Studies, cycling and blueberries – Oulu won over new international students

Mia Chen and Yomal Fernando are eagerly waiting for the start of their master’s studies. The two became friends during the Kickstart course held in August, where incoming international students got the chance to learn the language, get to know Oulu, and meet fellow students. Both agree the course was an excellent way to begin their studies in a new country.

“I made wonderful friends during the course. It made starting a new life in Oulu much easier,” says Chen, who is living abroad for the first time.

Some preconceptions have already been dispelled.

“Who said Finns aren’t talkative! My very first train ride to Oulu proved that wrong. Especially the grandmothers I met were just lovely,” Fernando says.

New insight to game development from educational sciences

In her home country of China, Mia Chen developed children’s games after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Media Art. While working in the gaming industry, she began to understand how much impact games can have on children and became inspired to design interactive learning applications.

“Children are more sensitive than adults to what they encounter. We have a big responsibility for the kinds of games and applications we design for them,” she says.

After this realization, Chen wanted to study further. Finland’s highly regarded education system encouraged her to apply, and at the University of Oulu she found the master’s programme Learning, Education and Technology, which brings together her interests.

After graduating, Chen plans to work in the technology field as a designer of educational materials. She is especially interested in games and interactive approaches that combine teaching and technology.

“We live in an age of technology. While technology can sometimes be addictive or distracting, it can also be used to make learning more engaging and effective.”

A passion for disease prevention led to further studies

For Yomal Fernando, originally from Sri Lanka, the motivation to come to Oulu was a desire to learn more about how diseases can be prevented by using population-level data. In his home country, he worked as a medical doctor and saw how even young patients suffered from illnesses caused by poor diet and lack of exercise.

In Oulu, he found the master’s programme Epidemiology and Biomedical Data Science, which uses extensive health databases to improve public health. He is especially interested in the University of Oulu’s long experience in utilizing large datasets.

“This is a unique programme that gives doctors the chance to learn how biomedical data can be combined with epidemiology. This combination helps us better understand human behaviour – and perhaps even prevent people from getting sick.”

Fernando’s goal is to continue on to doctoral studies after completing his master’s degree.

“Everyone carries a smart device in their pocket, but the information we generate is not being used. I want to reach a level where I can make a real impact. In my dreams, countries like mine will have digital systems that use data.”

Fernando appreciates the student-centered approach of Finnish university teaching. Students are treated as individuals, and the university staff are helpful. One encounter on his first day at the Kontinkangas campus left a strong impression.

"I was impressed by a passing professor who volunteered to help me on day one when I was lost on campus. Experiences like these have made me really attracted to this place."

Cycling, forests and blueberries

Oulu has made such a good impression on both Chen and Fernando that they both hope to work in Finland in the future. Along with the people and their studies, they are drawn to the natural environment.

For Chen, the forests quickly became an important part of life in Oulu.

“I love spending my free time in nature – picking blueberries, cycling through the woods, or just wandering around. The forests make me feel calm and relaxed,” she says.

Fernando’s number one hobby is cycling. A passionate advocate of cycling, he first heard of Oulu’s excellent network of bike paths. A bicycle was in fact his very first purchase upon arriving in the city.

"In my experience, cycling is the most joyful form of human transportation. I rarely see a cyclist in a bad mood, yet I frequently witness anger and frustration from those behind the wheel of a car."

Text: Terhi Suominen