Category Archives: International Business

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2013 29/01
Time 14:54 | By Tibor Kis | Posted in Degree Programmes in English in JAMK, International Business | Tagged , , , , |

First year at JAMK! Quite a lot of fun and new things…

Hello Everyone,

I have been preparing for posting here for quite a long time now.

My name is Tibor Kis and I am a first year student at JAMK studying International Business. So far this has been one of the best things that happened to me before, so I would like to write a few things about it and some info that could be quite useful for You.

It all started 3 years ago. I applied to an exchange student program and I had to opportunity to spend a year in Finland with a Finnish family. I immediately fell in love with Finland. I have seen quite a few places around the world before, but this is seriously one of the best places to live in my opinion. I had not experienced the safety and the wealthiness before I started my little trip to here. Then my exchange year was over. I went back to Hungary and started to think about my future. I had strange feelings in myself but then I finally decided to apply to higher education to Finland. I have a great interest in business so it was kind of obvious for me to search for a business programme in here. I started to browse on the internet, asked a few of my Finnish friends and that is when I finally found JAMK. The International Business line was said to be one of the best in the country and in addition it was in a city that has around 40.000 students living in it.

So last January I applied. Application went quite easily. Here are two links that could help You also if You are looking to apply.

http://www.jamk.fi/english/bachelorsdegrees/howtoapply

http://www.jamk.fi/english/education/howtoapply/entranceexaminations/internationalbusiness

I finally got the mail that I was accepted for the entrance examinations. I guess I do not have to say how excited I was. Then preparations and the other necessary things went through, I sent the needed documents to the school and almost everything was done before the entrance exams. (Btw: You will find all information if You click on the links I already copied). For me the entrance exams were quite big surprises. All the things were basically about testing your logic, communication skills, group-working abilities and a lots of real thing situations were included. For some reason I even enjoyed it though of course I was in a way nervous at the same time.

Then came the end of may. I was in the middle of my final exams in my Hungarian high school, when one afternoon I got a mail. I was accepted. The details about the next few days I am not going to write down, I guess it is better for all of us. Let’s just say that I was not nervous anymore. :) After all just final preparations, e-mails, paperwork and I was already officially a part of JAMK. Happy times I guess…

In July after I was done with all the things I needed to do, practical questions came to my mind. Where am I going to live? How am I going to find an apartment from Hungary? How am I going to survive financially? I decided to write an e-mail to the school and ask these questions from them. I supposed they knew these things much better than me. And I was right (as always… Not.).

Apartment situation: KOAS. KOAS is the organization that helps You to find a flat that is the most student friendly and the best choice if You want to get a reasonably-priced apartment or room in Jyväskylä. I visited the page and it went through easily. A few mails, application, filling in a form and after a week I already got an offer for a flat in Keltinmäki. It is a quite cheap place, for around 200 Euros one gets a room, internet connection, electricity, water and a warm room with a common kitchen and bathroom. Isn’t it just enough for a student?

I just needed a plane ticket. Cheap flights come to Finland quite often so it is not a huge amount of money if one wants to come here. The prices here are quite high though. I do not say it is cheap to live here, but no tuition fee is a thing that saves a lot of money for all of us. It depends on the person, but since I love to eat it costs a bit more to me. Bus ticket inside the town for a month is around 50 euros and these are mostly all your expenses. (Biking even in the winter is quite a common thing also)

But yeah I was ready to go. Then it was already the end of August, when I just arrived here. The whole year started with an orientation week. We got to know our tutors, the school, the methods, the IT systems and basically everything we needed to survive. We had plenty of events organized for us and with that we got to know the town, each other and the school more and more. (Some things happened also after 9 p.m. but I think it is again better not to get into the details…. :) ) .

So we had an awesome week. We basically knew the things we needed to do, the real job started. Courses were introduced, new teachers, new subjects, so I guess we were all kind of busy at that point of the year. The whole autumn was fun. I cannot find a better word for that. Even when we had to sit down and study it still was something much more interesting than I was used to before. AWESOME!!!!!!!!! :)

Exams came, we got to know plenty of new things, we worked with real case-companies and collected already business-cards while having fun. I will never forget it. We got to know how many opportunities we will have later on in the future and that motivated believe me.

I do not want to get to the boring details, You will anyways experience all of it if You apply and get accepted. Trust me it is a great choice.

About visiting home: We had an autumn break in October when I flew back for a week, then of course for Christmas also. Of course we all have a bit of homesick, but there is always a possibility to go home for a while, meet the good Oldies and get back to the life again. It is never really boring here so I guess most of us do not even feel homesick…..

It is truly fun, useful and the best thing that has happened to me. So come on and don’t hesitate a lot.

I will get back with other stories, happenings and experiences that could be useful for all of You! Until that have fun, enjoy life and DO NOT MISS great opportunities!!!!!!!! :)

 

 

I wish You all a very nice day!!! Heyya!

Tibi

2012 20/02
Time 20:22 | By Monika Niznik | Posted in Degree Programmes in English in JAMK, International Business | Tagged , , , , , , , |

My last post – couple of practical tips

Hello :)

Application period is already over. I hope that all of you who are interested in studying at JAMK were able to apply. Now there is only entrance exam to be passed and hopefully in couple of months you will be proud of having a status of JAMK’s student.
In my last post I would like to give you some practical tips concerning moving to Jyväskylä and living here. Hope they will help you :)

First of all, if you travel by plane, you can come either straight to Jyväskylä (with transfer in Helsinki) or just to Helsinki. From Jyväskylä airport there is a bus coming to the city center, it costs 5€. From Helsinki Airport there are 3 options:

  • taking a bus directly from the airport to Jyväskylä (timetables can be found here.  Choose date and From: Helsinki-Vantaa Airport  To: Jyväskylä Travel Centre). Bus departs from platform in front of Terminal 2.
  • Going by bus from airport to the center of Helsinki (ticket around 5-6€) and then by train from Helsinki railway station (timetable here) to Jyväskylä.
  • Going by bus (ticket 2.5€) from airport to Tikkurila (more information here) and then by train from Tikkurila to Jyväskylä.

Let’s talk about accommodation. Most people choose KOAS – Central Finland Student Housing Foundation (website). One can rent a room in an apartment with shared bathroom and kitchen (2-3 people living in the same flat, each person has own room) or decide for a single-room flat (studio).  The most affordable area is Roninmäki (additionally most of the exchange students live there), but there are also many others locations of KOAS’ buildings around the city (list and more information here).

It is worthy of applying for accommodation a few months ahead before arrival, especially when coming for winter semester – just to make sure that there is still a place available (How to apply). In KOAS rental fee is paid for a whole month, no matter which day of the month you arrive. For this reason if one arrives at the end of a month, he/she may consider spending few days in temporary accommodation (fee: 4€ per night) and renting own room/flat from the beginning of the following month. One can ask his/her peer tutor for more information.

Concerning ways of travelling in Jyväskylä, as I already mentioned, most people ride bikes. For me bike is perfect when two conditions are fulfilled: no rain and temperature at least +5°C. Yet, there are many fans of cycling in every kind of weather and I really admire their willpower ;) You can buy a used bike for about 50-70€. There are special places for locking a bike around the city.
Another way of transportation is a bus.  ticket costs 3.20€ and is paid by cash in a bus (it’s valid for one hour, so one can even change a bus once within this time). Monthly student ticket, valid for 30 days, costs around 47€. Another option is a student 40 trip-ticket, it costs about 49€. It is a good option for people who don’t travel every day. 40 trips can be done within half of year from the moment of purchasing the ticket. When buying long-term tickets for a very first time, there is also a 3€ fee for a card charged. Trip-planner can be found here.

One issue I regret I didn’t know about before coming to Jyväskylä is that there are so many second-hand shops around the city. In these shops you can find basically everything: used pots, plates, glasses and other kitchen stuff; things for furnishing and decorating an apartment, clothes, shoes, books, games, sport equipment and many others. Most of things are in a very good condition and for really affordable price. Thus, there is basically no need for bringing anything special from home.

Regarding normal shopping, Finland has a bit different system than e.g. Poland. There are no small shops like bakeries or groceries – food is sold in hypermarkets, supermarkets (e.g. Prisma, K-citymarket), and discount supermarkets (Lidl). There are of course shopping centers and department stores too.

My last piece of advice is that when you come to Jyväskylä, buy a Finnish Sim-card. It will make your phone calls easier and cheaper. You can easily reload the card in kiosks, by Internet or in any ATM machine.

Well, that’s probably all for today. It was a pleasure writing for you! I hope that my stories made your thinking about studies at JAMK at least a bit easier ;) For all who applied: good luck!! :) If you have any more questions, just comment the post and I will answer for sure.

Yours,
Monika

P.S. Below are the links to two videos about Jyväskylä. Enjoy! :)
Jyväskylä – City of Light
28 hours in Jyväskylä

2012 12/02
Time 23:07 | By Monika Niznik | Posted in Degree Programmes in English in JAMK, International Business | Tagged , , , , , , |

What to do in Jyväskylä besides studying?

Hey :)

In last two entries I wrote about IB studies at JAMK. In order to keep balance, today I’m going to tell you about “students’ life” – what to do in Jyväskylä in leisure time :) Of course we have to distinguish activities in summer from those in winter time; besides there also “neutral” ones – not depending on weather.

Let’s maybe start from winter activities (kind of current topic ;) ). When everything is covered in snow, when temperature doesn’t even reach 0°C for quite a long time, it’s time for two things: winter sports and sauna.

  • Every fan of winter sports will find something for himself/herself in here. Laajavuori is a part of Jyväskylä perfect for lovers of skiing and snowboarding ( for more information, visit this site) . Admirers of cross-country skiing will appreciate for sure well prepared network of tracks. Good thing is that one doesn’t have to have his/her own equipment – there is always a possibility to rent it. Frozen Lake Jyväsjärvi is a wonderful place for skaters. And last but not least, if you own a sledge, find a hill and enjoy sledging :) Lake after sauna
  • Of course sauna can be used during a whole year…but it’s never better (at least in my opinion) than in winter time.

    After warming up in sauna, one can grab a towel, go outside and
    1) just stand there, or
    2) roll in snow, or
    3) swim in a lake.

From my experience, 3 rd option is the best :D I had thought I would never do that, but I tried and it was definitely amazing! But even first or second options are worthy to try (and healthy) ;) .

Now it’s time for describing summertime activities. Although Finland is perceived as rather cold country, summer here is amazing! Usually in June and July (sometimes even at the end of May) sun shines pretty brightly, temperature often reaches around 30°C or more and there is no night actually. Even around 3 am. it is still kind of brightly outside and it doesn’t get darker. The only disadvantage of this fact is that seeing stars is impossible in summer…but actually there are definitely more advantages (and one can see stars over rest of a year ;) ).

Let’s consider simple equation: Summer in Finland + Lakes = ? Swimming :D

Summer in Jyväskylä

Summer in Jyväskylä

There are numerous lakes, so, depending on requirements and location, everyone can find something for herself/himself. There are of course nice beaches where one can sunbath, play volleyball, have a picnic when not swimming. I personally like swimming around 10 pm or even during a night – water is still warm, there are not so many people around – it’s quiet and beautiful…(and only mosquitoes really try to convince me not to swim ;) ).

Fruit-lovers also appreciate summer in Finland – there is so much raspberries and blackberries around that one could spend days on just picking them ;) Cakes baked or cocktails prepared from fresh fruits taste delicious! There is always an option to freeze some fruits – just to have a little bit of summer even during wintertime ;)

Besides strictly summer or wintertime activities, there are mainly those which can be done during an entire year. Here is a list:

  • Cycling – I would personally put it to “no-winter” activities. However, there are MANY people cycling in every kind of weather (even in -30°C). Almost everyone owns a bike here – it’s the cheapest, fastest and healthiest means of transport.
  • Swimming in a swimming pool – In Jyväskylä area there are 3 swimming halls (as far as I know). The biggest one, Aalto Alvari, is currently being renovated, but it’s going to be open again in autumn. There is 50m swimming pool inside, jacuzzi, sauna, spa area, (among others) inside.
  • Partying – There are numerous pubs and clubs in Jyväskylä, so everyone can find something perfect for him/her. Depending if one wants to dance or just spend time with friends over a glass of some beverage – there is always some option. Majority of the clubs is located in city center, so one doesn’t need to stick to one place during a night.
  • Walking – in this safe and nice city even walking can be a great way of spending time ;) No matter if it’s summer or winter, if you are alone or with bunch of friends – go for a walk, enter forest, go along a lake – simply enjoy Finnish nature and peace :)
  • Sport activities – Besides cycling and swimming, there are also other sports you can do here. You can play squash or tennis, go for a wall climbing, visit a gym (even in school), practice martial arts, attend dance lessons and many many others.
  • Watching movies – I don’t only mean at home, with friends, but also in cinema. Fantasia Finnkino, located in the city center, offers movies in their original language (usually English), with Finnish and Swedish subtitles. More info here.
  • Still, one of the best options is to spend time with your friends at home – eat, drink, chat, play (there is one great shop selling board and card games – also English versions – located in the city center). Memories captured in those moments cannot be compared to anything else ;)

Well, these are my ideas for spending time in Jyväskylä. I hope you feel attracted by at least some of them ;)

“See you” ;)

Monika

2012 04/02
Time 21:06 | By Monika Niznik | Posted in Degree Programmes in English in JAMK, International Business | Tagged , , , |

Continuation of IB at JAMK story

Hello :)

I hope that you are still interested in reading about International Business programme at JAMK. Today I’m going to tell you more about practical issues – how the studies look like from student’s perspective.

First of all, everyone starting her/his IB studies at JAMK has a peer tutor. Peer tutor is a person, most likely 2nd or 3rd year student of IB, designated to help a newcomer in first steps in Finland. Peer tutor contacts his/her wards well before they come to Finland, so if there are any questions, it is easy to get an answer. Peer tutor picks up her/his tutorees from Jyväskylä airport/bus or railway station and brings them to their apartments. She/he also helps in getting to school for a very first time, guides around the city and is of any assistance if needed.

There is also a teacher tutor designated for each student. He monitors study progress and helps in sorting out any problem issues. Each student has annually at least one discussion with her/his teacher tutor so to make sure that everything is going well and according to a plan.

First year studies begin with an orientation week. During this time students get to know each other, their teachers, and Heads of JAMK. Ideally there is 50-50 division of students in every IB class: half of the students are Finns and another half foreigners. Besides more formal presentations of school, programme and staff, there are also other activities helping in familiarising with others and creating group spirit. I would say that participating in first week events really helps in finding good friends ;)

Nice information for people who already studied something before IB at JAMK: there is a chance that some credits for IB studies will be granted based on your knowledge and skills acquired at previous university. For more information visit this site.

Now something more about regular studies. At the beginning of first year whole class is divided into smaller groups (in my class there were 6 of them). Teachers try to do it in this way that in one group there are people from different continents, countries, cultural background. There is plenty of group-works during studies, so each student will experience working with various people in various teams. However for at least first semester groups are assigned – just to make sure that everyone works with different people, not only closest friends, and that studies are really going to be international ;)

I’m not sure how it works in different countries, but for me way of working at JAMK was a bit surprising at the beginning. What I mean is that during my studies in Poland I of course had classes, sometimes small homework, announced tests during semester and one 2-3 weeks long exam session for all the subjects at the end of the semester (and that was the only time when everyone was actually learning). At JAMK it looks different. Students work during the whole semester. There are many assignments, projects, presentations, group-works, so besides classes everyone spends quite a lot of time on school stuff. But it really works! I feel that I learn a lot by doing, by listening, by presenting and it is not this kind of knowledge I’ll forget two weeks after exam session – because it’s practical knowledge. In different courses there are different assessment criteria, but one I can assure – grade from exam (if any) is just a part of final grade. The overall performance counts. Earlier shocking for me, but really nice and fair! :) Classroom

Another great “feature” of JAMK is Optima – web-based learning platform. Teachers publish there materials, schedules, links. Students may find there also descriptions of assignments and return boxes for tasks done. Everything is in one place – easily accessible from wherever you are. Additionally JAMK uses internal school email system. It makes communicating with teachers and fellow students easier and faster.

Well, that’s all for today. I wish you happy weekend :)

Greetings from cold and snowy Jyväskylä ;)

Monika

2012 27/01
Time 19:47 | By Monika Niznik | Posted in Degree Programmes in English in JAMK, International Business | Tagged , , , , , , |

International Business at JAMK

Hello again :)

Today I’m going to tell you something more about studying International Business at JAMK.

Generally speaking, studies last 3.5 years. During this time every student is required to collect at least 210 ECTS credits for specific activities.
Obligatory courses from 1st  year cover 65 and from 2nd year 50 ECTS credits. Those courses are focused on business in general – marketing, management, finances, research, communication, etc. Additionally every foreign student gets familiar with basics of Finnish language during obligatory course (Finns have to participate in Swedish for Working Life). In turn, during the third year, there is a time for enhancing specific business skills, which accounts for 25 ECTS credits. There are several options to choose from, depending on person’s interest, e.g. Global Business Operations or High-Tech Management specialisations. This is more or less how the schedule for three years looks like ;)
Good news – we are asked to make more decisions (not only about the specialisation) on our own ;) 15 credits is scheduled for elective studies. This means we can choose courses we are interested in, not only from our degree programme :) Moreover, each person is required to gain 10 ECTS credits for language courses – two levels of the same language (of course besides mother tongue and English ;) ).  Offer is quite wide: Russian, German, French, Chinese, Spanish, etc. Good to know that JAMK has a special agreement with the University of Jyväskylä. If you can’t find desired language course here and University has it in its offer – you can take it and JAMK will accept credits for this. As I wrote last time – they care about students! :)

Let’s talk now about part of IB studies focused most on practicality – projects and practical training. Every IB student is required to collect 30 ECTS credits altogether in these two parts, but number of project credits cannot be lower than 10. One ECTS credit is given for about 27.5 documented hours of working. That means that usual practical training lasts at least 3.5 months (if speaking about 40 hours in every working week). I would say that this is pretty well-planned amount of time – one can really observe how the business life looks like and definitely learn a lot. There are many possibilities: students can do practical training in Finland or abroad (even in home country), depending on their interest, will and of course acceptance from the companies. Projects are usually done for local businesses. They are focused mostly on doing research. Very nice thing is that, besides searching on their own, students receive information about possible projects or practical training from the teachers. In this practical part of studies, the most important thing is not what you have done, but what you have learned. Studying – it is pretty much about learning, isn’t it? :)

Remaining 15 credits is accounted for Bachelor’s thesis. It is important to choose a topic one is really interested in (and which of course is related to business). This makes research and writing easier and nicer ;)

Now, as I described you how 210 ECTS credits are distributed, I would like to mention about one additional possibility: exchange :D For Finnish students of IB it is required to spend at least one semester of studies abroad – just to gain international experience and perspective. Other students, as they are already in foreign country, are not forced to go anywhere…but they can ;) There are so many options, so many countries and cities in an offer and only three steps between: apply, wait for acceptance, buy a ticket ;)

So, with this optimistic accent, I’m finishing my post today.

Have a nice weekend and “see you” soon! :)

Monika

2012 18/01
Time 20:28 | By Monika Niznik | Posted in Degree Programmes in English in JAMK, International Business | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , |

Why Finland? Why JAMK? Polish IB student’s perspective

Hello, hello! :)

My name is Monika. I come from Poland and I’m a second year student of IB. FMe and winter in Jyväskyläor the next couple of weeks I’ll be your guide in the world of JAMK ;) I have in mind several topics I want to tell you about, but I’m willing to hear what kind of information you are interested in and write about it. So, feel free to comment whenever something comes to your mind! :)

Today I would like to tell you what is so special about JAMK and why I decided to study here.

Let’s start from a big picture. What makes Finland outstanding?
In my opinion, first of all, nature. One of a kind. All the lakes, forests, reindeer, squirrels and other animals, bright nights during summer and even snow and coolness during winter – it’s simply beautiful! Secondly, Finland is rather quiet country, very peaceful. I feel safe in here and I really appreciate this state.
Last but not least – Finland is a country you can trust. Everything is transparent. People obey rules. If they say something, they do so. Finns are very helpful. Additionally, their English skills (not only among youngest ones) are impressive.

Now, as you know what I consider as biggest advantages of Finland, it’s time to speak about JAMK itself. What attracted me most?

 1) Practicality

In my entire previous education there has been always focus put on theory. Practice, if any, was applied in a very small extent. Then, in 2008, I came to Finland for exchange and I realised that other approach is possible. OK, in Poland I studied Mathematics, so it’s slightly different story, but still ;) I saw so many advantages of Finnish education system….and here I am again ;)

At JAMK theory is just an addition to practice. Teachers know that we learn best by applying concepts to real-life situations. There are numerous assignments, case studies, projects during the courses. We do many class exercises, analyse tons of data, write reports, give dozens of presentations…and still are ready for more ;) Visitors, business people give us lectures. By frequent teamwork we are being prepared for working life. We cooperate with companies by projects, researches. There is always practical training involved in our study time.

Now I see how much I’ve learned so far even if often I didn’t feel it was learning. But, as you know, if you do something, it stays in you.

2) Internationality

For me, student of International Business, this is rather vital part of studies. At JAMK you can meet people from literally all over the world (OK, I haven’t met anyone from Australia yet, but I still have time ;) ).

At JAMK you have a great opportunity to familiarise yourself with many different cultures. Through teamwork you learn what are and how to handle differences in viewpoints. It really prepares not only for working but also for living in today’s global world.

3) English

Without any doubt, studies at JAMK help in developing English skills. Everyday students have to communicate with each other. There are discussions, group-works, presentations; all the lectures are in English. There is also a need to write assignments, reports, etc. English becomes so natural :)
JAMK’s virtue is also a presence of native English speakers – from USA, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland – not only students, but also lecturers.

4) Attitude

Being JAMK’s student makes you special. After my previous educational experience, it was quite big shock here. You are not another name on the list – you are a person! If you have any question, problem, there is number of people willing to help you.
Teachers are approachable. Students call them by first name, without using all this degrees or titles (like master, doctor, etc.). Questions are welcome – “The only stupid question is a question you haven’t asked” as one of my lecturers says. Teachers know their students, not only by name but also personality, capabilities, etc. Atmosphere is definitely more informal than in Poland and I love it here! It’s like everyone is a part of JAMK’s community. Simple and great! :)

Well, that’s all for today. I hope that I intrigued you a bit with my JAMK stories ;) More is coming next week. As I already mentioned, if you have any question or comment, I’m eager to read it and answer.

Ciao!

Monika

2012 09/01
Time 11:56 | By Irina Starovoytova | Posted in Degree Programmes in English in JAMK, International Business | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Business opportunities in Finland, in Jyväskylä and at JAMK

Finland is an entrepreneur friendly country. To raise the level of entrepreneurship is a target stated by the government. And Finns are doing it thoroughly as they do everything else. There is even competition between noncommercial organizations and programs which are targeted to help entrepreneurs to startup or develop their business at the early stages. I will specify some interesting opportunities for entry-level entrepreneurs and you are surely free to choose what you like.

For those students who are interested in entrepreneurship JAMK Generator works. In practice it means that a student can take classes related to business and entrepreneurship, those students who do not have a business idea yet are encouraged to develop their skills and create ideas. Those students who already have an idea for business are getting a personal coach and support at every stage of setting up a business.  The link to JAMK Generator description: http://www.jamk.fi/english/research/jamk_generator

There are several organizations and programs that work in Finland and in Jyväskylä in particular to support entrepreneurs.

Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd., established in 1996, is a business promotion and development company owned by the four municipalities (City of Jyväskylä, Laukaa, Muurame and Uurainen) of the Jyväskylä Region. The aim of Jykes is to create a favourable business environment and to improve the co-operation between companies and the public sector. By offering expertise, support and various networks for companies, Jykes creates opportunities and conditions for profitable business operations. http://www.jykes.fi/en/

Jyväskylä Innovation Ltd is linking research and business. It is a development company that aims to make the Jyväskylä region an internationally thriving, technological growth centre for benefiting its diversified branches. The organization is supporting with its activities growth, development and competitiveness of technological enterprises in Jyväskylä Region and Central Finland. http://www.jklinnovation.fi/en

Technopolis Jyväskylä offers a service package in Jyväskylä, which seamlessly combines premises and related services in a user-friendly solution. The idea is to provide the optimal operating environment for technology companies. The centralized acquisition of services produces significant economies of scale that, combined with efficient use of space, ensure an economically favorable premises solution for the customer. http://www.technopolis.fi/index.php?id=21&lang_id=1

Luotsi is an organization targeted to develop entrepreneurship in Jyväskylä, they have services in English but you cannot guess that visiting their webpage ;) The most persistent non-speakers of Finnish can always try on-line translator:  http://www.luotsi.info/fi/tutustu_luotsiin/?id=8

Protomo is a multidisciplinary and social innovation and entrepreneur environment which works in several Finnish including Jyväskylä. It’s basic idea is to provide facilities, support of the community and sparring from the experts, free of charge, to help develop new services and products for the market. http://protomo.fi/en/what-is-protomo

Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation. Works all around Finland. Every year, Tekes finances some 1,500 business research and development projects, and almost 600 public research projects at universities, research institutes and polytechnics. http://www.tekes.fi/en/community/Home/351/Home/473

Vigo is a new type of acceleration program which bridges the gap between the early stage technology companies and international venture funding. http://www.vigo.fi/frontpage

Finnvera is a specialized financing company owned by the State of Finland. It provides its clients with loans, guarantees, venture capital investments and export credit guarantees. Finnvera is the official Export Credit Agency (ECA) of Finland. http://www.finnvera.fi/eng/

Some other useful links:

Human technology Central Finland http://www.humantechnology.fi/en/do_business_with_us/?id=2

The Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (manage the regional implementation and development tasks of the state administration).  http://www.ely-keskus.fi/en/frontpage/Sivut/default.aspx

Jyväskylä city website about business opportunities: http://www.jyvaskyla.fi/international/business

The leading startup conference in Northern Europe Slush (Helsinki) http://www.slush.fi/

Startup Sauna is a program that pushes the selected startups develop to a stage where they’re ready to take over the international markets. Startup Sauna takes two batches annually in the spring and fall (Helsinki).  http://startupsauna.com/

So those who are interested in entrepreneurship you are warmly welcomed to Jyväskylä and JAMK! There are plenty opportunities for you here!!! And good luck in the entrance exams!

I will be happy to answer all the questions about my experience of living in Jyväskylä and studying at JAMK, and if you want to ask something privetly you can write to my email: starovoytova.irina@gmail.com

See you in Jyväskylä ;)

 

2011 28/12
Time 9:42 | By Irina Starovoytova | Posted in International Business | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

International Business Students

We are different. We can speak different languages, we are of different age, different culture, and different experience. We contribute

to each other and learn from each other.

We are good communicators: we communicate to about 45 other students from our group every day. We are good speakers and performers: we make presentations in front of half hundred people at least every second week. We are good sellers: three students sold more than 60 brochures at KiVi event.

We are proactive. Some of us run their business while studying at JAMK, some do international working projects, many are participating in different students’ organizations, and we also have our classmate elected for JAMKO board.

We are curious: more than a half of International Business students have an exchange period abroad during their studies at JAMK.

Active students always have more fun. I can just shortly list the activities in which my friends and me took part during this autumn:

  • IDIS-competition /  Competitions among students teams about creating new ideas, which took 3 days, during which we were living in nice cottages in golf resort not far from Jyvaskyla, and had all meals and sauna included.  The tasks were set by the City of Jyvaskyla and Luotsi, non commercial organization supporting entrepreneurship in Central Finland. The award for a winner team was 800 EUR.
  • AIESEC / the world biggest students run organization which is targeted to make this planet more open-minded
  • JAMK Ambassadors / the program of promoting JAMK abroad
  • Lingua Café / the traditional Erasmus event, where you can speak different languages over a cup of tea
  • Feel Finnish habits evenings / every second week meetings, where you can find out and experience Finnish culture
  • Family Friend program / program of JAMK for foreign students to let them feel Finnish way of living inside a family
  • KiVi event
  • Protomo Open Doors Day / Protomo works like business incubator for startups, provides help, place and a fund for developing startups
  • Business Incubator Wednesdays / consultations and help for students of JAMK interested in entrepreneurship

I will not list all the parties and entertainments we are having here, it will take too much place, just believe me: that there are plenty of them.

See you next time, it will be post devoted to entrepreneurship in Finland and in Jyväskylä and at JAMK in particular.

 

2011 21/12
Time 20:03 | By Irina Starovoytova | Posted in Degree Programmes in English in JAMK, International Business |

Studying business at JAMK, how it feels

Monday morning, JAMK main campus, a small traffic jam in a parking place, a glass of icy water in a café, and a week starts with… group discussion. Today we are going to export fancy shoes of Finnish designer Minna Parikka to Russia. We have to decide and justify our decision on how to pack, which transportation mode and what terms of contract to choose, fill in the invoice and the certificate of origin and upload the report to students’ interface where the teacher can read it. When I say “we” I mean Team One – a group of 7 students, among whom there are 4 Finns, 1 Nepalese, 1 Ethiopian and 1 Russian (me). There are six groups in our class and some about 45 students. Different groups work on different projects. We have lots of group works and it’s awesome!  First of all it is fun! Then if we want to succeed we have to adjust ourselves in the intercultural environment of our group and it gives us that intercultural intelligence which is valued so high nowadays. And last but not least it involves almost all methods of learning:

Team 1 (%% Yogesh is taking photo :) )

  • reading (yeah, we have to read theory before doing the practice task)
  • visual perception (in most cases we have to make a slide presentation)
  • demonstration   (presenation performance in front of the whole class)
  • group discussion (yeahhhh!!! That is what I love most! The greatest ideas are always born during or after a group discussion)
  • teaching others (we want to be efficient and if someone from the team doesn’t understand a thing it’a our job to explane it in a simple words)

Studying moments

Besides studying cases we also had real projects. In the very first days of our studying we visited Ariterm, the factory producing bio-energy boilers, ovens and heating systems. We had a task to study the process from all points of view – Research & Development, Production, Marketing, Sales and Services, Human Resource Management and Procurement (Buying) and of course to present our research to the others. Then some of our classmates had a project with bio-diesel – a totally new product, which is now developed by British and Finnish engineers together here at JAMK, well we are in Finland, aren’t we? Everything tends to be bio here, and that is actually great!

Beatiful nature of JKL

Beatiful nature of JKL

Our group had a project to promote foreign students of JAMK’s School of Business and Service Management  among Finnish companies. We made a brochure containing profiles of students with their photos, contact info, brief skills and experience description and spread it in the KiVi event. Since I was lucky to participate in that project I will say a bit more about that conference.

Me at KiVi

KiVi is an event organized by the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Finland which targeted Finnish  companies to raise their competitiveness of exports and internationalization.  The main theme of the conference which took place in Jyväskylä, December, 1 was business opportunities in Africa. Although the presentations were in Finnish there was a great opportunity of networking, there were a number of key players who can help your company’s internationalization, including such organizations as Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes, Central Finland Chamber of commerce, Finnvera, Finpro, Krogerus, CIMO, Protomo. We did a great job and
spread some about 60 brochures during the event.

KiVi

Finnish educational system considers that since one got to the polytechnic / university once he or she can use then all the opportunities and take all the advantages from the studying. So we are free to choose courses from different study tracks at JAMK, and we can take language
courses at the University of Jyvaskyla. Basically you do not need that because there is a wide choice of languages at JAMK (Finnish, English, German, French, Spanish …). But I took a course of Finnish for next spring in addition to one at JAMK – I am targeted to speak Finnish after this spring. I also took Real Estate Business course from Facility management program, and I think to take also some entrepreneurial courses from Team Academy School next year. Well if you want to add more taste to your studies you can choose a course of Wine Degustation ;-)

IB ladies in black

Next time I will try to tell more about students of International Business program – who we are and what we are doing here!

Cya!

2011 13/12
Time 13:18 | By Irina Starovoytova | Posted in Degree Programmes in English in JAMK, International Business |

Living and studying in Jyväskylä

Moi! Hello! Privet! Bonjour! Guten Tag! Hola! Ciao!

My name is Irina, I am studying International Business and it is my first post in Student’s Diary Blog!

A bit later I am going to tell you how it feels to study business at JAMK and who we are – JAMK’s business students! And since you are dealing with a student of business I also will tell you about entrepreneurial opportunities in Finland and Jyväskylä. And this time I am going to share some impressions of mine from studying and living in Jyväskylä.

Most probably you have already heard that some freaks from the 2nd world biggest magazine Newsweek sincerely consider Finland the best country in the world! I will tell you a big secret, please do not tell anyone: it is true!!! And the best place to live and study in Finland is Jyväskylä! Judge yourself:

  • There are 130 thousand people living in Jyväskylä and every third of them is a student! Hence! The atmosphere in the city is absolutely unique! There are number of students organizations, plenty of students parties, picnics, sport competitions and events, students movie nights, students performances, and a row of nightclubs! Students from different study tracks have overalls of different colors and you definitely wanna see the city streets during big students’ events! They are of all rainbow colors!

IB goes to Tursajaiset

  • If you want to travel around Finland during your studies, Jyväskylä is a right place for you. Transportation system is highly developed here, you can chose a plane, a train, a bus or a ship for travelling. In most Finnish trains you can enjoy free of charge WiFi connection.
  • I have already said that there are many students in Jyväskylä, but I didn’t say yet that they came from all over the world! I met here Russians, Ukrainians, Germans, Italians, Greeks, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indians, Bulgarians, Poles, French, Czechs, British, Dutch, Kenyan, Spanish, Mexicans, Latvians, Hungarian, a guy from the USA, a guy from Canada, a guy from Nepal, and a girl from Australia. Teachers are also from different countries or had working experience abroad. During this semester besides Finnish teachers we had 2 Americans, one Pole and one German. According to JAMK’s International office data, 300 members of JAMK personnel spent a period of work abroad in 2010. Students are also encouraged to be international. Studying or internship period abroad is warmly welcomed and you are free to choose among JAMK’s 300 international partners in more than 50 countries on 6 continents.

    Enjoying Chinese food!

    • People in Jyväskylä are so lucky, they live in a city with highly developed infrastructure and in the forest at the same time. I live in Keltinmäki, when I look out the window I can see trees and a squirrel, busy with some very important things, if I cross the road I can feed the ducks in the pond or pick mushrooms or blueberries among the pine-trees, while cycling to school I go pass another pond with a fountain in the middle of it. One night I saw a hare and a hedgehog in a park in the city center! Jyväskylä is surrounded by lakes; hardly you can find a place here which would be far than 1 km from water.

      @Petr Michalek

    • Fans of sports! You are warmly welcomed to Jyväskylä! There is infinitive quantity of possibilities for you! Especially outdoor sports and activities are in favour here. Runners have their annual Finlandia marathon; skiers – hundreds of kilometers of cross country ski-tracks and downhill ski centre in Laajavuori; lakes are becoming skating-rings in winter; every summer Jyväskylä hosts a stage of World Rally Championship – Neste Oil Rally Finland. JAMK students’ sport club KOOLS offers different opportunities for team games and there is a gym in a main campus of JAMK, free of charge for students. Popular sports in Jyväskylä: cross country and downhill ski, ski jumping, ice-hockey, soccer, American football, floorball, golf, running, skating, Scandinavian walking, roller-skating, cycling and mountain biking, dancing of different styles, swimming, and of course rally and motorcycle racings! 
    • This city is just perfect for cycling! If you like cycling, Jyväskylä is a paradise for you, if have never had a bike probably you will have your first one here! Because it is such a pleasure to feel wind in your face riding down the hill, listen to birds and enjoy fresh air! And it is usually the fastest way to get to school! Yo
      u can find equipped parking places for bicycles and cycle tracks everywhere, and Finns do not think that winter is a sufficient reason to stop cycling! By the way winter tyres for bicycles were invented in Finland!

    @Petr Michalek

    • Students’ housing organization (KOAS) is supported by the city government, students have their houses all around the city. The price is reasonable and the quality is excellent. All students’ places have common sauna, laundry room, storage places for bicycles and for students’ stuff, barbeque places outside, and common rooms for parties or just some free time activities. The cheapest option is shared apartments, where you will have your own room; and a kitchen and a bathroom shared with one or two other students.

      • And there is absolutely everything what you need for studying. Internet connection is available everywhere in school’s campuses and KOAS apartments, libraries’ service is free of charge for everyone, all the students have an access to internet-based studying interface where they can find all the lectures, assignments, schedule for a half a year beforehand, their personal results and other relevant studying information. Canteens are in every studying campus, lunches cost 2,5 Euros with a student card, which is a really nice price for a buffet table. 

      As for me I am truly happy that I came studying here, and there were no single day during this half a year that I felt sorry about that. I got friends from all over the world, I just love studying at JAMK and living in Jyväskylä!

      Next week I will tell more about studies and you can give me a hint what is the most interesting and topical for you! I promise to answer everyone! :-)

      And my dear mates feel free to comment too ;-)

       

      Here there are some web-pages where you can find more information:

      www.koas.fi – students’ housing organization in Jyväskylä, you can have a look at the accommodation prices, available services, and check out the locations.

      http://kools.sporttisaitti.com/kools-ry/ – sport club of JAMK’s students

      http://jamko.fi –  a students’ union of JAMK

      All those sites have also pages in Facebook.

      http://jkl.fi/lang/ – official site of Jyväskylä

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