A week of international collaboration, hands-on learning, and shared expertise brought Finnish nursing educators to the University of Málaga, strengthening partnerships and exploring new possibilities in simulation-based teaching and clinical practice.
Global collaboration in higher education is increasingly recognised as a vital driver of innovation and sustainable development, aligning strongly with TAMK’s strategy of being one of the most international universities of applied sciences in Finland. In this context, Durban University of Technology (DUT) and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) recently engaged in a strategic dialogue to explore opportunities for partnership in Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI).
Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) has taken a significant step toward deepening its international partnerships in Africa through a new collaboration initiative with three Ghanaian higher education institutions: the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Takoradi Technical University (TTU), and the University of Education, Winneba (UEW).
Did you know that Chile is so long that if you placed it over Europe, its northern tip would reach the coast of Norway and its southern end would stretch all the way to the Sahara Desert in North Africa? The scale of Chile is impressive – and the same can be said about the diversity of its education system.
Our recent activities in Nyeri and Nairobi were a powerful reminder that sustainable improvement in TVET happens with educators, not just for them. At Nyeri National Polytechnic, we concluded the Youth Employment and TVET in Kenya project with a hands‑on seminar where Kenyan TVET trainers showcased their development work, exchanged practices, and tested new classroom approaches together.
Further build the existing networks and strengthen them. That was the idea when I applied to Erasmus+ Staff Exchange Mobility. International projects are such that give you not only lessons to learn together but also form strong connections between people. Based on the experiences gained in TeamWe – project (2019–2022) and hosting visits to Basque VET teachers in Finland, I thought that maybe it was a right time to visit Basque country again. Not only to meet the dear colleagues there but to establish something we could work together in the future.
The Master's Degree Program in Social Services at Tampere University of Applied Sciences has started a new cooperation with our Uninovis partner, the Faculty of Applied Social Sciences at THWS. Last autumn we offered an opportunity for exchange and reflection in the courses ‘Theories of Social Work and Approaches to Social Work’ in Finland and ‘Social Work as Science’ in Germany. Groups on both courses were inspired to this by using Malcolm Payne's book ‘How to use Social Work Theory in Practice’ (2020). This idea has now been developed into an international theory seminar, which will take place next autumn.
I got to do my long-awaited staff exchange at the University of Tirana, Albania, in early May. The reason for choosing Tirana as my Erasmus+ destination was twofold. Firstly, after having done my teacher’s education practice in a local language school in November 2024, I wanted to gain deeper understanding of how foreign languages are taught at the university level and what awaits the graduates upon completing their studies and entering the Albanian job market. Secondly, as the University of Tirana (UT) is one of our Uninovis partners, I took the opportunity to explore the potential for international mobility co-operation and academic exchange between our two institutions.
University Sorbonne Paris Nord (USPN) held an international week themed “European Alliances, Challenges in Interculturality” from May 19-23, 2025, supported by the European Commission Blended Intensive Programme (BIP).
Since 2023, TAMK has proudly welcomed students from South Asia into its tailor-made diploma programmes. Nearly 200 students from countries like India and Nepal have already joined the TAMK community, bringing with them not only academic talent but also a vibrant tapestry of culture, tradition, and warmth.
