Graduates rated SeAMK again as the best University of Applied Sciences in Finland

Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SeAMK) is once again the best university of applied sciences in Finland in the recent results of the nationwide graduation feedback survey (AVOP). As in 2021, SeAMK ranks first when looking at both bachelor’s degrees and bachelor’s and master’s degrees together. The ranking is calculated based on the averages of all about a hundred questions in the survey.

SeAMK ranked top in all question groups of the survey. The evaluations of students who have completed a bachelor’s degree gave SeAMK the number one position in the following areas: studying, study satisfaction, learning environments, study support services, feedback and assessment practices, and working life connections. SeAMK received the second highest position in the areas of content of the studies, internationality, work life counselling, internship and thesis.

“Achieving the title of the best university of applied sciences in Finland was a big deal for us last year. Maintaining the number one position this year is just as big. Everyone at SeAMK is constantly developing their operations, and our entire staff has been exceptionally successful in these challenging times,” rejoices Jaakko Hallila, President and CEO of SeAMK.

SeAMK has many of Finland’s best bachelor degree programmes

SeAMK’s degree programmes also perform well in the national comparison. Among the bachelor degree programmes, the degree programmes in Business Management, Library and Information Services, Agriculture and Rural Enterprises, Mechanical Engineering, Food Processing and Biotechnology, Automation Engineering and in Public Health Nursing are ranked at the top of the country.

Also close to the top are the bachelor degree programmes in Elderly Care (2nd), Construction Site Management (2nd), Food and Hospitality (2nd), Social Services (2nd), Construction Engineering (3rd), Physiotherapy (3rd) and in Nursing (4th).

“Teaching at SeAMK is developed on a long-term basis and it is great to see that it produces good results as assessed by students. Student satisfaction is consistently good in all of SeAMK’s degree programmes. Even during a severe Covid-19 pandemic, we have strived to be the best university for our students,” says Päivi Rinne, Faculty Dean.

Provision of entrepreneurial skills and the student union SAMO receive commendable reviews

The sections of the graduand feedback questionnaire include several individual questions. SeAMK was ranked among the top two in numerous questions.

In individual questions, SeAMK obtained strategically important results, e.g. in providing entrepreneurial skills and the internationality of studies, which students rated first.

For many years now, the question related to the services and activities of the student union SAMO to support studies has been a subject of joy for SeAMK. In this question, SAMO’s first place is sixth in a row.

“This very pleasant and relieving result is a big thank you for the work we have done for the benefit of our students and members. Valuable recognition comes directly from those for whom we have been working for 25 years, ” says Jani Erkkonen, Executive Director of Student Union SAMO.

About the questionnaire

AVOP – Graduand feedback questionnaire of the universities of applied sciences asks graduating students to evaluate and provide feedback on their education. The findings are used locally by universities to improve their processes and practices and nationally to inform performance-based monitoring and funding. All graduating degree students from universities of applied sciences are requested to fill out the questionnaire. In 2021, the total number of respondents to the survey was over 28,000. There were 896 respondents from SeAMK.

The questionnaire was developed in close cooperation with the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (ARENE), the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK), Foundation for Research on Studying and Education (OTUS) and the Ministry for Education and Culture. The responsibility for development and implementation of the questionnaire lies with Arene.

The statistics are freely available at the Vipunen statistics services of the educational administration.

Further information

Jaakko Hallila
President and CEO
SeAMK Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences
jaakko.hallila@seamk.fi
+358 40 8680621