Konekerho goes Hannover

It was once again time for engineering students to leave on our annual field trip to Hannover. The main reason for this trip was to visit the largest technology fair in the world held in Hannover. We also got back together with our German friends who visited us in January. During the week we also had an opportunity to visit Herrenhäuser brewery, Komatsu Hanomag’s factory and Volkswagen’s factory. And as the student life requires, parties were not forgotten.

Photo: Antti Hyyppä

The fair, Hannover Messe, was something incredibly huge. Even when we walked there for hours, you could always find something new to see around the next corner. There would easily be something to do for the whole duration of the fair and it is very much advisable to familiarize yourself with the selection of exhibitors. In the evening there was a party organized by the local engineers’ union and unlike last year, this year our hosts were able to get us in to the party.

Active participating during the fair. (Photo: Tiia Vaattovaara)

Photo: Toni Peltola

Altogether the week was awesome and full of interesting activities. We had great new experiences, made new friends and ended up with very sore feet.

The Hannover field trip participants (Photo: Essi Ihalainen)

Text: Essi Ihalainen
Pictures: Tiia Vaattovaara, Antti Hyyppä, Toni Peltola and Essi Ihalainen

How to improve study success - Dutch students benchmarking in Tampere

The TAMK Kuntokatu Campus was like asleep during the holiday week, but the vibrant discussions started immediately when the group of Student Council members from Delft University of Technology arrived here yesterday morning. The Dutch engineering students were on a benchmarking trip in the Nordic countries in three destinations: Copenhagen, Trondheim and Tampere. The core question of their visit was how to improve the study success.

The President of Central Student Counsil - ORAS, Enne Hekma, explaining the aims of their research during the trip

 

In the Netherlands the current demands for reforming the higher education are similar to ours in Finland. Decreasing average study duration and changing the student state funding system are hot topics in both countries. Also the governmental budget for Dutch universities is more and more performance based, measuring education quality and study success. 

However, in the discussion with Student Union Tamko representatives, Henri Mäntysaari and Kristian Staack, we noticed also differences in the students’ situations. Students have different attitudes towards the study loans and the costs of studies also vary between the countries. 

The sunshine and lovely scenery over the Lake Näsijärvi made our guests to smile

The other important topic of the day was the working life connections. TAMK Student Recruitment Services presented what kind of support and options TAMK offers for the students. Also the concept of New Factory with Demola and Protomo environments was introduced. Our guests seemed to be thrilled with this unique combination of multidisplinary team work, creativity and working life contacts. Hopefully they got some new ideas to bring back home! Best of all, sharing experiences helps the hosts to see the own system from a new perspective as well.

During the week in Tampere the group visits also University of Tampere, Tampere University of Technology, Nokia and enjoys the winter activities.

Stylish way to promote Student Council's theme colors

Text: Kaisa Merilahti, International Services

Photos: Tuula Härkönen & Kaisa Merilahti

International Week for Engineering 2011 was a success

TAMK organized its first International Week for Engineering on 21 - 25 March 2011. The events of the week served academic, promotional, networking and informational purposes for the students and staff of TAMK and the participating universities.

TAMK welcomed 18 visitors from eight institutions of higher education from six European countries and the USA. The guest professors held various lectures on different topics ranging from recycling of demolition waste, and wind energy to bio refineries and phycology. Some lectures were related to the World Water Day that was celebrated also at TAMK on 22 March. After the International Week, TAMK engineering students certainly had new ideas on the issues related to their field of study, and most probably will look at these topics from a more international perspective.





Ms. Kelly Klaas and Mr. Don Guay from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, USA gave lectures about leadership principals in a global paper industry and bioproduction development in the US.

The visiting universities had the chance to tell about the exchange possibilities at their universities to TAMK students and staff, too; This kind of events contribute to the students’ getting interested in an exchange in one of the TAMK partner universities, and give a unique opportunity to meet professors from foreign partner schools face to face.

On top of lecturing, the visiting professors participated in various free-time events that included a guided bus tour around Tampere, a sauna evening at Hangaslahti and a dinner at Restaurant Elsa. The sauna evening offered a possibility for ice swimming, and we cherish all the brave who had the courage to take a dip in the frozen lake.

A group of German students from Hochschule Ostfalia, Wolfenbüttel joined their teachers and followed lectures during the International Week. The study trip naturally comprised a number of leisure activities in the evenings; These included nightclubbing, a sauna evening in the premises of the TAMKO student union, and the students also joined the professors for the sight-seeing ride by bus.




Mr. Thorsten Ahrens from Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences presented a fabulous gift basket full of traditional sweets and beverages from the participating universities and their home countries.

TAMK passes its heart-felt thanks to all the visitors for coming, and hopes everybody had a dashing time in Tampere. The Organising Committee feels that the event was worth the effort and welcomes the guests back at TAMK for the Second International Week for Engineering in the spring 2012. Then we can call it already a tradition!

Text: Elias Suominen

Photos: Elias Suominen