Abstract:

Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences have been developing new forms of studification in collaboration between higher education and work in a project called Verkkovirta. Verkkovirta has aimed to develop new models for earning study credits from daily work. At the same time, new innovative ways to link studies with work are developed in addition to traditional work placement solutions.

Studification of work is a new, alternative way to study at universities of applied sciences. Learning is brought from the classroom to the workplace. Competences required for a degree are acquired by working and connecting the gained work experience with the knowledge basis of each substance. Work studification has a positive impact on the student’s professional development, study progress and graduation.

The Verkkovirta project, financed by European Social Fund and implemented from 1 May 2015 to 31 December 2017, is part of project entity “Apt competence, from higher education to work” governed by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. Haaga-Helia School of Vocational Teacher Education has coordinated the project, while the subprojects have been implemented at the following schools of vocational teacher education and universities of applied sciences: Jyväskylä, Oulu, Kymenlaakso, Lahti, Centria, Häme, Lapland, Seinäjoki, Tampere, Saimaa, Laurea and Turku. The ministry of education and Culture has named the studification as one of the top projects in higher education development.

This article concentrates on the activities and results discovered at Laurea UAS, one of the partner universities. The goals were
• the couching of the personnel for the new way of working
• raising the awareness of the students of the new model
• the couching of students
• raising the awareness of the work life
• developing the model towards an attempting and effective way to learn

Naturally, there were many actions accomplished during the project. Key result is that the model is processed, described and illustrated for all the students and teachers of Laurea UAS, as well as for working life representatives. It is ready to use, so to say. Raising the awareness level of the students still needs communication. Many more students could enjoy the new way of learning and do their studies faster.

Keywords:

Studification, learning at work.