I am a 26-year-old Finnish American returnee, originally from Turku, Finland. I grew up in New Jersey and California, and after completing High School in the States, I knew it was time to return to Finland to pursue a higher education.

After already completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management in Porvoo, I came to the realization that I wanted to pursue a Degree in Business Administration because of my interest and passion for marketing. Through Lapland UAS, they have been able to cater toward my interest in marketing through the courses given along with courses on Campus Online, and ultimately during my exchange studies in Portugal.

The challenge, I faced during my studies had to do with the pandemic, and being able to properly focus remotely proved a challenge and took some transitioning into this way of learning. On the other hand, gaining the experience of studying remotely, has led me to become more and more interested in remote work, and this in due course led me to becoming fascinated with the idea of working completely remotely in the future.

I am content with the teachers support throughout my studies, and their availability, and overall super positive attitude toward all students. Our head teacher encourages students to visit her for any questions during her lunch break, and always made time for me and other students which created a friendly atmosphere. I can confidently Lapland UAS makes students feel welcome, and excited and motivated to attend the lectures.

About the courses offered in the IB Program, you have the opportunity to discover your interest because of the variety of courses offered. Through the IB Program, you will have the opportunity to take courses in Marketing, Finance, Logistics, Law, Management, Economics, Sustainability, and Linguistics. Through these courses, you can uncover your interests, and start to plan your future career.

Back to the topic of exchange studies, during your studies in the IB Program, you are given the opportunity to take part in an exchange equivalent to one year abroad. I heavily recommend every IB student to take full advantage of this opportunity and to take this leap of faith by going abroad. This will allow you to discover a new culture, make new friends abroad, grow as a person, discover a new learning system, and even learn a foreign language. I was able to capitalize on the exchange opportunity in Portugal, and through hard work and preparation before the exchange, I am now able to converse in Portuguese. After Portugal, I decided to continue my studies abroad once again, and it took me to Lithuania to complete my Practical Training, which was once again a giving experience.

Thank you, Lapland UAS, for setting up my foundation in International Business, and aiding me to continue my journey as an International Business Professional.

Julius Halme