Record number of degrees completed at TAMK last year
1,851 students completed a Finnish or English bachelor’s degree and 213 students a master’s degree. In 2017 the number of completed degrees was 1,854. The increase was thus significant.
The increase in the number of completed degrees had several causes. One of them is the attention TAMK has paid on academic progress, student counselling and tutoring in the past few years.
“We have monitored closely if students complete 55 credits annually, which is one of the funding criteria for universities of applied sciences. We have intensified student counselling and teacher tutoring in all fields of education. I believe that this plays a major role in the good result,” says Vice President Päivi Karttunen.
According to Karttunen, attention was paid on prolonged studies especially in the field of technology. Students with prolonged studies were contacted personally and their graduation was supported in a variety of ways.
Last year, a number of social and health care professionals also finished their retraining and upgrading of qualifications.
“It has been considered necessary to update old vocational college diplomas in nursing. When changing workplace, the bachelor’s degree tends to improve employment possibilities.”
Students are listened
Student experience has been discussed and developed at TAMK during the last few years. Studying of students’ genuine experiences is a way to help the higher education institution develop its operations comprehensively.
“Last year TAMK studied first-year students’ engagement in their studies. We received valuable information for development of services for present-day and future students.”
Regular and continuous collection and analysis of student feedback may also bring about new means for student counselling and development of education. The aim is that all our students complete their studies. According to Karttunen, good employment situation in the Tampere Region and Finland has not increased interruption of studies.
“We are very satisfied with students understanding the importance of completing their degree.”
Photo: Joel Forsman
