Arcada approved in the quality audit - strengths include student contact, curriculum reform and learning environments

The audit of Arcada was carried out by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) in cooperation with a Nordic auditing team in October 2023. According to the auditing team, Arcada has well-established procedures for maintaining quality educational activities and a strong connection to society and working life.

The positive interaction between students and staff was highlighted as a key strength, with students particularly valuing the low thresholds and approachability of their teachers.

"FINEEC recognises that students feel welcome at Arcada and feel part of the community, which is a fantastic feedback on our efforts to create an inclusive and inspiring learning environment. We are also proud that the students feel involved in our organisational development. Student involvement is something we value highly and see as a central part of our quality system" says Tomas Träskman, quality coordinator and vice-dean.

Praise for curricula and learning environments

The audit group also highlights Arcada's successful curriculum reform, which resulted in clear profiles for the programmes and a strong connection to working life. The well-functioning learning environments, especially the lab and hub activities, were also praised and are highly valued by both students and staff. These places not only serve as a meeting point for different stakeholders, but also support collaboration with external stakeholders and contribute to research, development and innovation (RDI) activities.

"We look forward to continuing the development work at Arcada, among other things by strengthening the link between education and research. The audit group's recommendations will provide valuable guidance, while we continue to deepen our current areas of strength to best meet the needs of society" Rector Mona Forsskåhl concludes.

The approved audit is proof that Arcada's activities and quality system fulfil both the national and European criteria for quality management in higher education institutions. 

Read more about the audit in the FINEEC press release External link (in Swedish).