Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (VAMK) is a working life and business-oriented UAS, which caters to the needs and trends of changing working life. Our location is in Vaasa on the Palosaari campus. The City of Vaasa (84%), the University of Vaasa (8%) and the Ostrobothnian Chamber of Commerce (8%) own Oy Vaasa University of Applied Sciences – Vasa yrkeshögskola Ab . VAMK’s net sales in 2019 were EUR 16.7 million.
VAMK offers education in three different fields as we have Degree Programmes in Technology, Business Economics and in Social Services and Health Care. We got two complete English Degree Programmes Information Technology and International Business. Next year the number of our master degree programmes will increase to four, as we will be the first UAS in Finland to start a master’s degree programme in industrial robotics. This is a result of close co-operation with working life trends and an indication of social impact.
In 2020, there were 3,237 students studying at VAMK of which 174 students were studying in Master’s Degree Programmes. This year 577 students graduated from us. VAMK is an international, multicultural university and we have 88 partner schools in 35 different countries. 13% of our undergraduate students are foreign degree students. At the end of 2019, VAMK employed 160 people, full time equivalent 155, but the recruitment that we have already partially implemented for 2020-2021 will increase the number of employees. Our agile and lean organization is described below (Figure 1.).
Figure 1. VAMK’s organisation chart
VAMK’s vision is to be your main partner in Expertise. Our strengths are robot automation and smart grids. Focus areas – VAMK’s profiling expertise are
- Smart energy efficient electrical engineering: Design expertise, modern digitalised production technologies and project management
- Business competence in the export industry
- Socially sustainable, ethical and reforming health care and social welfare services
- Design of market-oriented and sustainable product and service systems, as well as industrial, and health care and social welfare services
Figure 2. VAMK’s strategy, vision, mission and values
VAMK’s vision, mission and values are described above (Figure 2.).
Our strategic areas for development are:
- Deepening cooperation with working life in the region
- Increasing the volume and competence level of RDI and service activities
- International work and study environment
- Student success
- Improving staff well-being at work
The content and indicators of strategic development areas we have described in more detail in our strategy brochure.