Reviews of Haaga Ammattikorkeakoulu (HIAMK) | Finland

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Katia L

Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
Hospitality, Catering / Hotel Management, Graduate, Erasmus

Overall

I wish I had known...

not exactly.

In my opinion:

I loved it but I'm not sure everybody would.

Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important

Academic reasons

4

Culture

3

Costs

2

Activities

2

Campus life

3

Party / people

4

Weather / location

2

Personal recommendation

In my opinio soup and the main course should be considered one whole meal and not independents meal choices. About the lecturers are in generally friendly and the dirctor of the degree that is also Professor is really funny and nice person but there is one thatI dont know if I like him or not because he (David Murray) screams with the students as if we are in the last century and in the class 1, in my opinion he is sometimes rude....but other times he gives nice tips about the world.Students can do nothing since their grade depend of him....

During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot

Became familiar with another culture

3

Traveled

3

Improved language skills

4

Met people from other countries

3

Became more independent

3

Partied a lot

2

Experienced a change in life

3

Advanced my studies & career

3

Final comments

Good and warm clothes as jacket,boots, glooves and hat. Cold isjust a question of clothing. Becareful when the snow is melting it becames ice and it is easy to fall.

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Katia L

Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
Hospitality, Catering / Hotel Management, Graduate, Erasmus

Academic

Course recommendations

Even if a student have enrolled to make a course that same course can be canceled a few days before start due to a not suficient number of students that take that same course. The courses choices or schedules are know only a few weeks before each period, indeed it is hard to predict which course can a student take.

My academic experiences

Quality of courses

Variety of courses

Access to resources

Interaction with teachers

Interaction with international students

Interaction with local students

Personal comments

Sure.Exchange, International and local students shold be introduced to each other. Some times the human environment is cold.Make some parties that could gather all students in a great atmossphere.

My opinion of the university assessment

Exams at end of course

Exams throughout the course

Essays and/or projects at the end of course

Essays and/or projects throughout the course

Overall

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Katia L

Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
Hospitality, Catering / Hotel Management, Graduate, Erasmus

Languages

Language of instruction: English

Local language was: Different than language of instruction

Was learning English a key decision factor?

Yes, I wanted to improve my English

Was learning the local language a key decision factor?

Yes, I wanted to improve my the local language

How much did you improve your English?

My level before: At ease in most situations
My level after: No problems in any areas (including slang)

How much did you improve your the local language?

My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: Basic phrases

Language difficulties

Social

Educational

Administrative / Institutional

Overall

Personal comments

I have improved a lot my english language skill mainly in what concerns to technical terms, eg. accounting and marketing courses, but in general it was really good and it worth the experience.

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Katia L

Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
Hospitality, Catering / Hotel Management, Graduate, Erasmus

Expenses

Main source of funding:

Family

Other sources of funding:

Personal savings

Work opportunities:

I worked during my study abroad experience

Personal spending habits

Finland has a cost of life much more expensive than Portugal. Another point is the way they manage the pubs and bars, because people are obliget to pay arround 10€ to get into the pubs and also onligated to pay plus 2€ to leave the jacket on the closet...not even mentioning that then people will consume some beverage which rises the price of the nightlife.

Travel, Nightlife, Telephone, Housing, Overall, Food:

was more expensive than at home.

Accessibility of student needs

Second-hand text books

Second-hand household items

Computers / Internet

Administrative

Money from home

Personal comments

It was suppose I have internet since the first day because it make part of the rent, still they took 1 month and half to solve my situation and the housing responsibles (HOAS) and the internet company (Sonera) couldn't understand each other, moreover they lay all the time throw that period saying that in the follow day or week my internet connection would be established and I had to call every single day, at least twice per day remembering them about their fault and that the contract I signed mentioned internet facilities. So, I spend arround 600€ in mobil phone calling to my country in order to talk with my family and with my university. Besides that it was a waiste of time that i couldnt make internet research at home or advance my assignments, so I also spent more money travelling t go to the university. Surprising isn't it?!

Useful | 1

Katia L

Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
Hospitality, Catering / Hotel Management, Graduate, Erasmus

Housing

Type of housing: HOAS

Arranged by: Host university

If returning, I would choose: In the city centre

Why?

A Flat in the city centre brings more facilities in terms of shopping, entertainment and socialisation.

Personal assessment

Cost

Facilities

Location

Cleanliness

Space

Personal comments

In Finland they separate students firstly by the sex and then they gather the students in the same flat by the same nationalities.Mixed with other nationalities and share the flat with both sex would be much more interesting. That makes part of the exchange programm. Living with peole from the same countries will only make people to gather in groups from the same country besides that some of them cant perform their english. Hopefully there was no more portuguese students besides me.

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