Press release: The largest commercial degree programme co-operation in Finnish history to Kenya

EduExellence Ltd, a Finnish global education service provider company, Kenyan government and Skill Dove Ltd have agreed on the execution of on-demand degree programmes in Laurea and Metropolia Universities of Applied Sciences and Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia.  The degree program co-operation offers education as a nurse and a physiotherapist at Laurea UAS, information technology at Metropolia UAS and a vocational degree in nursing at Gradia.

Kenya has a very high demand in healthcare sector, especially in nursing. Growing demand has led to interest in education in Europe and especially in Finland. The new degree groups in both educational organizations are historically large with 450 students. The cost of the first phase co-operation is already over 10 million euros. The majority of the students are from Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, and already selected students will begin the process by studying the Finnish language and culture. Many of them will seek for employment after graduation and hence their skills will be a part of developing the Kenyan society. The implementation can also contribute to the shortage of skills and workforce in Finland, as well as strengthen co-operation with workplaces from the perspective of future needs and work-related immigration. 

The principals of the universities and the consortium are impressed by the degree program co-operation and its significance. 

“This collaborative project offers students from different backgrounds an equal opportunity to study in Finland and Laurea. – – The experts of our university have praised the high level of competence of the participants in the entrance exam, so we believe they will be excellent in their studies”, said Jouni Koski, the principal of Laurea UAS.

“This agreement perfectly combines many important things. The student acquires high-level Finnish technological know-how and thereby professional competence. – – This is a significant opening for the Finnish society in terms of exporting high know-how, where a small country has a great chances of succeeding”, said Riitta Konkola, the principle of Metropolia UAS.

“The Finnish way of implementing vocational education in co-operation with working-life has aroused interest in the world. At Gradia, we want to be pioneers in the export of vocational education and thus part of implementing a Finnish education export strategy. We are convinced that the students from Kenya will be highly motivated and eager to learn, and will return to Kenya to develop local working life with the latest lessons. At the same time through international encounters, we are strengthening our own skills as a provider of vocational education and as an international expert”, said Pirjo Kauhanen, the principal of Gradia. 

“This is fully commercial operation without any financial subvention from Finland. The local government wants to invest to the human capital to be able to get world-class trained workforce and to develop the local education system in the future. We are really looking forward to have a long-lasting co-operation with Kenya”, said Jan-Markus Holm, the CEO of EduExellence Ltd. 

More information:

Jan-Markus Holm

CEO, EduExellence Ltd

jan-markus.holm@eduexellence.fi

Tel 040 5738 009

EduExellence Ltd: EduExellence is a global education service provider of three major metropolitan-area Universities of Applied Sciences (Haaga-Helia, Laurea and Metropolia).

 

 

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