Satakunta University of Applied Sciences

Tiedepuisto 3, FI-28600 PORI | tel + 358 (0)2 620 3000 | www.samk.fi

Satakunnan ammattikorkeakoulu

Satakunta University of Applied Sciences

SATAKUNTA UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (SAMK) is a horizontal, internationally

oriented higher education institution, with 6,300 students and 400 experts. We operate on the

west coast of Finland, by the sea and by the River Kokemäenjoki. Education is provided in four

locations: Pori, Rauma, Huittinen and Kankaanpää.

SAMK offers education leading to a Bachelor’s degree to full-time students in youth education, or

in addition to a regular job flexibly in adult education. Furthermore, it offers education leading to a

Master’s degree to those who have completed an academic degree and already have working-life

experience. In the field of continuing education, we offer professional specialisation studies, open

studies, courses and seminars.

Our broad-based and internationally networked research and development activities meet the

challenges of regional development, both in the private and public sectors.

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN COOPERATION

SAMK, Diaconia University of Applied Sciences, Pori University Consortium and the University

of Turku’s Department of Teacher Education in Rauma together constitute the higher education

institutions in the Satakunta region, or SATAKORKEA for short.

THE DNV BUSINESS ASSURANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CERTIFICATE has awarded an ISO 9001:2008 certificate to the teaching, research and regional development activities of Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) and the supporting services on 12 April 2012. The certificate is significant due to its scope, which covers all of SAMK’s operations.

Quality shows

DEGREE PROGRAMMEBACHELOR’S DEGREES

• Automation Engineering

• Business Administration

• Business Information Systems

• Construction Engineering

• Electrical Engineering

• Environmental Engineering (In English)

• Fine Arts

• Human Ageing and Elderly

• Industrial Engineering and Management

• Information Technology

• Innovative Business Services (In English)

• International Business

• International Business and Marketing Logistics (In English)

• Logistics

• Maritime Management

• Mechanical and Production Engineering

• Nursing

• Physiotherapy

• Physiotherapy (In English)

• Rehabilitation Counselling and Planning

• Social Services

• Tourism

DEGREE PROGRAMMEMASTER’S DEGREES

• Automation Engineering

• Business Management and Entrepreneurship (In English)

• Entrepreneurship and Business Management

• Health and Welfare Technology

• Health Promotion

• Marine Technology

• Rehabilitation

• Social Services

All graduates of SAMK have the capabilities for international cooperation in their

respective fields.

INTERNATIONALITY IS REALISED THROUGH

• content of teaching and student projects

• English-language degree programmes and degrees (4 Bachelor and

1 Master)

• international student and trainee exchanges

• teacher exchanges

• development projects between higher education institutions

• expert and researcher exchanges

• conferences and publications

Furthermore, international cooperation manifests itself concretely through

various events, such as the intensive weeks, the International Summer School,

the international seminars and the programme of the International Week. Every

year, more than 100 experts from partner institutions visit SAMK.

www.samk.fi/international

International cooperation

INTERNATIONALITY STRENGTHENS CORE

ACTIVITIES

There is a great number of international activities

within education as well as research, development

and innovation. A student has comprehensive

possibilities of participating in international projects

in his or her field of study. Courses are developed

in cooperation with international partner institutions.

Regional internationality is strengthened with

research projects in cooperation with enterprises,

and by recruiting international students as trainees

in the Satakunta region.

Every year, close to 300 students participate in

exchanges in Europe, Asia and the United States.

There are many exchange students coming every

year i.a. from the Netherlands, Germany, Spain,

Ireland, the UK, Russia and China. Measured with

the number of trainees going abroad, SAMK is

one of the leading higher education institutions in

Finland.

PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTSSAMK has concluded two strategic partnership agreements with which we build a new kind of deeper cooperation. With Hogeschool Zuyd in Maastricht, The Netherlands, and Dundalk Institute of Technology in Ireland, we develop extensive educational cooperation, innovation projects, as well as teacher and student exchanges.

Close cooperation with partners is also developed in the networks of different fields of study e.g. with intensive courses and jointly agreed international modules.

Besides the five degree programmes in English, there are courses in English also in the following fields: International Business, Business Administration, Business Logistics, Communication and Media studies, Tourism, Fine Arts, Health Care, Information Technology, Chemical Engineering and Maritime Management.

ENTERPRISE ACCELERATOR AS THE FLAGSHIP OF STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIPThe Enterprise Accelerator is a progressive pedagogical method, which helps the student to grow into an academically qualified expert and to become an entrepreneur before graduation. In the Enterprise Accelerator, students develop their business ideas, act as entrepreneurs and develop their enterprises as part of the academic degree. The Enterprise Accelerator operates in connection with all SAMK’s degree programmes.

In over ten years, SAMK’s Enterprise Accelerator has activated 230 agreement-based enterprise processes, of which nearly all have led to the establishment of a functioning enterprise. The impact on employment is close to 400. Due to the mentoring process, more than 90% of the Enterprise Accelerator companies are still operating after three years.

SAMK has played an active role in the quality assurance and development work related to entrepreneurial growth. For example, we act in the entrepreneurship and innovation network FINPIN, whose task is to strengthen and promote competence- and innovation-based entrepreneurship at the universities of applied sciences.

In the service of industry and commerce RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION (RDI) ACTIVITIES are based on the anticipation of

changes and the recognition of weak signals. Strengths and comprehensive expertise brought by

versatility are utilised in the RDI activities. The activities are regionally, nationally and internationally

recognised and acknowledged. RDI activities are carried out to meet the research, development

and innovation needs of companies and corporations. Priority areas determined in SAMK’s strategy

are knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship during studies, welfare expertise, environment, energy,

innovative services and processes, as well as automation and mechanical engineering.

Every year, cooperation takes place with more than 300 companies and corporations. The value

of the RDI projects is approximately 9 million euros, and the annual number of publications is

approximately 150.

The scientific framework for the research activities is provided by the confirmed research programme

for 2010–2013. The thematic areas based on the programme are “Energy and Environment of the

Future” and “Intelligence for Industry and Services”. Research activities are headed by accessibility,

solar energy and computational intelligence.

COMMON TOPICS AT SATAKORKEA

Satakorkea is a horizontal entity constituted by the higher education institutions in the Satakunta

region. It provides students with versatile competence and a new kind of expertise, offers

information and high-quality RDI services and supports entrepreneurship and business operations.

Common topics at Satakorkea are related to competence in energy, entrepreneurship, experiences,

services, health and well-being and to the development of flexible learning opportunities under the

topics Competent Satakunta, Affluent Satakunta and Accessible Satakunta.

Facts and effectiveness

FACT FILE:

• SAMK is one of the 26 universities of applied sciences in Finland, with the

eighth-largest number of students.

• Locations of educational units: 4

• Campuses: 9

• Students: approx. 6,300

• Employees: approx. 400

• Finnish-language Bachelor-level degree programmes: 18

• Master-level degree programmes: 8

• English-language degree programmes / degrees: 5

• Number of degrees awarded annually: 900–1000

• Number of degrees awarded so far: over 13,000

• Year when SAMK’s operations were established: 1997

• Maintaining organisation: Satakunta University of Applied Sciences Ltd (as

of 1 January 2012)

PRIZES AWARDED BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

• Centre of Excellence in Regional Development Impact, 2001–2002

• Centre of Excellence in Education, 2002–2003, for the degree programme in

International Business and Marketing Logistics

• Centre of Excellence in Education, 2005–2006, for the innovative pedagogic

solution “Enterprise Accelerator”

At the co

re of co

mpetenc

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WELFARE | ICT | LOGISTICS AND MARITIME TECHNOLOGY

SERVICE BUSINESS OPERATIONS | CONSTRUCTION AND ENERGY | HEALTH

Satakunta University of Applied Sciences | www.samk.fi