New students welcomed at Kymenlaakso University campus in Kotka

New students at the new campus in Kotka are being welcomed by tutors this Monday. Nea Virtanen, a first-year emergency care student from Pori, commented, “It looks really nice here, even though it’s still a bit unfinished.” She is among approximately 500 new students starting their studies at the Kymenlaakso University of Applied Sciences (XAMK) campus in Kotka’s Kantasatama this fall, with over 2,200 new students enrolling across various XAMK locations in Finland.

In the spring admission round, around 30,000 students were accepted into universities of applied sciences and over 24,000 into universities across Finland. New facilities for students are not a daily occurrence within these institutions; however, several new campuses have been constructed in recent years across Finland. Noteworthy examples include the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, which opened a new campus in Myllypuro, Helsinki, in 2019, and the LAB University campus completed in Lahti in 2018.

Ida Mielityinen, Executive Director of the Finnish Rectors’ Conference of Universities of Applied Sciences, stated that institutions aim to stay up-to-date, reducing some locations while constructing new facilities and modernizing spaces. The educational trend is moving towards campuses where universities and universities of applied sciences coexist.

The new Kotka campus, unlike the previous location in Metsola, is situated in the city center and can accommodate 3,500 students and nearly 250 staff members. Energy technology student Ida Kilpirova believes the central location will bring vibrancy to Kotka, while fellow student Sampo Vekkilä appreciates the bright spaces, saying they will boost his studies, despite having many online courses.