International opportunities at Metropolia from a student’s perspective

7.8.2025

Hi! My name is Augusto Asis de Barros, and I’m a student of International Business and Logistics and worked as an International Relations intern at Metropolia. During my studies at Metropolia, I had the opportunity to participate in various international exchanges in Germany and the Netherlands, which I discovered while exploring Metropolia’s internal announcements website. Applying for the exchanges was easy and required little effort, since the instructions for mobility are straightforward to understand and cover all the most important requirements.

The first exchange I had the chance to go on was for a summer course in 2023, related to Industrial Heritage and Sustainability. It was a joint programme of the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH), the Berlin Centre of Industrial Culture (bzi), and the Berlin University of Applied Sciences (HTW). This exchange helped me network with people from different backgrounds and cooperate to develop a concept or project related to both industrial heritage and sustainability. It was an experience full of learning, teamwork, and also a nice way to explore a big city like Berlin while learning together and visiting different sites related to industrial heritage, sustainability, and culture.

The exchange program helped me gain valuable knowledge and sparked my interest in industrial heritage. As a result, I co-founded a network for young professionals, which is now part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage. I feel like going on exchange opened the doors not only to new opportunities but also to career development and gave me a push to step out of my comfort zone, which, in my opinion, was very positive. Now, back in Finland, I continue to manage this non-profit network alongside my colleagues from Germany, which demonstrates how international mobility can help you become part of something bigger.

Another exchange opportunity I had was a summer course in 2023 about innovative and sustainable transportation in Germany, from FH Münster University of Applied Sciences. In this course, we were a group of many local and international students and traveled around different German cities like Bremen, Hamburg, and Berlin, where we visited many transportation industries. We learned how to use many different tools to become more creative and to learn about sustainability from different perspectives.

I feel like going on exchange opened the doors not only to new opportunities but also to career development and gave me a push to step out of my comfort zone, which, in my opinion, was very positive.

I have built many close friendships through international experience, which made me even more positive about the importance of traveling to other countries for study opportunities. Studying abroad made me more open to learning new things, socializing and it also contributed a lot to my cross-cultural and teamwork skills.

The last but not least international course I had was the hybrid course called the U!REKA Change Agents Programme, which took place in 2024 and had both online sessions and a short exchange in the city of Amsterdam at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. U!REKA is an Urban Research and Education Alliance of European Universities of Applied Sciences, and they aim to cooperate to educate to contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable, intercultural and open-minded Europe.

This programme was especially interesting because of its ambition to help us students develop sustainable development ideas related to the use of water in Europe. We had the chance to visit different sustainability-related facilities around Amsterdam, and these visits gave us a broader idea of sustainability and how Amsterdam approaches the use of water. We not only met people from many universities but also had the chance to become closer in our group of students from Finland. We also explored the city by bike, which was a new and valuable experience because Amsterdam has an amazing cycling infrastructure. The internationality of the city, how it is full of water channels and the many restaurants were things we enjoyed as a group.

Also, having the chance to learn from professionals from other universities was different and helped us understand more aspects of water and sustainability, and the different importance it has in other countries.

Overall, I highly encourage other students to explore international exchange opportunities offered by the university. These experiences can truly change the way you learn and understand the world. They are also a great way to expand your professional network, make new friends and learn about different cultures.

Check more about the exchange possibilities in Metropolia’s study guide!

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Exchange semester at University of Hertfordshire

27.6.2025 Metropolia Exchange

Hello, my name is Anna. I’m currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, with a strong emphasis on Human Resources. Having grown up immersed in both Finnish and English cultures, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the richness of multicultural environments. From an early age, I’ve been passionate about broadening my horizons and embracing new places as home. Living abroad has not only expanded my worldview but also offered valuable opportunities for self-reflection and growth, shaping both who I am and the dreams I pursue. I was excited to see the range of relevant courses offered at the University of Hertfordshire and decided to apply for an Erasmus exchange for the spring semester of 2025. Having previously studied abroad in both the United States and Germany, I was eager to continue gaining international experience—this time in the United Kingdom, a country where I already had personal connections and whose language I consider my second native tongue. It’s truly hard to put five months of living your dream life into words. My exchange semester was everything I had hoped for—and so much more. I was surprised by how significantly the academic experience shaped my future career goals. While I already had a fairly strong vision of what I wanted to pursue after graduation, studying my passion abroad took that clarity and motivation to a whole new level. "This was easily the best semester of my university journey, and it left me feeling deeply grateful and privileged to have had such a transformative experience. " What I particularly appreciated about the academic culture in the UK was how genuinely supportive and invested the teachers were in their students' success. At my home university, I had rarely felt as included or inspired, even by lecturers I saw on a weekly basis. Every module I took encouraged me to grow, believe in myself, and chase my goals with even more determination. Thanks to this incredible experience, I’m proud to share that I achieved First Class Honours and even received personal recommendation letters from lecturers who truly believed in me. Even though the university culture was already a highlight of the semester, the people I met were an even greater blessing. I lived in university accommodation with ten other students in the same flat. Having lived on my own for the past four years, I was initially a bit skeptical about sharing a space with people I didn’t know. Yet to my surprise, this ended up being the best part of my entire exchange. I formed genuine friendships with my flatmates, and we quickly became incredibly close. We spent time together almost every day—cooking dinners, sharing our cultures, going on weekend trips and, of course, enjoying the UK’s iconic pub culture. I felt truly seen and understood by people who shared similar perspectives and values. The memories we created will forever hold a special place in my heart, and we’re already planning visits to keep this special friendship alive. Living in another country also gave me the space to reflect and grow as a person. I picked up new hobbies and made the most of the incredible services and opportunities offered by the university. I also had the chance to travel extensively within the UK—exploring Scotland, Wales, and several cities across England. After my classes ended, I even spent two weeks traveling to Shanghai and Vietnam, which felt especially surreal after forming deep friendships with people from all over the world. Although living abroad was certainly more expensive than continuing my studies in Helsinki – I felt the most alive since my teenage years and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. If you’re even considering going abroad for a semester, I wholeheartedly encourage you to take the leap. Yes, there will be challenging days, and stepping outside of your comfort zone can feel overwhelming at first. But the growth, memories, and perspective you gain are far greater than anything you might expect. This was easily the best semester of my university journey, and it left me feeling deeply grateful and privileged to have had such a transformative experience.

Erasmus+ Inclusion Support enabled me to join the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) in Portugal!

20.6.2024 Metropolia Exchange

The story about student exchange was almost unrealistic for me. I am single mom of three kids. However, my oldest child is already 18 and my two small boys are living with me. Me and Robin started studying in the same year. I started with bachelor program in International Business and Logistics (IBL) at Metropolia, and he went to first grade at school. My youngest one was five years old in those days. The idea about being an exchange student was a personal long-lasting dream, but somehow I felt it is not applicable for me. For me it was way too complicated to change a country, especially when having a lot of responsibilities at home already. Time went fast... Kids become more confident and I tried to apply for 6 months study exchange in Spain. The reason for choosing this country – I speak Spanish a little and would like to improve knowledge and get another European perspective to my study field. However, I was already doing my final study year and long-term exchange did not anymore fit into my degree study plan. So, the exchange was not a possibility at that time and would have postponed my graduation. Then the idea sort of faded away, until on one day I got an email about FinBank challenge in Portugal, Blended Intensive Programme about Banking and Finance study with Setúbal Polytechnic Institute! The program promised to be intensive and during one week in Portugal should be presented innovation for banking sector related to design thinking and creativity. Additionally, we were able to meet with students from all over Europe online. I applied and got selected! I have been so lucky when Erasmus+ programme and International Relations Adviser in Metropolia nominated me as exchange student for this programme. That really meant a lot for me! Without funding from Erasmus+ Blended Mobility I couldn’t have been able to cover the expenses of travelling and living on top of my family's other expenses. Our intensive finance course in Setúbal was held in May 2024. A great value is that Erasmus+ programme supports students with families with additional inclusion support. This made me feel that Metropolia cares about young parents a lot. My total financial support was almost 1200 euros as I was entitled for the inclusion support, travel grant and the program day support! This is really good form of support, if you know how to take care of the arrangements correctly! This BIP about Finance was well organized by Portuguese colleagues. Professor Ana Rolo from Setúbal Polytechnic Institute provided each student team very good guidance. So, even though my major, Logistics sector is not that much finance and banking-oriented, but it was not difficult to get in to idea and join the team work and start learning! Getting ready for an adventure! From Metropolia we traveled to Portugal together in a group of five Metropolia Business School students. In the actual group work project, there were students from Norway, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania and Belgium. Luckily, we quickly divided the tasks and got really motivated about the topic. Actually, our project was successfully completed one day before deadline. All in all, I was able to gather many lovely experiences from Portugal as the Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal created an amazing program for the students. For example, we visited Palácio da Bacalhôa located in São Simão, Azeitão, Setúbal, wine and cultural tour, went to some nice beaches by the ocean and even a natural park. Our lunch was in a most beautiful restaurant of the city - Casa da Baía. The communication with professors was smooth as we were able to ask questions, but also the work in the group of students was highly enriching and brought some new perspectives! All in all, a brilliant experience from Erasmus+ programme. I’m so thankful for International Relations Adviser and exchange possibilities at Metropolia. Because of them - I could see the ocean. Last but not least; Many greetings to my teammates who make amazing effort on presentation day! Tips based on my experience: Learn all the possible languages Touch an ocean wave and make a wish Choose the most interesting exchange programme for you. Make it happen! Julia S.

Incoming Student Story: Nina Schulz from Germany

16.10.2023 Metropolia Exchange

“I did my exchange semester at Metropolia Business School in 2023. I was sure that I wanted to go to a Nordic country and I had the choice between universities in Finland and in Sweden. I had been in Finland once for one week for an exchange from school. In the end it was easy to choose Helsinki as it is a bigger city and there are a lot of things going on. It was clear that I wanted to choose Metropolia and luckily it worked out. I really liked my studies at Metropolia. I felt that everything was so structured from the beginning on and I had no questions. The Finnish course was my favorite. I tried to learn some Finnish word before arriving but that didn’t go so well so it was nice to learn the language. The course was also introducing us to the Finnish culture. Investment Portfolio Management was my second favorite course. We did a stock exchange game and I learned a lot in that course. I really liked that we had a lot of group works. There were no exam periods and it was not so stressful in the end of the semester. We had to work during the whole semester and had a lot of chances to get the points during the semester which took off a lot of pressure. I really liked the campus; everything was so modern and nice. There was a lot of spaces to work and sit with your friends. The student restaurant on campus is like a meeting point, you always met someone there. I also really liked the orientation days; they were very structured and we didn’t get lost in the first days. During my free-time I did a lot of small things in Helsinki. I went to a lot of cafés with my friend and also visited different places, such as Lammassaari which was one of my favorites. We also went for a lot of walks and did some hikes in the national park Nuuksio and even barbecued there. I went a lot to sauna, Sompasauna was an amazing place. There was also a lot of student parties and they were so nice with the overalls. I also did some special trips; they were the highlight of my time there. We went to Lapland where we stayed in a cottage, went to Norway, swam in the Arctic Ocean, saw Northern lights and went skiing. That was an amazing adventure! In the Easter weekend we rented a cottage in Varkaus for a few days. This was also so nice, we did a lot of chilling, hanging out and walks there. One highlight was the Vappu (May 1st) weekend. The city was full of people and there were a lot of traditions we got to participate into. Tutors were great. We had always someone to talk to and it felt like everyone wanted us to meet other people and connect. It was nice to have a lot of events going on and it was possible to get to know people easily. The Finnish culture was very similar to what I’m used to so I did not have major problems adjusting. At the beginning of the exchange, it was a big challenge to come to Finland alone. I was afraid that I wouldn’t find any people but we had such an intense time here together. It’s crazy that people that I met just five months ago are now so close to me. It was not a big problem to live in a different country with a different language. It just worked out somehow and all the fears turned to very good adventures. It has been good to have changes around you and doing the exchange gave me a lot of self-confidence. I got a lot of memories and friends, it’s hard to say goodbye to everyone. In the future I definitely want to do a Master’s degree and it would be nice to do the whole degree or a semester abroad. I would like to experience this kind of adventure again.” Tips from Nina: Be very open to everyone Do as many things as possible: experience the country! Don’t be afraid to make new contacts and talk to people, most of the time everyone is in the same boat

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My Remote Studies in Procurement MBA

7.12.2022 Masterminds - Maisteriainesta

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 [caption id="attachment_4027" align="alignleft" width="228"] Mindaugas Jocbalis[/caption] 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.