Course N-KV596-2006, which is mandatory for those who wish to go on exchange or do their practical training abroad, started on Tuesday 27th of October for the third time. The first lecture gathered together around 50 students from many different degree programs in TAMK.
The course is mostly moodle-based, but it also includes four contact lectures. It is designed to prepare students on cultural and practical matters before going abroad. This way the student will commit to his or her overseas period and understand its overall purpose on personal and professional growth.
Photo: Matti Pietilä telling students how important it is to be well prepared before going abroad.
Picture: Prime ministers Putin and Vanhanen and minister Pekkarinen opening the summit
Almost 400 people were present in the third Russian-Finnish forestry summit in St. Petersburg, Russia last Sunday, 25th October. The Finnish delegation consisted of 140 invited directors, managers, researchers and experts from all forestry branches. TAMK was one of the three Finnish higher education institutions present in the summit and the only Finnish university of applied sciences who participated, represented by Aura Loikkanen and Ari Vanamo.
The summit concentrated on actual problems of forestry co-operation between Finland and Russia. Both countries had put a high priority on the meeting. The prime Minister of Russia, Vladimir Putin opened the seminar and also the Finnish Prime Minister, Matti Vanhanen gave his speech. Altogether five Finnish ministers were present in the summit.
The main problem between Finnish-Russian forestry co-operation has for some year now been the export duties on timber which have strongly affected forest industry in Finland but maybe even more logging operations and employment on the Russian side. According to the original plan the duties on birch pulpwood would have been at least 50 €/m3 from 1st January 2010, but Russia has now twice postponed the decision. Some of the Finnish big forest industry companies have however already reacted and withdrawn their operations from Russia almost completely.
But the timber duties are hopefully just a minor exception in the forestry co-operation between Russia and Finland. The fact remains that Russia has the world´s largest forest resources, about 40 times the amount of Finland´s. The need for the development of forestry sector is great and Finnish know-how in forestry is wanted in many areas. In the summit Finnish and Russian delegations agreed on the further development of both economic and scientific-technical co-operation. It will include for example research on forestry legislation, development and application of bioenergy technologies, creating new forest industry products e.g. by using nanotechnology, basic and further training of forestry researchers, engineers and workers.
So what did TAMK get out of the summit? The forestry degree programme of TAMK, partly together with TAOKK, has for over 5 years been involved in forestry training co-operation in Russia. The projects have been financed by EU and lately by the Finnish Foreign Ministry. These projects were actually the reason why TAMK was invited to St. Petersburg on Sunday. The summit offered the chance for TAMK to see and to be seen. New contacts were formed and old ones refreshed. We´re quite sure that also in the future there will be a need for TAMK´s services in Russian forestry sector,
On Monday 26th October Finnish Way of Life Club visited the Spy Museum in Tampere. This was a unique opportunity for the exchange students, who were interested in seeing the first spy museum in the world!
This spy museum in the Finlayson area was opened for public in 1998 and it is logical to have in in Finland, as we have been in the heart of the battle between East and West for decades, at the forefront of international espionage. In the museum the visitors can really experience for themselves - break codes, hack into emails or more traditionally write secret and invisible messages to someone with a spy pen!
Text and photos: Miia Lehtinen (on the left in group picture)
The English admission pages for the new TAMK have been launched.
The pages mainly serve foreign applicants, so they focus on marketing the English degree programmes and giving information about TAMK and Finland. The application period for the English degree programmes is 11.1. – 12.2.2010.
TAMK’s and PIRAMK’s current English webpages remain as they are until the end of 2009. After the 1st of January, both the Finnish and English admissions pages are modified into TAMK’s official webpages.
Both the Finnish and the English admissions pages have been produced by a project team, consisting of the following people: Teija Pekkarinen, Katja Jouttela, Marianna Leikomaa and Minna Honkanen. The production work also got input from several experts, especially from the Admissions Office, Student Services and International Office.
This is a note from director of Electrician Miina Alajärvi, sent to members of the Electrician group on Facebook:
Heihoi!
I'm writing from my vacation in Sweden. Good news reach even here! The Electrician keeps on competing around the world!
The Electrician is competing for student film award in Kettupäivät (Finnish for "Fox Days"), an annual Finnish short and documentary film festival in Helsinki. The 26th Kettupäivät will take place from November 4 2009 until November 7 2009. They haven't announced the schedule yet, but I'm inviting everyone in Helsinki to come and see it to Andorra! I'll be there for sure. Kettupäivät
I got good news today, The Electrician has been nominated for Special Jury Award of International “Gold Panda” Awards for Student of 2009 (10th) Sichuan TV Festival. The first website is amazing. Not a word in English. Totally psychedelic! 09年新晋3D主流网游《天下贰》，网易六年亿资打造 10th Sichuan TV Festival
And last but not least The Electrician is off to Italy! THE ELECTRICIAN's been officialy selected for the next edition of Imaginaria’s festival. The 7th Imaginaria will take place in Conversano, Italy from 11 to 15 november 2009. Imaginaria Film Festival
So Finland, China and Italy in November. In China they actually still do execute people with electric chair. How will they like Marvin?
The Electrician, with premiere in February this year, has been shown at several festivals in Finland and in Norway, Switzerland, UK, Germany, Portugal, Czech Republic, Puerto Rico and Russia.
The Electrician is a cooperation between TAMK and Salford University.
Photo: Matti Pietilä telling students how important it is to be well prepared before going abroad. 
