Fulbright Capacity-Building Workshop: Fulbright Center Services & Attracting U.S. Students to Finland

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Helsinki

The first day of the workshop is targeted for the people working in the international offices of Finnish universities and Fulbright Center contact persons, and is by invitation only. It will focus on the ways Finnish universities can take advantage of the internationalization services provided by the Fulbright Center and the ways to collaborate with the Fulbright Center. The event is free of charge, but the space is limited to 35 people.

The second day will center specifically on strategies to help Finnish universities to better attract American students by discussing their perspective and motivations for study abroad. The second day will also cover marketing tools and strategies to better target U.S. students considering study abroad programs, and to help Finnish institutions develop their processes to better take into account the specific needs of U.S. students. Thursday's program is open for public and free of charge!

Program

Day I April 6, 2016: Fulbright Center Services

By invitation only (the space is limited to 35)
The presentations will be in Finnish

Hakaniemenranta 6, 00530 Helsinki
Conference Room Karppi, 1st floor

9:00 Coffee

9:15 Welcome to the Fulbright Center
Terhi Mölsä, Executive Director, Fulbright Center

  • Fulbright Center and its services
  • What is the Fulbright program?

9:35 Participant Introductions

9:45 Grant Programs
Sonja Kuosmanen, Program Coordinator, Fulbright Center
Karoliina Kokko, Senior Program Manager, Fulbright Center

  • Overview
  • Special features
  • How can my university increase staff and student mobility through Fulbright programs?

11:00 Break

11:15 Advising (in-bound and out-bound)
Johanna Lahti, Deputy Director, Fulbright Center (slides)

  • Fulbright Center, EducationUSA, and USA StudyAbroad (U.S. Department of State)

Fulbright Speaker Program
Mirka McIntire, Manager, Teacher Exchange and Education Programs, Fulbright Center

12:00 Lunch

13:30 Higher Education Expert Study Tours to the U.S.
Karoliina Kokko, Senior Program Manager, Fulbright Center
Kimmo Kuortti, Director of Recruitment, Admissions and International Services, University of Oulu
Elina Reponen, Community Relations Specialist, Lappeenranta University of Technology

  • Overview
  • How can I participate?
  • Experiences from the Study Tour

14:00 Experiences from the Fulbright Program
Dr. Hanna Lehtimäki, Professor, Business School, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio
Mr. Heikki Saxén, Chairman of the Board at the Finnish Institute of Bioethics, Doctoral Student at the University of Tampere
Dr. Jussi Kivistö, University Lecturer, Adjunct Professor, University of Tampere, School of Management
Dr. Erkko Sointu, Postdoctoral Researcher, Faculty of Education, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu
Dr. Matthew Lambert, Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Fulbright Specialist 2015–2016

  • grantee and home & host institution perspectives

14:45 Coffee Break

15:00 Expert Services and Institutional Advising
Terhi Mölsä, Executive Director, Fulbright Center

  • Overview
  • Seminars
  • Roundtable discussions on current themes

15:20 How to Stay Up-to-Date on Fulbright Center Activities and News?
Johanna Lahti, Deputy Director, Fulbright Center

15:35 Wrap-Up Conversation
Johanna Lahti, Deputy Director, Fulbright Center

  • Do you have ideas for improvements that you would like to propose?
  • What kinds of things could the Fulbright Center do for your institution?
  • How can the Fulbright Center better respond to the internationalization need of your institution?

Chance to Have One-on-One Discussions with FC Team Members
FC team members are available for the seminar participants for questions and further discussions.

  • Would your institution be interested in sponsoring a Fulbright grant?
  • Would you be interested in participating in a Study Tour?
  • What kinds of things could the Fulbright Center do for your institution?

16:15 End of Day I

16:30-18:00 Reception Hosted by Ministry of Education and Culture

 

Day II April 7, 2016: Attracting U.S. Students to Finland

The presentations will be in English

Hakaniemenranta 6, 00530 Helsinki
Monikäyttötila, 1st floor

8:45 Coffee

9:00 Welcome Remarks and Introductions
Terhi Mölsä, Executive Director, Fulbright Center

9:15 Attracting U.S. Students: Tips and Pitfalls
Nelson Furtado, Analyst, Illuminate Consulting Group, San Carlos, CA, U.S.

Motivation and Decision-Making of U.S. Students and Their Families

  • Why do U.S. students want to study abroad?
  • What obstacles do they fear?
  • U.S. students as customers: what are their expectations in the application phase and when searching for university options?
  • Role of Advisors in Getting U.S. Students to Apply for Study Abroad

Facing the Paradigm Change: Tuition Fees and Attracting Students

  • What are key messages for Finnish higher education institutions to present to U.S. students when recruiting with tuition fees?
  • What are the future academic and career opportunities for U.S. graduates of Finnish degree programs in Finland, the U.S., and internationally?

11:15 Lunch

12:15 How to Reach U.S. Students?
Nelson Furtado, Analyst, Illuminate Consulting Group, San Carlos, CA, U.S. (slides)

  • Recruiting fairs
  • Feeder schools/partner institutions
  • Informational events
  • Alumni involvement
  • Social media, web content, and recruiting portals
  • Others

13:00 Best Practices and Success Stories of Recruiting U.S. Students
Katri Ventus, Specialist, Learning Services, Aalto University 
Risto Korkia-Aho, International Coordinator, Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences JAMK
Nelson Furtado, Analyst, Illuminate Consulting Group, San Carlos, CA, U.S.

  • Recruitment of degree students, exchange students, and short-term visitors - Finnish examples and examples abroad

13:45 Coffee Break

14:00 Panel Discussion: U.S. Students’ Perspectives, Motivations, and Challenges in Entering the Finnish University System
Fulbright U.S. Student Program grantees and alumni:

Facilitator: Dr. Leasa Weimer, Knowledge Development Adviser, EAIE European Association for International Education, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Benjamin Alldritt, Engineering Physics Master's Student, Aalto University
Stephen Horvath, Energy Technology Master's Student, Lappeenranta University of Technology
Kenneth Lai, Religious History Master's Student, University of Helsinki
Karli-Jo Storm, Russian and Border Studies Doctoral Student, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu

15.00 Panel Discussion: How can the Finnish Ministry of Education, CIMO and Fulbright Finland Help Finnish Universities Attract Students from the U.S.? Whose Job Is It Anyway?
Facilitator: Dr. Leasa Weimer, Knowledge Development Adviser, EAIE European Association for International Education, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Tiina Vihma-Purovaara, Counsellor of Education, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture
Juha Ketolainen, Assistant Director, Centre for International Mobility, CIMO
Terhi Mölsä, Executive Director, Fulbright Center

15.45 Closing Words
Terhi Mölsä, Executive Director, Fulbright Center