New Exchange Students Arrived to the University
The orientation for the new exchange students started on Wednesday, 28 August 2014. Over three hundred students from about 40 countries started their studies in the University of Turku this autumn term.
318 exchange students from about 40 different countries arrived at the University of Turku for the beginning of the autumn term. Most incoming exchange students came from Germany and France, but other countries are also well represented.
– We received 11 students from the United States when we usually get only a few. It is great that our University’s popularity as an exchange destination has increased in the USA, says International Officer Annukka Väre.
Finnish Education and Culture
Of the faculties, most exchange students study at Turku School of Economics, altogether 99 of them. However, other subjects interest the exchange student as well, such as Education and Finnish language and culture.
Sara Sánchez (left in the photo) 
has come from Spain to study education for the Autumn term.
– I’m looking forward to learning about the educational system in Finland as well as taking new ideas home with me, says Sánchez.
Her roommate, Insa Bäumker from Germany, will also study education in addition to some other subjects.
– My studies will be rather multidisciplinary, but I’m placed in the Faculty of Education. I’m interested in learning how the Finnish education system works and differs from that in Germany. I also want to make contacts to the country and to the other students, says Bäumker.
Fumi Sunaga (left in the photo) and Honoka Abe have arrived from Japan to study the Finnish language and culture for the academic year.
– I want to learn as
much Finnish as possible and get to know the culture, also from an everyday perspective. In addition, I would especially like to meet more Finnish people, tells Sunaga when asked about her expectations for the exchange year.
Their Finnish studies are already underway as both of them attended the University of Turku’s International Summer School which started at the beginning of August.
They give special praise for the Summer School’s social programme which included a visit to sauna and baking of korvapuusti, a traditional Finnish cinnamon roll.
– The Summer School was great but I’m already looking forward to the Finnish winter, smiles Abe.
Mari Ratia