Internationality 

Internationality and internationalisation have an increasingly important role in today’s society. When you arrive at the University, you will notice that there is a constantly developing international community on our campuses. Approximately a thousand international students study at Tampere University annually. About half of them are degree students who are completing their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree here. On top of that, we have a lot of international doctoral students, exchange students and international staff. You will also have amazing opportunities for internationalisation and you get to enrich your student life at the same time!

Internationality tips!

Speak to other students 

As simple as that! International students are a part of our community – don’t shut yourself off because of your shyness! Finnish students may also be shy to approach international students, so make the first move!  

Speak English 

The common language between students is most often English. If you think that your English skills are not good enough, you are mistaken! You do not have to be fluent in English, and people can understand you even if you are still learning. Finnish people usually speak good English, and their accent is quite easy to understand. Studying and living by using English will quickly become second nature to you. Go ahead and start speaking English!

Speak Finnish 

Most international students study at least some Finnish while they are studying here. In fact, if you are planning on staying in Finland after graduation, it is a good idea to start learning Finnish as soon as you arrive. Although English is widely spoken here, understanding and speaking Finnish allows you to see Finland in a whole different light. The Finnish language has a reputation of being difficult. Although it is different from many other languages, you will be able to pick up the basics pretty quickly. After that, use your skills to develop your Finnish even further. A Finn will gladly help you with the language!

Speak some other language 

Have you studied German, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Chinese or some other language and would like to maintain your skills or put them into practice? International students come to our university from all around the world, so it is very likely that you can find native speakers of the language you are studying at our university.

Participate in the international community

The international community in Tampere University is quite large. There are numerous clubs, groups and activities all over the student body. In addition to taking part in the clubs’ events, you can also advance the international students’ role in the university community! Here are a couple of tips:

  • Join an international club
  • Become an international student tutor
  • Take part in the council elections
  • Attend subject association meetings and participate in their activities
  • Get to know Finnish students and talk about your experiences
  • Participate in studies offered by international university networks, such as the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (known as ECIU) and the University of the Arctic, online

Influence 

If you are interested in influencing international affairs, you may want to join in on improving the internationality of our community and our university. You do not have to be an expert, interest will take you far! When this guide comes out, you will get the most current information on different advocacy channels from the international organisers of the Student Union’s board. You can find the Board’s contact information on TREY’s website! If you want to participate at a lower threshold, you can subscribe to the mailing list meant for everyone interested in international affairs. Information regarding email lists can be found on TREY’s website.

You can also promote international affairs by applying to be the international affairs organiser in a student association. International affairs organisers operate within their associations but they also do cooperation with TREY’s international affairs sector. In some associations, you don’t need to know Finnish to be an international affairs organiser, so you may want to ask about this directly from the association.