Ninety nationalities at one stand

HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences (UAS), the leading UAS in Finnish tourism education, brings pieces of the world to the MATKA 2012 Nordic Travel Fair, Helsinki 19.–22.1.2012.

HAAGA-HELIA UAS will aim at increasing awareness of its travel education at MATKA 2012 Nordic Travel Fair arranged on 19th-22nd of January at the Helsinki Exhibition & Convention Centre. HAAGA-HELIA operates as an exhibitor both in the area open for the general public and in the Business Travel Forum organised for professionals in Travel and Tourism industry. At the Fair, HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences will present its education programmes which encourage entrepreneurship and focus on sales- and customer service skills.

HAAGA-HELIA takes care of its international profile in various ways. HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences has 180 partner universities around the world and international students from 90 countries. During their stay at HAAGA-HELIA, students make study trips abroad which helps them get familiar with their future work environment. Students are also encouraged to take part in exchange programmes and do their internships outside of Finland. Internationality will also be the key item on HAAGA-HELIA’s agenda at Nordic Travel Fair. The displays at the stand will feature flavours and aromas of the world, a quiz to test visitors’ knowledge of the world and other travel related activities.

HAAGA-HELIA’s Porvoo and Haaga campuses offer tourism education in Finnish, Swedish, and English. The specialisation of Porvoo Campus is a new study method, the so-called project based learning, which was introduced in January 2011. As a part of the new learning method, the first-year international students of tourism in HAAGA-HELIA Porvoo Campus have planned and organised HAAGA-HELIA’s activities at MATKA2012 Nordic Travel Fair.

“The aim of these projects is to help students to integrate better in working life”, summarises Leena Aitto-oja, a teacher of Corporate Travel and Event Management in Porvoo Campus. ”Through the MATKA2012-project the students will gain knowledge and skills in sales, marketing and event management and could also start networking already during their studies in HAAGA-HELIA”, mentions Aitto-oja.