University Differences

In this post I am going to talk about the differences I've seen while attending Turku University of Applied Sciences and compare them to what I have experienced at Fonty's University of Applied Sciences. Although I'm English, I actually have my full time studies in the Netherlands. I am therefore somewhat used to adapting to new cultures as well as new systems to operate.

I have been impressed with what I have seen at Turku University of Applied Sciences, my main subjects were neurological physiotherapy, anatomy and physiology and also a work placement in a local stroke rehabilitation clinic. The offered programme allowed the international students to get to know the Finnish students and also to get a real idea of Finnish working life while doing the internship.

There was a heavy emphasis on student independence at the 'learning cafes' in my classes, this is where students work together in groups and complete a final product together. The teacher is there to guide the students if they have a problem, but mostly the students play a prime role in their own education and do the research themselves to reach the end goal. I noticed that Finnish students aim high with their education, which is a definite asset to the country. Most student achieving at least a masters degree and shooting for a doctorate.

In the Netherlands the teachers are more strict than the teachers in Finland, I felt as though they were more approachable and easier to have a conversation with. In the physiotherapy profession in Finland, the programme is more practical based. In the Netherlands we have a heavy 2 years of theory and then do not have a long internship until the 3rd year, in Finland the students start internships in the first year.

The rest of the programme was quite similar with regards to material used and assignments that we had to do. I strongly recommend Finland for an Erasmus,if you want to be able to travel and have a flexible study programme.