Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences is with Business Finland at the Dubai Expo 2020 world exhibition, which opened its doors in October.
According to Katri Salmi, Haaga-Helia's specialist in international affairs, the exhibition has gone well for the University of Applied Sciences and the students have also enjoyed it.
- The students have said that they have settled in perfectly and enjoyed life under the Dubai sun. At the same time, they also seem to have learned a lot and are currently pulling quite knowledgeable and professional presentations to the pavilion’s guests, she says.
Students acting as guides in Dubai were trained for positions at the Dubai World Expo Academy in cooperation with Business Finland.
The main themes of the academy were knowledge of business and partners, cultural knowledge and customer service skills.
According to Salmi, the students have also come up with their own ideas for the presentations of the Finnish pavilion.
As one example, she mentions Wärtsilä's carbon dioxide coffee machine, which makes coffee for people who answer correctly in the Finnish quiz.
- The presentation thus became not only factual but also fun, inspiring and interactive, Salmi states.
Another idea from the students is related to Finnish music, which is played in front of the pavilion. The students have created their own dances with Finnish flags.
Last Friday, the Finnish pavilion reached the limit of 100,000 visitors, which is clearly above the average of the exhibition's pavilions.
Massive even on a Dubai scale
Dubai World Exhibition was originally scheduled to open as early as October 2020, but due to the corona pandemic, it had to be postponed by a year. This was the first time in the entire 168-year history of World Exhibitions that it was postponed.
The half-year giant event has a budget of almost 7 billion euros and its 4.4 square kilometer exhibition area corresponds to almost the entire center of Helsinki.
According to Salmi, who has previously visited the United Arab Emirates, the World Expo is massive even on a Dubai scale.
- Dubai's overflowing prosperity did not come as a surprise to me, but the grandeur and functionality of the exhibition did make me speechless, she admits.
Cooperation with Business Finland has been smooth and efficient.
Salmi says that she felt welcome and got to know not only the Business Finland team but also the local employees of the exhibition.
- Everyone here is very helpful, she says.
Dubai is also home to many Haaga-Helia alumni with whom Salmi has been in contact virtually. October 31 is marked as an official Finnish celebration day in the exhibition, to which alumni and Haaga-Helia's partners are also welcome to join.
The program for Finland's Day includes for example an official ceremony and a parade in the central square of the World's Fair, as well as a lunch for invited guests.
In addition, a seminar on the circular economy and a "Party Like A Finn" cocktail event will be also held on Finland's Day.
