Learning experiences are well co-created and supported
According to the self-assessment report, admission criteria are set by the Education Council. The criteria are published on the UVA Admissions website and on national Studyinfo webpages. The student life cycle at UVA begins with transparent procedures for student admission and the recognition of prior learning. UVA has policies and procedures in place for recognition of prior learning (RPL), and accrediting studies or competencies acquired outside of UVA degree programs. The decisions of recognition of prior learning are made based on the courses’ intended learning outcomes. During the courses, study progress and degree completion are consistently monitored through the system of study guidance, as established in the Programme Management Principles. Similarly, UVA supports students well in their integration into professional life through versatile career support services during and after studies. According to the audit visit, students are aware of these tools and appreciate them. Students are well employed during the summer and as interns in local companies.
According to the audit visit, students are members of working committees and advisory boards, including those for the development of the UVA strategy. Based on the student accounts, a variety of pedagogical methods are used that allow for student-centred and practice-oriented learning. Also, according to the audit visit, teachers often invite external lecturers from companies, municipalities, and other employers. Students prepare their thesis projects and do their internships in local companies. This has been much appreciated by students.
Based on the student workshop, students receive timely and sufficient feedback on their learning and feel supported in the learning process. In some courses, students also receive feedback from peers and older students. However, based on the workshop, academic faculty could improve their responsiveness as regards coursework and assignments, particularly for courses where the number of students is steadily increasing.
According to the workshop, students particularly appreciated the feedback they received, the flexibility of the studies, the language courses, the group works, the low threshold for contacting professors by email, the enthusiastic teachers, the diversity of teaching methods and learning materials and the opportunity to study with international students. On the other hand, students would like to have more interaction with others, more face-to-face courses, and a balance between the number of courses in Finnish and English. The audit team recommends that UVA reflect on the ability of the academic faculty to handle an increasing number of student population. The university should allocate additional resources to support quality course delivery and encourage teachers to use innovative pedagogical methods more actively for teaching and learning. According to the staff workshop, many teachers are willing and able to implement more innovative methods.
UVA offers adequate counselling and services to support study and learning progress. The audit visit indicated that the university provides sufficient support to students in matters related to student orientation, well-being, physical and digital resources for learning and research, alongside language studies and integration courses for non-Finnish students. The audit team recommends that UVA continues to build learning trajectories, establish peer support groups, and support career development. These tools should also cater more to the interests of international students. According to the audit visit and workshops, more study counsellors are needed. First-year students in particular need a lot of guidance.
The audit team was delighted to hear from international doctoral students and their Finnish peers how happy they were with the inclusive atmosphere of the UVA community. According to the audit visit, UVA has been successful in integrating international students into its community. UVA has the potential to be one of Finland leading universities in internationalisation. The regional culture and bilingual community of the Vaasa region can be a great advantage as regards supporting the UVA community culture in the future.
However, international students are not able to participate sufficiently in Student Union activities. The audit team encourages the Students’ Union to address this challenge together with UVA and recommend that career services for international students be further enhanced by offering more internship vouchers and interview coaching, facilitating connections with local students, networks and employers, and extending language training towards socially relevant situations. According to the audit visit, the Vaasa region has the lowest unemployment rate in Finland, so Finnish and international students have good opportunities to stay and seek employment in the region.
The university’s work on supporting student well-being is organised in a systemic and systematic manner. UVA provides a wide range of support services in student well-being, e.g., a student psychologist, well-being weeks and events, a campus pastor, sports and healthcare facilities. It conducts well-being surveys for students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a particularly high number of them.
The central goal for the UVA’s Equality Plan is to reinforce an equality-positive atmosphere and to effectively communicate equality matters to the students and staff. According to the audit visit, students know who the contact persons in case of harassment, discrimination or bullying. UVA also has the Accessibility plan for 2024-2026.