and ensuring that the entire company shares one digital vision. Third, digital transformation is not optional, it is mandatory for business success. It helps company businesses gain a competitive advantage. (3) Last, digital transformation is often mistaken for digitization or digitalization, but there are some significant differences. Digitization is, according to Wikipedia (4), the process of converting information into digital. Digitalization is, as Gartner (5) defines it, the use of digital technologies to change a business model and provide revenue and new value opportunities. While digital transformation is about transforming the customer experience and changing how to operate and deliver value to customers. What does acceleration of digital transformation mean? For most of digital services companies, the COVID-19 crisis has had an “all-or-nothing effect” on their digital strategy agenda. As reported by Deloitte (6), 77% of CEOs considered that the pandemic had sped up their company’s digital transformation plans. The crisis has significantly accelerated the digitization in terms of way of working and do business. Many businesses have already embraced transformational change. However, this large scale change should be fast. To leverage the opportunities quicker and overcome the possible challenges faster than the competitors, you don’t have to rush to the corner shop to buy the smartest gadgets. Instead, your company will need to start enhancing systematically your organization culture, operations, and capabilities for the workforce of the future. This phenomenon is called acceleration of digital transformation. McKinsey (7) suggests that the “digital first movers and fast followers capture more value within their industries than slower-moving companies”, taking the lead on digital transformation. It is just what Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, said about the impact of speed on the business level: “In the new world, it is not anymore so much about the big fish which eats the small fish, it’s the fast fish which eats the slow fish.” What are the key enablers of digital transformation? The digital transformation is a journey where the desired destination and the path are different for every company. Like on any journey, a careful planning and a well-organized process would help the company to reach the destination safely and avoid back-roads and unnecessary costs. An analysis of the digital maturity of a digital services company, using BCG’s Digital Acceleration Index (8), reviled three relevant domains impacting its journey to successful digital transformation. First, the operations optimization needs a systematic digital approach in decision making to improve the quality of work and ensure customer satisfaction. Second, the digital talent is needed to enhance the changes to digital transformation to succeed points to building capabilities for the workforce of the future. Third, the dynamic organization that lies in creating an agile culture and new ways of working. As the figure below shows, the enablers for accelerating the digital transformation include precisely these three elements: the optimized operations, engaged digital talent & leaders, and dynamic organization. In other words, the chances for a successful digital transformation will be greatly increased in case your organization is able of doing: quick decision making, building the digital capabilities for the workforce of the future, rolling out an agile culture, and establishing new ways of working. What is a digital transformation roadmap and why do we need it? Most importantly, making your organization succeed in the digital transformation needs a plan with clear steps and effective actions to achieve the goals as part of your growth strategy. Mapping out these steps on a timeline with clear milestones builds a digital transformation roadmap. The roadmap that I proposed in my thesis for accelerating the digital transformation of my company that provides digital services defines three major elements to reach the digital transformation acceleration: 1) implementing a systematic approach in decision making, 2) building digital capabilities for the workforce of the future, and 3) creating an agile culture and a new way of working. By doing all of these, the company can better deliver relevant business outcomes to customers with fast payback and also enhance employee performance. On an EndNote Industry leaders often want to understand how far they are on the road of digital transformation. This was also the case with my organization that is concerned with the same question. After completing my investigation, my conclusion is this. Your organization is a digital transformation “performer” if (a) it has started to adopt the new ways of working, (b) has taken the efforts to build a more agile culture, (c) it has developed new digital capabilities, (d) it has a leadership mindset, and (e) it has streamlined the operations across its teams and organization. About the author Violeta Tudose is a seasoned professional with a MSc in Computer Science and many years of industry experience. Currently, Violeta is a Huld Leader at Huld ltd. Recently, Violeta decided to take up yet another challenge and graduated as Master of Business Administration from the Master’s programme in Business Informatics. Welcome to contact Violeta via violeta.tudose@huld.io and her LinkedIn. References: (1) Tudose, V. (2022). Roadmap to Digital Transformation. Master´s Thesis. Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Available from: https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/783038 (2) Shaban, H. (2022). Digital Transformation Process: 5 Factors That Can Empower Your Transformation Strategy: Blog. Apti.io (18 February 2022). Available from: https://www.apty.io/blog/digital-transformation-process (3) Chakravarty, V., Wang, J, and Ahuja, S. (2021). Why digital transformation doesn’t have to be hard. (Online publication). Available from: https://www.ey.com/en_ph/board-matters/why-digital-transformation-doesnt-have-to-be-hard (4) Digitalization. Wikipedia (Definition). Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digitization (Assessed 24 November 2022). (5) Digitalization. Gartner Glossary (definition). Available from: https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/digitalization (6) Kane, G.C., Phillips, A. N., Copulsky, J., and Nanda, R. (2020). Digital Transformation through the lens of COVID-2019: A case of acute disruption. Deloitte Insights. Availabe from: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/digital-transformation/digital-transformation-COVID-19.html (7) Booth, A., De Jong, E., Peters, P. (2018). Accelerating digital transformations: A playbook for utilities. McKinsey. Available from: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/business%20functions/mckinsey%20digital/our%20insights/accelerating%20digital%20transformations%20a%20playbook%20for%20utilities/accelerating-digital-transformation_a-playbook-for-utilities-vf.pdf?shouldIndex=false (8) Boston Consulting Group, BCG (2020). Accelerating digital to build the ´bionic company´: BCG´s Digital Acceleation Index (DAI) to more digital maturity. Digital BCG. Available from: https://cdn.auckland.ac.nz/assets/auckland/business/our-research/docs/CODE/Accelerating%20digital%20to%20build%20the%20'bionic%20company'%20Framework%20and%20case%20study.pdf
My Remote Studies in Procurement MBA
Only a few of us envisage a career path that we eventually end up following or foresee the choices that we will make along the way. But each professional and academic choice shapes us and broadens our perspectives, growing our network and leading to new opportunities. The Master´s degree programme in Procurement at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences was a choice that I was often asked about. Why study in Finland at Metropolia when I live and work in the United Kingdom? In times of turbulence, uncertainty, and change, it proved to be a choice that benefited me personally and professionally as a procurement leader. I was able to learn from senior people in the industry and apply examples of digital procurement technology and sustainability where Finland leads the way. However, studying whilst working full time can be a daunting experience, especially remotely or as a foreign student. So, I want to share my tips for getting the most out of your master´s studies and review my Finnish student experience. Start by choosing what you want to study I found the Procurement MBA programme through StudyPortals.com. I’ve studied in Sweden and England previously, so I was not intimidated by the prospect of studying in Finland. The degree was in English and fully remote, and covered those aspects of procurement that I was particularly interested in, including digital procurement technology, strategy, innovation management and circular economy. So, my advice is to choose a subject that you find interesting and valuable to your career and use the studies to develop yourself further in that field. Commit to your studies and organise yourself ahead by sharing your commitment with your line manager, with your family and friends. They are likely to be very supportive of your drive towards improving your knowledge and building upon your skills, and they may help by giving you the time and space needed for you to complete studies. Stay in control Studying for a master’s degree means that you are responsible for managing your time, allocating resource, and sticking to deadlines. My Metropolia study coordinator helped me with planning, so that I was able to build my own academic calendar and use the spectrum of online tools available such as OMA, Moodle, Tuudo, and other apps to ensure I was always up to date. My advice would be to start with listing all the deadlines for your assignments and other obligations, subscribing to learning resources that are available, being proactive in contacting lecturers and fellow students, and asking questions. If you miss something, think before putting the blame to others. Apply yourself We often hear the phrase ‘apply yourself’, but what does it mean for students? It means committing to the task and managing it like you would manage a project at work. In other words, prepare in advance, gather books, articles, and notes, and organize yourself into group roles with your fellow students. Pick a leader and make sure they do a good job at allocating resources and splitting tasks along a critical path. Maintain a healthy work-study-life balance My most important advice is to maintain a healthy body and a healthy mind. Don’t stretch yourself too thin so that you are not your best self. Ensure that you get plenty of sleep, eat well and take a day off so you can rest from your studies and work. Then you will get the desired results. Also, take part in extracurricular activities such as trips and evenings out that allow you to build your long term professional and social networks. Ask for support You will find that studying abroad or remotely can be difficult. You will have a whole new culture to adapt to, a different setting and a new academic system that you may be unfamiliar with. However, help is always available to those that ask for it. Reach out to Metropolia´s Student services and your Study coordinator for support. If you find yourself falling behind during your studies, be proactive in voicing your concerns to your lecturers. For me, studying procurement at the master’s level at Metropolia was an energising experience. I was able to relate to my previous work experiences and apply my corporate procurement knowledge in the academic setting, and thus got the most out of my studies. About the author Mindaugas Jočbalis is an MBA graduate from the Master´s degree programme in procurement at Metropolia UAS and a Category Leader for Packaging Procurement at Associated British Foods plc., looking after Europe, Middle East and Africa since 2018. In his career, Mindaugas has often worked in procurement, but never studied it. He started his career as a retail store manager, and later managed social corporate projects at Marks and Spencer. Following this, he then moved into a graduate procurement role at AkzoNobel in the decorative paints industry in 2013. As part of his professional development, Mindaugas has completed a single year master’s degree remotely at Malmo University, Sweden, studying Communication for Development in 2016. Having completed this graduate programme, he was offered a role at GlaxoSmithKline and looked after consumer healthcare packaging for two and a half years.
Corporate Ride-Sharing: Yet another promising option in sharing economy
Technology creates possibilities for organisations, and one of the well-known existing problems of commuting can be solved by integrating and promoting a ridesharing application within corporations. A ridesharing service refers to any method of transportation in which commuters use a single vehicle, either a private or company vehicle, to reach a similar destination. So far, ridesharing is known through initiatives such as Uber, Lyft, Taxify, Gett, Juno, and smaller providers around the world. It has its advantages and limitations, as with any initiative in the sharing economy. In this blog, a corporate ride-share service is described that was proposed as a student´s thesis project for the Aviapolis area, Vantaa, an area popular with companies and corporations. History of Ride Sharing The earliest reports of ridesharing arise in early 20th century America. The consent found between 1914 -1918, known as the Jitney craze (1), allowed individuals to think of an innovative and effective way to use their vehicles. With mass-produced cars flooding the market and the early stages of a recession coming into play, enterprising car owners in 1914 began offering rides in their vehicles for a “jitney” – five-cent streetcar fare. The idea grew from Los Angeles across America in less than 12 months, with an estimated 1,400 jitneys operating in San Francisco alone. Ride Sharing As economic growth increased, mobility became more important to support human activities and needs. One of the most prevalent needs is transportation to and from work. Long commutes cost employees and their companies considerable time, wasted resources, productivity, and additional expenses (emotional, physical, financial). New, fast-growing business regions located away from city centers are especially affected by this. In Helsinki, one such example is the Aviapolis business district (2), which is currently transforming into a business hub. More than 37,000 people are employed by more than 1,000 companies in the area. The area, however, faces its challenges with complicated commuter traffic and a congested parking lot, and main roads are highly congested during business hours. Corporate Ride Sharing The goal of this Master's thesis was to present an application for corporate ridesharing as a possible solution to this problem. In this thesis, we describe a solution to a common need: traveling between two locations. Some areas lack frequent public transportation, which means that the time interval between transport is very high or varies — resulting in long waiting hours, long traveling time, and higher costs. Corporate Ridesharing is one of the most valuable solutions when there are no other means of transportation to a specific location. The new service was outlined based on extensive analysis of the customer needs of the employees at several companies in the Aviapolis area. It was followed by the development of the actual application based on the PiggyBaggy platform. PiggyBaggy is another excellent example of how innovations help the world run better (3). The thesis combined web technology into a ridesharing solution to help provide immediate economic, environmental, and social benefits to the companies and their employees in the Aviapolis region. The application developed in the Master´s thesis was launched successfully(4), providing an easy platform to the employees of participating companies. There were also two pilots done in 2020-2021. Turku Pilot We have commenced a pilot where the objective is to create an incentive for drivers to offer rides in their car by giving in return access to parking places in prime locations in the city center . Additionally, we are testing in a particular area whether a combination of community services in addition to ride-sharing would increase participation. Tampere Pilot In this case, it was a public hospital, and the parking place management was again taken care of by a local operator. The participant numbers were encouraging, and the employer (hospital) issuing the parking place incentive is keen on considering scaling up the trial in the Fall. Results: Users in PSHP-group: 56 Rides executed: 232 Rides per month: 123 Because the trials were limited in duration, we did not reach the targets for shared-ride numbers as planned. However, I strongly believe that we planted the seed for Ridesharing and its benefits among many employees, which I believe will grow over time. The service is being improved by integrating AI-based trip and transport mode detection to automatically create routes for offering or requesting rides, as well as integrating with MaaS services (make transport capacity visible, e.g., in Matkahuolto Reitit ja Liput). About the Author Usman Khanzada earned his Master's degree in Business Informatics from Metropolia UAS. Professionally working as a Client Integration Manager for In4mo Solera. His career trajectory is based on Client management, process improvement, and project management in the information technology and services industry. He is passionate about finding ways to reduce CO2 in the corporate sector by taking the right steps and addressing the issues essential to the future health and well-being of employees, the community, and the planet. References Ride Share Research. (2009, 24 January). Massachusetts Institute of technology, Rideshare History & Statistics. MIT “Real-Time” Rideshare Research. [Online] Available at: http://ridesharechoices.scripts.mit.edu/home/histstats/ [Accessed June 2021] City Vantaa (2022). Aviapolis Major Region. Available at: https://www.vantaa.fi/en/regions-and-districts/aviapolis-major-region [Accessed November 2022] Piggy Baggy. (2021). KCity Market. K-citymarket Lahti Paavola hypermarket. [Online] Available at: https://pages.piggybaggy.com/en/partners/ [Accessed June 2021]. Usman, K. (2021). Corporate Ridesharing Application for Aviapolis Business Region. Metropolia University of Applied Sciences: Master´s Thesis [Online] Available at: https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/501460
“Looking people in the eye & recognizing myself in them”
In healthcare, professional interaction skills are needed not only in patient contacts but also when working in interprofessional teams. Team members have different backgrounds, and they might have different understanding of how to work together. This underlines the importance of clear communication and teamwork. (Schmutz, Meier & Manser 2019.) Communication plays an important part in developing collaboration in teams and in the development of interprofessional empathetic relationships (Adamson et al. 2018). Already from the beginning of the studies, Metropolia UAS`s Degree Programme in Nursing Curricula (Metropolia UAS 2022) requires the student to grow their understanding about the significance of ethics and professional interaction, and consider patient’s needs for psychosocial support. The students also need to practice working methods considering patient safety and the significance of professional interaction. As a Metropolia master`s student in the Creativity and Arts in Social and Health Fields degree programme, I had an opportunity to instruct a teamwork and communication workshop using drama-based exercises. Drama-based exercises and games may be used to warm up, introduce and practice new skills, improve concentration and have fun. A recent literature review by Jeffries et al. (2021) brings out the ways how drama can support student learning and professional development. Drama-based working methods can enhance empathy, emotional engagement, and empowerment, also increase understanding of one’s own professional identity, self-awareness, self-reflection and improve communication skills. In addition, using drama can develop reflective skills. There is strong evidence of the positive role of the arts in improving health and wellbeing. A review conducted by the World Health Organization summarizes evidence from more than 900 such studies (Fancourt & Finn 2019). Drama-based workshop The three-hour drama-based workshop was conducted with international students in the advanced phase of the Degree program in Nursing, with two Metropolia nursing lecturers observing. The workshop consisted of exercises and reflective discussions. The discussion topics included teamwork interaction, communication skills and presence as key factors related to patient safety behaviour and empathy in healthcare. Students experienced the workshop as very important and useful, fun, stress relieving and they got their minds rested. They felt the atmosphere was safe and it was meaningful to hear others` thoughts, have good discussions and to connect with fellow classmates. As they expressed it, the workshop gave them: “Awareness of yourself and others”, “What wasn`t said with words was felt”, “Thank you for making me feel better”, “I feel relieved and fresh”, “The workshop was really great and it is one way to connect with our fellow classmate and hopefully it will be the same in the future”, “It helped me get comfortable with my classmates”, “Engagement between teacher and other classmates”. As take-home messages, elements taken into studies and work, the students mentioned the need for practicing good listening and acknowledgement skills in conversations with colleagues and patients: “Closed-loop-conversations with colleagues & patients”, “Communication is a key to have on successful outcome of the situation”, “It`s about how I focus”, “Repeating messages & hearing to confirm”, “Importance of communication (effective), importance of listening to self and others, trust”. The importance of eye contact and touch in human connection were mentioned several times as very meaningful techniques in communication: “The importance of human connection and touch”, “Eye to eye contact seems so simple but gives connection to someone”, “That human contact holds more importance than I thought originally”. In addition, the students found tips for releasing stress and better concentration. As they expressed it: “There is a touch that makes us feel that today is gonna be okay so just breathe and relax”, “Staying calm and staying focused”. Based on feedback this workshop was well accepted and beneficial. The exercises seemed to foster teamwork and communication skills and evoked thoughts about empathy. The students wished the workshop to be regular. However, it is important to keep in mind, that this kind of activity may not be comfortable for everyone. Interaction and teamwork exercises are beneficial Two Metropolia nursing lecturers were observing the workshop. “During the workshop, the students threw themselves into the exercises and learning seemed to be both fun and relaxing, but at the same time thought-provoking and insightful. We see the importance of interaction and teamwork exercises when studying to become a nurse. Our students are in the graduation phase, so the timing was suitable for this kind of exercise. The workshop sparked a lot of discussion among the students and based on the feedback given to us, they found the exercises very useful. Minna-Maria had a calm but at the same time inspiring and encouraging way of guiding the workshop, and the students clearly liked the experiential learning method.” The workshop also became a significant learning experience for the organizers, and they were glad that their activity was well received and appreciated. It made a milestone also for them as future professionals. References & interesting readings Adamson, K., Loomis, C., Cadell, S., & Verweel, L.C. 2018. Interprofessional empathy: A four-stage model for a new understanding of teamwork. Journal of Interprofessional Care. 2018 Nov; 32(6), 752-761 Metropolia UAS 2022. Degree Programme in Nursing, Curricula 2022-2013. Study guide. https://opinto-opas.metropolia.fi/88094/en/108/70308?lang=en Dehnavi, M., Estebsari, F., Kandi, Z.R.K., Milani, A.S., Hemmati, M., Nasab, A.F., & Mostafaie, D. 2022. The correlation between emotional intelligence and clinical competence in nurses working in special care units: A cross-sectional study. Nurse education today 2022, Vol.116, p.105453-105453 Fancourt, D. & Finn, S. 2019. What is the evidence on the role of the arts in improving health and well-being? A scoping review. Health Evidence Network synthesis report 67, WHO. https://www.euro.who.int/en/publications/abstracts/what-is-the-evidence-on-the-role-of-the-arts-in-improving-health-and-well-being-a-scoping-review-2019 Jefferies, D., Glew, P. Karhani, Z., McNally, S. & Ramjan, L.M. 2021. The educational benefits of drama in nursing education: A critical literature review. Nurse Education Today Volume 98, March 2021, 104669 Raatikainen, E., Rauhala, L. A., & Mäenpää, S. 2017. Qualified Empathy. A key element for an empowerment professional. Sosiaalipedagoginen aikakauskirja, 18, 113–21 Schmutz, J.B., Meier, L.L. & Manser, T. 2019. How effective is teamwork really? The relationship between teamwork and performance in healthcare teams: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/9/e028280 Writer Minna-Maria Mattila, Metropolia master`s degree student I work at medical students` skill lab at University of Helsinki Faculty of Medicine. I also work as part-time entrepreneur in arts-based workshops. I have a degree in nursing (RN, BN) and I have studied drama education to support arts-based activities. I have a long experience and studies in the field of performing arts. Students and lecturers have given permission to use comments and quotes. The Master's degree in Creativity and Arts in Social and Health Fields (CRASH) provides strong competences to act as a developer, innovator, expert, and leader in using creativity and arts in various operating environments in social and health fields. It also gives competences to work in expert positions in the social and health sector. Creativity and different ways to express it, as well as cultural activities and arts related experiences, belong to all people as part of a good and meaningful life. The aim of CRASH is to strengthen the professional competences needed when promoting health, well-being, inclusion, and a sense of community in society through creativity and arts. You can read more about the programme here
Going for a semester abroad to Finland
My name is Lorena, and I am a 2nd year Master´s student at Stuttgart Technology University of Applied Sciences, Germany (HFT Stuttgart, 2022), studying Business Psychology on the Master´s level. I will share my experience from last winter when doing my exchange semester at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki, Finland. In this blog, I will tell about my semester abroad and give my insights about the preparations. How I decided When starting my Master´s studies in 2020, I already decided I wanted to go abroad for one semester and study in a foreign country. Luckily, my university has many partners all over the world, - with Metropolia University of Applied Sciences being one of them, - and it made the whole process of going for an exchange semester here quite easy. The main reasons for choosing Finland and Helsinki as my destination were three: 1) I wanted to study in English and in a relatively big city 2) I wanted to study at one of the partner universities to avoid study costs via the European Erasmus+ program (The European Erasmus+ program, 2022) 3) I wanted to move to a country and get to know a culture where I have never visited before, and that was Finland! So, I started the preparations. First, I applied for an exchange at my home university. When the acceptance e-mail arrived, I was the happiest person and felt like I could start my semester abroad right away. But as with every big change in one´s life, a move to another country takes time and good preparation, so I started to organize myself. Preparations before departure The most important aspects were probably the accommodation and the correct course enrollments at the Finish university, as well as the procedure with everything you leave behind when leaving for six months. The first decision for me was the one about the housing: Do I want to have my own apartment, or would it be fun to share a flat with other students? Is it important for me to live in the city center or do I want to find a cheap accommodation in the outskirts? Those were the main questions to think about before applying for any kind of housing. In the end, I decided to use the easy and affordable option of applying for a room in a shared flat from HOAS, and I was surprised and happy how easy this process was. Now, after more than three months here in Finland, I am sure that choosing to live in a HOAS apartment was the right choice for me. I really enjoy living with other students and get in touch with internationals from all over the world. Additionally, I appreciate the short distance to the campus and the opportunity to book the sauna for free! The second issue I had to think about was the handling of my room at home. I had to decide whether I want to sub-rent my room in Stuttgart or cancel the rental agreement completely. In any case, I needed to make sure that all my belongings were stored safely during the six months I would not be home. Luckily, I could sub-rent my room with all the furniture and store my other belongings in my mom´s place, so that I didn´t have to rent a storage. Another matter I had to keep in mind was my status at my home university. At my home university, I needed to pay the semester fee, and everything went on as usual. But in any way, I recommend checking the regulations carefully to always make the correct enrollment at home uni. As I am doing my semester abroad within EU, I can benefit from a lot of privileges I have as an EU citizen. For example, I do not need to worry about my visa, my health insurance, or my phone contract, as I can just use all my German contracts and they work in Finland without any additional costs. Meeting other students from all over the world showed me how much extra work many students from non-EU member states had in comparison to EU citizens. So, if you plan to leave Europe (or come to Europe from another continent), you should start very early with various preparations. Another important topic was the selection of the courses I wanted to attend in Finland. I was able to choose from a selection on the exchange website (I needed to attend at least 5 courses). This is not a trifle matter in a country where the language of tuition can be something else than English (in my case Finnish), and I had to take special care to not mess up the course lists. Ending up in a class taught in Finnish would have been a big surprise for me! My approach for choosing courses was then reading closely the course descriptions and making a list of minimum 8 courses and topics I liked the most. Having 2-3 courses more than I actually needed on my list, made my life significantly easier when it came to changes in the schedule and overlapping of timetables. But even if your home university or your study coordinators give you strict guidelines which courses you are allowed to attend and which not, the best tip I can share with you is to stay calm and try to arrange everything with both study coordinators, from both universities. They will help! My experience showed that in the end almost everything worked out somehow and even with a lot of regulations regarding possible courses, we were all able to find a suitable solution for everybody. My arrival in Finland After telling about all the preparations and organizational matters, I also want to give some insights to my student life here in Finland and differences I experienced in comparison to my home university. In the first weeks, all the lecturers explained their schedule and the rules of the class. In general, I found my way into the courses easily, and I really liked the atmosphere. The courses I attended were mostly based on a lot of group works and project-based assignments. In the end, I did not have a single class where I have to write an exam, all my assignments are either group projects, presentations or individual written assignments. This approach of teaching made it very easy to get in touch with other students and to stay on the ball with the tasks. But it might be a different experience for students who are used to teacher-centered classes. A difference with my home university, that I was a bit afraid of, were the long lecture hours. For example, I have one course that officially lasts from 12am to 4pm in the afternoon, which first sounded quite long and exhausting for me. It turned out that all lecturers are very caring and think about enough breaks, from little coffee breaks to longer lunch breaks, just as what we felt necessary. Before my stay I was a bit afraid that the courses would be very difficult and challenging, especially with the fully English teaching. But this worry luckily turned out to be unnecessary and the workload is really feasible. One more positive insight I want to share is the cafeteria. Lunch at campus is really delicious, varied and healthy and with only about 3-5€ for students, extremely cheap. In this aspect, the Finnish university surpasses my home university by far. This might be related to the Finnish food culture, where lunch seems to be the most important meal of the day. Tips and insights I want to finish this blog with some tips that are close to my heart and might help some students that are planning their own exchange semester. My first and most important suggestion is simple: Keep calm and take it easy! Moving to a different country with a different language and a different culture is not easy for anybody. Arriving in Finland in the beginning of January meant arriving to a very cold and dark place. When I left the airplane, it was 3:30 in the afternoon, almost completely dark and around -18°C. Falling into stress and already thinking about all the differences to home would have been counterproductive. In my experience, it was the best to do everything step by step and avoid worrying about everything at once. For me it turned out to be a very good decision to arrive in Finland a couple of days before the orientation days started. By choosing this approach, I had enough time to settle, arrange my apartment, have some orientation, and get over the first excitement. Another recommendation is very basic and easy as well: take your time! Studying abroad, especially at a university which welcomes a lot of foreign students for an exchange semester, means meeting a lot of new people and making hundreds of new connections and friends. At Metropolia, we even had some WhatsApp groups with all the incoming exchange students already before the semester started. It helped to connect and meet other exchange students, although our semester and all the lectures started completely online (due to the pandemic in winter 2021). Having the need for making new friends in the first days and weeks can be extremely stressful. After going to that whole process, I can ensure that there is no need for feeling pressure at all. If you want to meet people and make new friends, your semester abroad is one of the best opportunities you will ever have! At the same time, be ready to feel a bit overwhelmed and strained by so many social contacts, that is completely fine as well! You really don´t need to meet everybody in the first few days. In my experience, exchange students are extremely outgoing and open minded and always look for new people, no matter when you meet them. Take as much time as you need to settle and get along with the new life and start meeting people and making friends as soon as you feel ready. There are plenty of opportunities – from strolling through a park to shopping in the city center, or partying in a club – I was always able to find some people who were up to join some activities. Just be yourself and do whatever you like to do. You will find many new friends! Al in all, I can just encourage everybody to use this great opportunity of moving to a foreign country and gaining thousands of new experiences. I went back home with countless amazing memories, new impressions of Finland and its neighboring countries, great travel experiences, and improved English. Most importantly, I got many really good new friends from all over the world! Writer Lorena, 2nd year Master´s student at Stuttgart Technology University of Applied Sciences, Germany (HFT Stuttgart, 2022), studying Business Psychology on the Master´s level. References: HFT Stuttgart, Stuttgart Technology University of Applied Sciences. https://www.hft-stuttgart.com/ HOAS (2022). Homes for Students. https://hoas.fi/en/ The European Erasmus+ program (2022). Studying Abroad: https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-individuals/students/studying-abroad *********************************************************************************************** Greetings from the Metropolia International Relations Officer: How to get started with your exchange studies abroad? If you would be interested in Metropolia as your exchange destination, please check if your home university has a partnership agreement with Metropolia. If yes, please check the academic offering and further information concerning the exchange possibilities at Metropolia at https://www.metropolia.fi/en/international-relations/exchange If you are Metropolia student and would like to go abroad as exchange student, please refer the possibilities and application in OMA: https://opiskelija.oma.metropolia.fi/group/pakki/opiskelijan-opas/palvelut/kansainvalisyys/opiskelijavaihto If you have further questions, do not hesitate contact the International Relations Adviser: mbs_exchange@metropolia.fi (lisää…)
Huurteen ja jään muodostuminen ilmanvaihtolaitteissa – piileekö vaara korkeuksissa?
Korkeiden asuinrakennuksien suosio kasvaa Suomessa. Tässä kirjoituksessani kerron opinnäytetyöstäni, jossa olen tutkinut jään ja huurteiden muodostumisesta seinäpuhalluksen ja ulkoilman sisäänottolaitteissa. Suunnitteluhaasteita nimittäin korkeissa rakennushankkeissa riittää, ja rakentamismääräyskokoelma, jota on käytetty apuna rakennuskohteiden suunnittelussa, poistui käytöstä vuonna 2018. Tämän seurauksena LVI-suunnittelijoiden suunnitteluvastuu kasvoi merkittävästi. LVI-suunnittelijoiden osaamistaito tullaankin punnitsemaan perusteellisesti rakennusvalvonnassa. Hajautetulla ilmanvaihdolla tavoitellaan säästöä kustannuksissa Hajautetun ilmanvaihdon suosio on kasvussa korkeissa rakennuksissa. Keskitetty IV-koneellinen ilmanvaihto vaihtoehto voi olla liian kallis toteuttaa, koska keskitetylle IV-koneelle tulee suunnitella omat huonetilat tarvittaviin kerroksiin. Keskitetty IV-koneen ilmanvaihtokanavien hajautukset tarvitsevat myös paljon hormitilaa. Haasteita ilmenee myös, jos rakennuskohde on korkea ja leveys- ja pituussuunnaltaan pieni ja siten hormien sijoittaminen kohteelle voi olla tietyissä tilanteissa jopa mahdotonta. Hajautetun ilmanvaihtokoneen ulkoilmanoton ja tilojen poistoilman ulospuhalluksen johdattamisessa käytetään julkisivuille asennettavia poistoilman ulospuhalluksen ja ulkoilman sisäänoton laitteita. Seinäpuhallus- ja ulkoilman sisäänottolaitteille tehtävien EUROFINS R074-sertifikaattitutkimusten perusteella voidaan todentaa päätelaitteiden huurtuvan maksimissaan 100 g. Sertifikaatin mukaisessa tutkimuksessa ei ole kuitenkaan otettu huomioon tilannetta, jossa päätelaitteet asennetaan eri korkeudelle kuin laboratorio-olosuhteissa. (Talotekniikkainfo 2021.) Rakentamismääräyskokoelman poistuessa on tilalle tullut Talotekniikkainfo-oppaita ja myös oma nettisivusto: https://talotekniikkainfo.fi/. Huurteen ja jään muodostuminen päätelaitteille on valitettavasti jäänyt syrjään LVI-suunnittelussa. Ympäristöministeriön asetuksissa on kuitenkin mainittu, että pää- ja erikoissuunnittelijoiden tulee suunnitella rakennuksen ilmanvaihto siten, että rakennuksen sisäiset ja ulkoiset kuormitustekijät, kuten tuuli ja kosteus, eivät heikennä ilmanlaatua. Lisäksi ilmanvaihtuvuuden tulee toimia kohteen käyttöiän verran. (Talotekniikkainfo 2021.) Jään ja huurteen muodostumiseen vaikuttavia tekijöitä Vesi on jään ja huurteen muodostumisen kannalta tärkein lähde. Ilman kosteutta jäätä tai huurretta ei muodostu. Ilmakehämme ulkoilman merkittävimmät tekijät jään ja huurteen muodostumiseksi ovat (Karttunen ym 2008.): Lämpötila: Ilman lämpötila on jään ja huurteen muodostumisen yksi merkittävin vaikuttaja. Normaalissa ilmanpaineessa maan pinnalla jäätä ja huurretta muodostuu 0 asteen lämpötilassa. (Karttunen ym 2008.) Ilmanpaine: Ilmanpaine vaihtelee eri korkeuksissa. Mitä korkeammalle nousemme, sitä pienempi on ilmanpaine. Ilmanpaineen laskiessa jään muodostumiseen tarvitaan kylmempää ilmaa kuin maan pinnalla. Esimerkiksi Mount Everest -vuoren huipulla vesi kiehuu jo 70 asteen lämpötilassa ja jäätyy hieman alle < 0 asteen lämpötilassa. (Karttunen ym 2008.) Kosteus: Kosteutta ilmenee ilmassa vesihöyrymuotona. Vesihöyry pysyy höyrymuodossaan, kunnes vesihöyryn osapaine ylittää kriittisen pisteensä, jolloin höyry alkaa tiivistyä vedeksi. Samoin käy, kun ilman vesihöyry saa kosketusta jonkin kappaleen pintalämpötilan kanssa, jos kyseinen kappale on viileämpi kuin ilman kastepistelämpötila. Tämä ilmiö on havaittavissa esimerkiksi kylmän juomapakkauksen pinnalla. Kun otamme jääkaappiviileän juoman lämpimään huoneilmaan, viileän tölkin tai pullon pinnalle alkaa muodostua kosteutta. (Sandberg 2014.) Kosteus asuntojen sisällä Ilmakehän ilmanlämpötilaan, ilmanpaineeseen ja kosteuteen ihminen ei voi vaikuttaa. Rakennusten sisäpuolella olevaan kosteuteen ja lämpötilaan taas voimme vaikuttaa toiminnallamme. Sisäpuolista kosteutta ei voida myöskään täysin estää, sillä asuntojen käyttäjät tuottavat omalla toiminnallaan erimääriä kosteuskuormia. Kuormaa tuottavat esimerkki peseytyminen, ruuan valmistaminen ja vaatteiden peseminen. Merkittävimmät sisäilman kosteuskuormat muodostuvat seuraavista lähteistä [g/h vesiköyryä / tunnissa] (Ympäristöministeriö 2015): Suihku: 2600 g/h Keittiötoiminta: 600-1500 g/h Kylpy: 600-1500 g/h Vaatteiden kuivaus: Lingottu pyykki 10-50 g/h, kg; vettä tippuva pyykki 20-100 g/h, kg Suositukset jään ja huurteen muodostumisen minimoimiseksi Jään ja huurteen minimoimiseksi hajautetun ilmanvaihtokoneen tulee olla varustettu kosteudenpoistoautomaatiolla. Lisäksi ulospuhalluslaitteen ilmavirran nopeus pitää olla riittävä. Alhainen ulospuhalluslaitteen ilmavirran nopeus edistää jään ja huurteen lisääntymistä ulospuhalluslaitteessa. Hajautetun ilmanvaihtokoneiden ilmavirtojen ohjaus on määritettävä automaatiossa siten, että asunnon käyttöajan ulkopuolella ilmanvaihtokonetta ei voi asettaa poissaolo-tilaan. Pahimpia esimerkkejä on esimerkiksi tilanne, jossa huoneiston asukas käy suihkussa, poistuu sen jälkeen nopeasti ja laittaa lähtiessään asunnosta ilmanvaihtokoneen ilmavirtaohjauksen poissaolotilaan. Tällöin asunnon sisäilman kosteuskuorma nousee suureksi, ja seinäpuhalluslaitteen ulospuhalluksen virtausnopeuden ollessa pieni, jäätä ja huurretta alkaa muodostua ulospuhalluslaitteelle. LVI-suunnittelijoiden ja rakennuttajien tulisi olla entistä tarkempia ja valppaampia julkisivujen seinäpuhalluksen ja ulkoilman sisäänottolaitteiden suunnittelussa ja hankinnoissa. Ei ole olemassa seinäpuhalluksen ja ulkoilman sisäänottolaitteita, jotka eivät missään tilanteissa jäätyisi. EUROFINS R074 -sertifikaattitutkimus on jo hyvä lähtökohta, mutta sekään ei takaa täydellistä varmuutta siitä, että jäätä tai huurretta ei muodostuisi seinäpuhallus- ja ilman sisäänottolaitteisiin. Lähteet Karttunen, Hannu, Koistinen, Jarmo, Saltikoff, Elena, Manner, Olli. 2008. Ilmakehä, sää ja ilmasto. Helsinki: URSA. Sandberg, Esa. 2014. Sisäilmasto ja ilmastointijärjestelmät. Talotekniikka-Julkaisut Oy. Talotekniikkainfo. Sisäilmasto ja ilmanvaihto, Esimerkit, Asuntoilmanvaihdon ulospuhallusilman seinäpuhalluksen ja ulkoilman sisäänoton laitevaatimukset. https://talotekniikkainfo.fi/sisailmasto-ja-ilmanvaihto-opas/12-ilmansuodatus (11.06.2021) Ympäristöministeriö. Rakenteiden kosteustekninen käyttäytyminen. [PDF] (23.01.2015) https://www.ym.fi/download/noname/%7B43C6031D-0236-41B1-9D8E-5640E6AB4F9D%7D/111281 Kirjoittaja Eero Mikkonen valmistuu keväällä 2022 LVI-Projekti-Insinööriksi Metropolian Talotekniikan YAMK-tutkinto-ohjelmasta.
The editorial team will provide the content of the Masterminds blog before publication.
The editorial team started its work at the beginning of 2022.
Pia Koirikivi, chief editor in Masterminds blog, Pedagogical Specialist
Minna Kaihovirta, Manager of Dialog
Iira Lankinen, Principal Lecturer
Riikka Wallin, Publications Specialist
Zinaida Grabovskaia, Senior Lecturer
Salla Kivelä, Principal Lecturer
asiantuntija yamk business informatics Business Informatics Master’s Program CERN Bootcamp Construction Business hankinnat hankintastrategia hankintatoimi ilmastonmuutos Industrial Management Industrial Management Master’s program johtaminen koulutus kulttuurituotanto Marjatta Kelo master Master's Thesis masterminds Masterminds blog Master of Engineering Master’s degree Metropolia Metropolia AMK Metropolia Master's Metropolia UAS metropolia YAMK opinnäytetyö osaaminen service design Sharing economy sosiaali-ja terveysala sosiaaliala study trip Sustainability talotekniikka terveyden edistäminen terveydenhuolto työhyvinvointi ura yamk YAMK-tutkinto YAMK opinnäytetyö ylempi AMK ylempi ammattikorkeakoulututkinto Zinaida Grabovskaia
