With my Bachelor degree in Business Administration and two years of work experience in Accounting and Finance, I wanted to deepen my knowledge and add more relevant theoretical perspective to my major. With this intention I came to Finland to study Financial and Management Accounting (FMA) in Oulu Business School. The reason of choosing Oulu University is its world-wide reputation and excellent research environment.

I enjoy the learning atmosphere here the most. Students are encouraged to ask questions during lectures. There is no distance between teachers and students. Teachers are very friendly and helpful. It is common to address them by names instead of titles.

It was August 2013, when I arrived to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) campus and was ready to start an exceptional double degree exchange period in the United States. Even though it was my second time as an exchange student (Hong Kong, 2010), the first days were extremely exiting while meeting new people from around the world as well as digging around the new surroundings within which I was about to live the next nine months.  

Looking back at the previous term 2012-2013, the OBS mentoring programme was the most extensive initiative to connect students with company representatives. Mentoring was also a refreshing change to normal day routines for the staff! In addition to the 27 mentors – some already familiar from previous years’ mentoring programmes – and 35 participating students, staff and faculty from the Dean and Vice Dean to programme coordinators and various university services were involved.

Exchange in Oulu – preparing for the adventure!

As a FMA master student I can say that it has been an invaluable experience to study in Finland and particularly in Oulu Business School. I still remember the time when I got the email where it said that I was accepted to study at the Financial and Management Accounting master programme, I remember being overjoyed and already thinking how my experience in this new foreign country would be like.

In the blog text two young doctors, Hanna and Anita, share their experiences and feelings of preparing to the promotion.