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Joensuu, Finland, with a population of about 58,000, is an ideal place for students who want to experience the best of Northern Europe while enriching their studies with extremely knowledgeable professors and diverse courses. Joensuu is a university town and the lively capital of the North Karelia Region in Finland. The city was established in 1848 by the Czar Nikolai I of Russia; the Russian border is only 80 km/50 mi away.
“I would recommend ISEP as a means for studying abroad. It is a life changing experience." - Anna Goodman
Mars Hill College, North Carolina, to University of Joensuu, Finland
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- Semester and academic year exchanges including International-to-International exchanges
- Established in 1969, includes six faculties and ten independent units
- Offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in eight different fields—Education, Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Economics, Forestry, Theology, and Psychology
- Campuses in Joensuu and Savonlinna, and a Research Station in Ilomantsi
- Several Master's programs are open to students on a non-degree basis
- University's areas of expertise include:
- a multidisciplinary teacher education program that prepares teachers for all levels of the education system
- research and teaching pertaining to forests, other renewable resources, and the environment
- proficiency in the development and application of high technology
- Over 7,700 students, 1,200 of whom are on the Savonlinna campus
- Offers courses taught in English and Finnish (TOEFL is not required; however non-native English speakers need to demonstrate English-language proficiency)
- Recommend site for U.S. students with at least junior-level standing
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The University of Joensuu offers renowned programs in forestry, environmental science, and human geography. In addition, the Karelia, Russia, and the Baltic Area Studies program can be supplemented with study tours into Russia for an additional cost.
A variety of non-degree study programs taught in English are available to ISEP participants:
- Environmental Science and Forestry
- Social Sciences
- Educational Issues (courses in Finnish art, crafts, and music, in addition to a variety of courses in education)
- Multidisciplinary area studies program on Karelia, Russia and the Baltic Area (includes courses in history, geography, cultural studies, economics, other social sciences and Russian studies)
- Russian Studies program (designed for students with basic proficiency of Russian language)
Four international Master's degree programs are open to ISEP participants on a non-degree basis:
- Human Geography, which focuses on environmental, cultural, political and economic issues faced by northern and eastern European societies
- Islam and the West: Cultural Diversity, which focuses on western and Islamic cultures
- Information Technology (IMPIT)
- European Forestry
Academic Support
To help international students adapt to Finland and to Joensuu, International Student Services offers ISEP participants the possibility to familiarize themselves with everyday Finnish life and culture through the Finnish Friend Program.
Student Tutors
International Student Services provides each incoming student with a Finnish student tutor. Tutors are trained to help international students adapt to Finland, Joensuu, and the University of Joensuu.
Internships
ISEP participants to Joensuu can apply for an internship at a Finnish enterprise related to their academic field of study. Normally the internship takes place after participants complete their studies at Joensuu. Students can apply for an internship before their departure for Finland, or after they arrive. Students must find housing for the duration of their internship by themselves or ask for help from Joensuu's services for international students.
“It was beneficial [to have] a student tutor assigned to us and eventually we became great friends." - Mary Suomala, ISEP Participant, Minnesota State University Moorhead to the University of Joensuu, Finland
Student Life
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Housing
- The Joensuun Elli provides housing for all ISEP participants. Students are given a monthly stipend to pay for housing and food. Students live in shared flats; each student has a room to themselves and shares the kitchen and bathroom with two other students. Flats are either for women or men only, there are no mixed flats. All flats have basic furniture (a bed with a mattress, table, chair, and wardrobe).
- Members of the Student Union can rent a survival package that contains a blanket, a pillow, sheets, curtains, plates, cups, cutlery, kettle, kitchen towel, frying pan, and some other cooking utensils.
- In most housing units it is possible to have an internet connection via Joensuun Elli. The connection costs €20 per month. A cable connection is provided, but students must have a computer with a suitable adapter in it.
Activities
- Student Union
Exchange students can become members of the Student Union by paying a membership fee. Benefits of membership and the Student ID Card include library access and discounts on meals, transportation, pharmacies, and shops. - Campus Clubs
Clubs range from theatre to sports, politics to the environment. Clubs organize activities on a regular basis including sports, tours to different places in Finland, and parties. - The International Section
This campus club maintains active relations with similar organizations in Finland and abroad. The section seeks to promote an international atmosphere in the university. Every year the International Section organizes events such as welcoming parties, a Halloween party, Finnish cooking courses and many trips. - Ylioppilaslehti
The student newspaper presents the students' opinions on local and national academic matters, along with more general discussions about student life.
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Often called the “Forestry Capital of Europe,” Joensuu and the region of North Karelia are famous for the beauty of unspoiled nature, and thousands of lakes and islands. The name is justified by the region’s unique concentration of forestry know-how. For example, the European Forest Institute (EFI) and the only Finnish Centre of Expertise in Wood Technology and Forestry are located in Joensuu.
Visit the City of Joensuu online! | Maps and a Web Cam of Joensuu
Local Events
Savonlinna Opera Festival
The Savonlinna Opera Festival is one of the best-known Finnish summer events both in Finland and abroad, and it remains a favorite summer after summer. In 2004, it attracted a total of 72,000 visitors.
Ilosaarirock
Held mid-July, this is the second oldest of Finland’s annual rock festivals.
Karelia Fair
At the beginning of June, this fair offers a variety—from fashion shows to organic food.
Joensuu Night: In late August, a night of events
Opening of Christmas Season: In the Market Square in November
Joensuu Day—November 29th
Celebration of the founding of Joensuu
Don’t forget to stroll through the Market Place of Joensuu! On Saturdays, this is a lively place where you can try Lörtsy—a sweet apple pie—or have a cup of coffee.
Joensuu Art Museum
Includes exhibitions from Antiquities, Chinese art, Central and Southern European paintings and sculptures from the 14th century onwards as well as Finnish art from the19th and the 20th centuries, ceramics.
Olavinlinna Castle
Olavinlinna Castle was supposed to repel Russian attacks from the east and to guarantee the control of the Savo region for the Swedish Crown. The history of Olavinlinna is a mixture of medieval arms clashing, cannons roaring and every-day chores inside the security of the castle’s thick walls.