Internationality has always been an important part of the operation of the universities of applied sciences and it's role is becoming more and more important due to to challenges brought by globalization. Internationality is integrated in all the functions and the universities of applied sciences have their own strategies for it.

The universities of applied sciences act internationally all over the world but the strongest networks are naturally in Europe . Cooperation has recently been active also in Asia, Russia as well as in South and North America.

 

The target of the international affairs is to increase and support the international skills of the students, teachers and other personnel. The international activities are carried out in cooperation of education, research, working life and the surrounding society. The most important forms of action are mobility of teachers and students, courses in foreign languages, home internationalisation and international education, research and development projects.

 

The building of the European Higher Education Area (abbreviated EHEA and a.k.a the Bologna process) by the year 2010, and the requirements followed by it are a central part of international activities. Once the targets set by the Bologna process are reached, EHEA is more competitive and attractive compared to other parts of the world.

 

Due to the Bologna process Finnish higher education system has adopted the two-cycle degree structure and ECTS. Students are also give the supplement to the degree certificate, the Diploma Supplement.

 

The Diploma Supplement (DS) is to be used internationally. It includes further information about the degree, the higher education institute and about the education system of the country in which the degree is awarded.

 

The European Commission grants Diploma Supplement Labels to higher education institutes who have been exceptional examples in using the DS.

 

In Finland this label has been granted to the following institutes for four years: 
Pirkanmaa University of Applied Sciences, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences and Arcada University of Applied Sciences. (source: www.europass.fi)