New innovations in a changing world

Due to the parliamentary elections in Finland, the national agenda also included NATO membership, public expenditure, and the recent reform of the social and healthcare system. The government aim to educate more people at the tertiary level with narrower public funding of education, is a challenge also for Arcada, but towards the end of the year solutions were being prepared with a view to the ned funding period starting 2025.  

Student wellbeing – a priority

A new post-pandemic routine fell into place at Arcada, as elsewhere, during 2023. Some of the things learned and some of the technical solutions brought forward by the pandemic, are here to stay. The need to get together and meet each other, was palpable. Our campus, and the human interaction it promotes as a space, is necessary for our activities. Therefore, it has been a pleasure to see how both students and staff as well as other stakeholders increasingly use and appreciate the facilities and meeting places provided by Arcada.

Nonetheless, the aftershocks of the pandemic were evident. Many young people who were isolated during the years of the pandemic, had difficulties with their motivation and faith in the future. This is why the education sector, in Finland as well as in other parts of the world, paid particular attention to post-pandemic aftercare. Arcada too, increased efforts aimed at improving student well-being. Support services for international students, under the auspices of the Arcada SIMHE programme, reached wider than before during the year. Arcada employed a new international student counsellor during the year and introduced Russian language guidance counselling – initiatives that appear to work, at least according to the quality audit in 2023.  According to the audit, Arcada’s students were particularly appreciative of the low thresholds within the organisation. They found both teachers and other staff easily approachable.   

A changing organisation 

The 2023 operating year was the second year of the new organisation at Arcada and, in the autumn the quality system was audited, with success, as previously stated. One conclusion was that the new organisational model supports systematic quality work, and another was that the routines of the organisation provide for evidence-based development. 

A new student information system, SISU, was introduced after intensive work within the organisation. The change has brought major adjustments and required significant extra contributions from personnel to be launched. The change gives Arcada the technical tools to participate in several national ventures, not least on the Digivision platform Opin.fi. 

During the year, in Finland, the current global topics were tied together with the question of what the demographic, democratic and economic future looks like for the country – and how the higher education institutions (HEI) fit into this future. It is obvious that we as HEI:s, both through our educational work and our research, development and innovation have a key role. Thus, Arcada’s new policy for research, development and innovation, Human-centred AI and the digital society, is a very good fit. The policy, drawn during spring with many of the UAS’s active researchers participating, expresses the aim that we want to focus our research and development on ethically sustainable solutions for a digital professional life in a society where artificial has a growing role.   

In general, the year will be noted as a good year in the annals of Arcada. We obtained many good results and reached several important milestones, a record number of students graduated and preparations for a new funding and strategy period began with great expectations. 

Inspiring collaborations and environments provide new opportunities 

During the year, Nordic educational collaborative projects also found new gear, when travel and meetings were once again possible. A new master’s degree programme, Energy Automation Sustainable Engineering (EASE), developed by the tech teachers of Arcada and the Åland University of Applied Sciences, takes on the great challenges facing the Finnish society. A new strategic cooperation agreement was concluded with the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences in Stockholm. At the close of 2023, some 20 inter-Nordic projects were active.

Arcada’s facilities were also updated during the year. The first new teaching environments, funded by donations to the Arcada 25 campaign, were introduced to an enthusiastic welcome by students, teachers, researchers, and other end-users. In general, the year will be noted as a good year in the annals of Arcada. We obtained many good results and reached several important milestones, a record number of students graduated and preparations for a new funding and strategy period began with great expectations.  

22 May 2024 in Helsinki  

Mona Forsskåhl