At the end of January, we once again took 30 of our bachelor's students on our annual study tour to Kokkola, Finland. We were warmly welcomed by Einar Nystedt at our partner university, Centria University of Applied Sciences, and were immediately introduced Finnish society and culture.
The Finnish concept of “sisu” stood out in particular, describing the ability to overcome challenges in the face of extreme adversity with extraordinary determination. It's an idea that definitely stuck in the students' minds.
After a lecture on energy and hydrogen in Finland, we were given a tour of Centria's various laboratories and were visibly impressed by their cleanliness and equipment. To round off the day, we were given an interesting city tour of Kokkola, where we were joined by some Finnish students – a great opportunity for a cultural, and personal, exchange!
Tuesday and Wednesday were excursion days: we visited Walki Group Oy, a leading Finnish manufacturer of packaging and technical materials with a strong focus on sustainability and the circular economy, and Boliden Group, a company specializing in the mining and processing of metals with several locations in Finland, particularly for the production of copper and zinc. The latter is located in Kokkola Industrial Park, through which we were given a very informative bus tour.
In addition to the main program, our students also had the opportunity to explore and enjoy Finnish nature on several occasions, including the Finnish tradition of sauna and ice bathing sessions.
On Thursday we went back to Centria, where we listened to some very interesting and, above all, informative presentations. We started with a presentation by the Finnish clean tech company Hycamite TCD Technologies Ltd., which specializes in low-emission hydrogen production through methane pyrolysis. This was followed by a lecture on sustainability and the circular economy by Mira Valkjärvi, a doctoral student at Centria, which raised many questions and provided plenty of food for thought.
Afterwards, Jana Holm, Head of Department of our partner program Chemical Engineering, told the students more about the double degree program we offer together with Centria—an important collaboration that has been going on for several years and is a great opportunity for students to combine an experience abroad with a double degree.
The last day was devoted entirely to Finnish nature and tradition: an unforgettable sunrise hike over the frozen sea and through the frozen forest, followed by a sauna session and warming up by the campfire. To round off the trip, Centria invited us to a farewell dinner, where we reminisced about our time together in Finland while enjoying good food and even better company.
This year’s Study Tour was once again a huge success and we look back with gratitude on an exciting, educational, and fun time together.
Sunrise in Kokkola ©MCI/Forer
Group photo at Centria ©MCI/Forer
Outdoor Activity in Pietersaari ©MCI/Forer
Company visit at Boliden ©MCI/Forer
Walk on the frozen sea ©MCI/Forer
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