Studying | Country and region | Life and leisure | Survival tips

Studies in full flow

Text: Annika Lamberg Photos: Milan Kolarovic

A first year student Per “Pelle” Möller feels very comfortable with his studies in Oulu University of Applied Sciences. After only few months experience of studying in Degree Programme in Business Information Technology he has no problems organizing his studies.

Pelle lived in Helsinki before moving to Oulu. He has fallen in love in Finnish mökki and sauna culture while living in Finland.

Pelle moved to Oulu from Malmö, Sweden. In Oulu he has got a girlfriend who introduced the city of Oulu for him. But the School of Business and Information Management he had to get to know by himself. In every new place there is a learning phase when you are trying to figure out how things work. Pelle says that in the beginning it was difficult for example to find the right places, but not anymore.

- Since the school is not very big, I can say that I know the surroundings really well now after few months of studying here.

The communication between the students and the teachers is very open and Pelle feels that he can ask anything from the teachers. Even if the foreigners have probably more questions about everything, teachers are very patient in answering all the questions. Pelle thinks that the atmosphere in the classes is good and relaxed. Teaching methods varies a lot between the teachers.

- We have quite a lot of group discussion and group works, which is good. I like it that here they use a lot of projectors and show PowerPoint presentations instead of writing on the board, Pelle says.

Ilmari is swift messenger boy

As a prime information channel in the school of Business and Information management there is an announcement channel “Ilmari” in Internet. There are all timetables and information about classes and exams. Also current issues will be announced there, like changes in schedules and cancellations of lessons. The information flow from the school is in order.

- Ilmari is really handy! Everything is there. For example it is nice to know already at home that a lesson is cancelled. In Ilmari there is basically all the information you need to know, Pelle praises.

Pelle met his girlfriend Kaisu Peltosaari in his friend's birthday party on a cruise somewhere between Finland and Sweden.

Essentials in order

In Pelles opinion the school premises and equipment are up to date. He tells that there are a lot of computers which students can use in the school and almost always there are some computers free to be used.

- You can stay here at school after classes to work on computer if you don’t have one at home. The only thing that needs improvement here at school, is that there is too few premises where the group works could be done, Pelle says.

The books for the studies are not necessary to buy, but students do need to pay a bit for handouts. From the library in the School of Business and Information Management you can find lot of the books you need on business and IT. The Oulu city library is also near and the university library situated a bit further away can be used as well.