Highlights of 2023

At the beginning of the year, it became clear that a donation by Algol allows Arcada to complete the Arcada Health Tech huib, the new health care knowledge centre.  At the knowledge centre, end-users, together with students, researchers, and professionals create new health tech solutions for rehabilitation and health care. The centre was completed thanks to donations from several foundations and private donors and officially opened in September 2023  

Cooperating with the Helsinki Metropolitan Area sports academy Urhea, Arcada continued to support top athletes studying for a degree. Two brothers, Oskar and Robert Kirmes, are in their second year of studying business administration at Arcada. Taking up their studies at this stage in their lives was not self-evident for either of them, as they are both competing at the elite level in gymnastics, aiming for the Paris Olympics in 2024. It is important for a student to get an education while aiming at getting medals.

Arcada and the Åland University of Applied Sciences established a master’s programme focusing on energy automation and sustainability. The one-year master’s programme is called Energy Automation Sustainable Engineering (EASE) and is closely connected to the business community. Applications opened in September 2023.

Arcada acquired an ambulance simulator for the simulation centre, Arcada Patient Safety and Learning Centre APSLC. Simulations allow students to practise everything from team work and interaction with patients to communication with relatives. With the new equipment, Arcada can ensure that the education meets with the requirements of the community and continues to provide the same high quality.

Arcada, together with eight other HEI’s, decided to offer a preparatory programme for higher education, free of charge, to Ukrainian refugees. The programme is made possible through the PrepProg project External link and with support from the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Over a two-week period, students from Arcada UAS and Norwegian Kristiania University College gathered for a new course in Integrated Business Planning. The course is a unique collaboration between the higher education institutions, with the aim of having a cross-border exchange of knowledge in a new subject. Participants have attended guest lectures focused on decision-making, financial control, technology, IT and systems, as well as case examples.

Arcada took part in the Kids Save Lives initiative, where paramedic students and teachers teach comprehensive school teachers CPR, so that they, in turn, can teach their pupils. Kids Save Lives was launched by the European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The aim is to teach all primary school children basic lifesaving skills.

Arcada introduced digital twins in our research projects and education, with the aim of providing Finnish industry with long term support in aid of cost-efficient and sustainable solutions. A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object, connected to the object with sensors that gather data, to create a digital replica of the object.

The funding of Arcada's new learning and research environments has reached over one million euros. There are more than a hundred donors.

Arcada student Jessica Hellqvist was one of three students who, through the nurses’ association, represented Finland at the International Council of Nurses (ICN) congress in Montreal from 1-5 July.

Introduction days at campus were arranged again. A new feature this year was the gathering of master’s students for a shared intro day. A whole day was also reserved for the international students at Arcada, to give them the best possible start to their studies.

Arcada decided to give a full scholarship to asylum seekers, refugees and persons who have applied for temporary protection in Finland. By covering the cost of education in full, Arcada wants to improve access to higher education.

Engineering alumna Nina Brännkärr-Friberg was elected Arcada’s alumna of year 2023. She founded, and is today the head of, Project Liv, an association bringing joy and hope to children with long-term illnesses and their families. Over the years, Brännkärr-Friberg has engaged numerous students at Arcada.

Arcada decided to adopt the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test for the sports and health promotion and tech programmes. The test will be introduced as a selection method for the courses in Energy and Environmental Engineering, Mechanical and Sustainable Engineering, as well as Sports and Health Promotion. Admission based on the SAT starts in 2024.

Arcada alumni created a podcast on equality in athletics. ”Vi också” (“Us too”) is Finland’s first Swedish language podcast about adapted exercise and para-athletics. The podcast was launched by sports instructors Lotta Nylund and Iida Laitila.

Arcada used the Dutch OMPT-exam as the selection method for the 2024 admissions to the English language bachelor’s programmes International Business and Mechanical and Sustainable Engineering.The OMPT-exam replaced the admissions tests of the programmes. As in previous years, students were also eligible for admission based on their SAT.

The autumn term closed with a design sprint with close to 400 Arcada students from different programmes participating. During one week, the students, in multiprofessional teams, took on challenges with the Global goals for sustainable development.

A record number of students graduated at Arcada in 2023. A total of 546 students received their certificates in 2023, compared to 513 students the year before. Of the Arcada graduates, 472 received a bachelor’s degree and 74 a master’s degree.