Turku warmly welcomed over 1200 new university students last week (27 August 2020) at the annual Study in Turku fair. Students came to the Cathedral Terrace to meet representatives from over 50 organisations, including city services, local businesses and university societies.
The aim of the fair was to help new students settle in by introducing them to key aspects of living in Turku, such as housing, transport and recreational activities. Students could also collect freebies, including patches for the distinctive Finnish overalls.
The fair was open to students from all six higher education institutions in Turku. International students found the event especially helpful as they settle into their new surroundings.
Meeting new international students
Lissy from Germany, an Intercultural Advertising student at Åbo Akademi, has enjoyed her time in Turku so far.
— I have found Turku to be a really beautiful city, with its river and all the nature close by. I also really like the Finnish culture and how things work here, Lissy explained.
Peter from Nigeria, a Chemistry student at Åbo Akademi, is similarly excited about living in his new environment.
— Coming to Turku was kind of exciting because it was a real cultural shift for me. Finnish people have been really cool so far and my experience has been good. My motivation for coming here was being able to study in the field of biomaterials and sustainability. I’m hoping for a good year, Peter reflected.
Study in Turku also offered some advice for international students interested in networking and possibly staying in Turku after graduation.
— We encourage international students to actively follow the social media channels of their own universities as well as Study in Turku social media channels. Universities offer a wide range of seminars and workshops for international students so that they can make contacts with local businesses and thus also find a job for themselves, said Study in Turku coordinator Anssi Kaisti.
Ensuring student safety at the fair
In line with current health recommendations due to Covid-19, the fair was held outside with only a certain number of guests allowed on site at once. Organisers ensured that there was a safe distance between the stalls and that hand washing stations were freely available. Although this was a different type of event to previous years, the organisers were pleased with the outcome.
— Already during the summer, we were prepared for the fact that the corona situation could bring changes to the organisation of the fair. With professional planning of the fair and with the cooperation of all parties involved, we managed to organise the fair successfully, explained Mr. Kaisti.
More useful information about studying and living in Turku is available on our Career in Turku & Southwest Finland pages. New students can also follow Study in Turku on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.
Photo credit: Matias Suksi / Study in Turku