“Studying in Haaga-Helia is very practice-oriented, enabling students to get experience in working with real companies. I didn’t have much work experience before I started my studies, so I really liked that we were given the chance to do real life projects.”
– Anita – a Finnish International Sales and Marketing student in Haaga-Helia
Why did I choose Haaga-Helia?
I started studying in Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in January 2016 in the bachelor’s degree program of International Sales and Marketing on the Porvoo campus. I applied to Haaga-Helia because I wanted to study in English in an international class, and because they offered a business degree program with a specialization I was interested in. Before I started my studies, I didn’t quite know what to expect – other than that I was about to move to a small town and start studying international business.
Study trip to Amsterdam
My first semester in Haaga-Helia was great! Everyone was new to each other and our class bonded very fast. I was surprised how many people from so many different countries there were. We had people from 20 different nationalities which made studying very interesting – I loved hearing everyone’s stories from their home countries. As our first project, we arranged a five-day study trip to Amsterdam, where we had company visits every day and got a chance to network with the Dutch. Besides the company visits, we also had lots and lots of fun. We went to a cruise along the canals of Amsterdam, visited museums, shopped some souvenirs and dined in restaurants. We also visited one of Haaga-Helia’s partner universities where we got to spend the day with the local students.
Practice-oriented degree programs
Studying in Haaga-Helia is very practise-oriented, enabling students to get experience in working for real companies. I didn’t have much work experience before I started my studies, so I really liked that we were given the chance to do real life projects. In Haaga-Helia, many of the projects and tasks are done in groups, which has taught me a lot about teamwork. I feel that now, during the third year of my studies, I am a much better team player.
The projects we have done have been about different topic every semester. I have done a project about market research for a Dutch event software company, service design for a Finnish design store, social media marketing for an Australian event start-up and branding for an alcohol brand, Jägermeister. I have also got a chance to complete a part of my internship in New York city, which has been the highlight of my studies!
Various student activities
Haaga-Helia arranges multiple student parties and events around the year. The biggest one is called 8 Day May Day (lasting more than 8 days despite of the name), which is a celebration for the 1st of May. During 8 Day May Day, Haaga-Helia’s student union Helga arranges events and parties every day. Besides 8 Day May Day, there are also other events almost every week, such as regular student parties, sports events and campus hang-outs, arranged by the student associations of different campuses.
I would recommend Haaga-Helia for those who want to study in an international and open-minded environment, for those who enjoy working in teams and for those who are not afraid to challenge themselves and step outside their comfort zone. I have gained a lot of confidence due to all the presentations I have held, the meetings I have had with companies and the responsibility I have had as a project manager. I feel like I am now confident enough to trust my skills when I enter the work life!
Read more about Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and apply for the degree program in International Sales and Marketing!
