“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 Sciencesin 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!
