Turku UAS promotes integration through programmes, services and development projects

Turku UAS invests in the integration of immigrants in many ways: for example, by strengthening Finnish language skills and offering digital services of the future. Programmes and services tailored for immigrants help them become part of the community.

Text: Mari Loikkanen

Turku UAS plays an important role in promoting integration in Southwest Finland. Various programmes, services and development projects contribute to support rooting in the new environment.

Preparatory programmes for immigrants support their progress to higher education. In particular, the programmes aim to support the development of Finnish language skills and promote study abilities.

− Preparatory programme is a one-semester module with a strong focus on learning Finnish. In addition, students practice group work, digital skills, self-direction and other skills needed in higher education, says Tiina Hirard, Senior Lecturer at Turku UAS.

About 40–50 students complete the preparatory programme each year. Its main goal is to support students in progressing to higher education studies and succeeding in their studies.

Finnish language learning is also at the core in language-supported degree studies, which can be applied for through preparatory studies. In autumn 2024, a language-supported nursing programme began for the first time at Turku UAS.

− Language-supported means that all teaching aims to support the development of the Finnish language. The education includes a lot of Finnish studies, and they are integrated with nursing studies, Hirard says.

In practice, a Finnish language teacher can come to an anatomy class to teach the vocabulary of that particular theme, or during an internship the teacher can discuss how to use Finnish at work. This supports the assimilation of professional Finnish.

Strengthening language skills and help from MOI service

Many immigrants have already completed a university degree or studies in their former home country. They can supplement their skills and network with the world of work in the study programme Networks for a career in Finland.

The study programme can be completed in 6–11 months either as full-time or part-time studies. In addition, students can choose whether they wish to complete the education in Finnish, English or partly in both languages. However, the study programme emphasizes Finnish language studies because learning Finnish is important for integration. In the programme, you can choose courses that strengthen your competence. The studies also include career and working life guidance.

In the study programme, an internship is carried out, with the aim to open doors and help you move forward in your job search.

Turku UAS organises a large amount of Finnish as a second language studies at different language proficiency levels. In addition to language studies, weekly discussion meetings are held for students in Finnish, which provide an opportunity to practice understanding and speaking Finnish. The informal nature of the meetings lowers the bar for speaking Finnish, and all Turku UAS students are welcome to join.

Studies are also supported by services. The MOI guidance service for people with a foreign background advises Turku UAS students and others interested in higher education studies in a wide range of questions. If you are wondering, for example, which studies you can apply for or how to register for a course, the MOI service will help. If necessary, the MOI service can even provide support for completing learning assignments and refining their grammar.

Integration services directly to your mobile phone

Integration is also promoted in the project work of Turku UAS. The VINCE project (Virtual integration home – promoting inclusion and empowerment digitally) develops digital integration services. The project will create interactive integration services that promote activity in a virtual environment.

In technical terms, the application is implemented by Turku UAS’ FIT Turku Competence Center. The content, in turn, is designed by the Social Inclusion and Active Citizenship research group of Turku UAS in cooperation with the project partners.

− The aim is to create an application through which immigrants can easily obtain reliable information. The starting point is to gather information on everything an immigrant needs from the authorities after moving to Finland, says Project Manager Riina Riihimäki.

The data may be related to, for example, housing, studies, subsidies or early childhood education. The application is AI-based and uses keywords to search for information from reliable and up-to-date sources. With the help of artificial intelligence, the application can serve in more than 50 languages, allowing as many people as possible to access information in their native language.

− The app will not replace encounters with people. It will only become an additional service alongside face-to-face service. The aim is to make it easier to find information instead of always having to queue somewhere to ask about it, Riihimäki emphasizes.

Virtual spaces will be built in the application, where various guidance services are planned to be offered. The virtual room can be used for a meeting with a social worker or an event where you can get advice on starting a business. You join the room with a username and the application translates the conversation into the participant’s native language.

Underpinned by multidisciplinary cooperation

The application for digital integration services will be completed at the turn of 2025 and 2026. For the development of the application, the VINCE project has collected feedback from both immigrants and those working with them. According to Riihimäki, special attention has been paid to the data protection and security issues of the application. Information about customers is not collected anywhere.

− Virtual spaces are still being designed, but they may, for example, look like a Nordic home. At the same time, the environment is educational, as the seasons can change, you can see that the shoes have been left in the hallway in the Nordic way, and you can check out the Finnish kitchen cabinet. At the same time, you learn vocabulary and learn local information, such as that there are many different words for snow in Finnish, Riihimäki describes.

The Nordic home is only one example of virtual spaces, but it has already aroused interest. In addition, virtual meeting and office spaces are planned.

The VINCE project is funded by the Central Baltic Programme and its total funding is over two million euros.

Turku UAS took part in the Integration 2024 event held in Turku. At the event, integration actors from all over Finland networked and shared good practices on promoting integration.

− There was great interest in the VINCE project and the upcoming application. We were told that we were pioneers. However, the most important message for everyone is that we want to welcome immigrants to Finland and help them integrate, Riihimäki says.