Record number of degrees completed at SAMK in 2020 – the quality of education evaluated the best in Finland

Continuing education credits totalled 27,500 last year, with the figure from the previous year being 18,100.

– We have managed to support our students well in the times of corona pandemic. SAMK changed to online teaching in March 2020, and in the autumn a hybrid model was taken into use; both of these measures proved to be functioning. The students of SAMK have good skills for multiform studies, states Jari Multisilta, the President and Managing Director of SAMK.

The quality of education did not suffer from the record number of completed degrees and credits – on the contrary. According to the answers of AVOP survey (University of Applied Sciences Graduand Feedback Questionnaire) the quality of education at SAMK was considered the best of all the universities of applied sciences in Finland. SAMK has received excellent results related to education also earlier, but the result received now is the best result in a five-year period.

– The positive feedback from the students encourages us to continue our work. I am especially proud of the fact that the students regard the education given at SAMK as the best in Finland. I want to thank the whole personnel of SAMK for this achievement, Multisilta points out.

SAMK was the runner-up of all the universities of applied Sciences in Finland regarding the average of all the replies in the AVOP survey.

According to the graduates from last year, SAMK was evaluated as the second best in Finland in the replies of those who graduated with a Master´s degree, in satisfaction in studies, in planning and counselling of studies, in learning environments and in student support services.

SAMK´s strategic cooperation partner Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (SeAMK) succeeded also excellently in the AVOP survey. SeAMK was evaluated as the best in Finland with the highest average of all the questions in the survey.

AVOP – Graduand feedback questionnaire asks graduating students to evaluate and provide feedback on their education. The findings are used locally by institutions to improve their institutional processes and practices and nationally to inform performance-based monitoring and funding. All graduating degree students from universities of applied sciences are requested to fill out the questionnaire.

Collected personal data is used to fetch information related to person’s study right from VIRTA – higher education achievement register as background information to create a respondent ID and enable the use of electronic graduate feedback questionnaire. The collected personal data is not transferred to the AVOP-survey and your answers to the survey are handled anonymously.

The questionnaire was developed in close cooperation with the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (ARENE), the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK), Foundation for Research on Studying and Education (OTUS) and the Ministry for Education and Culture. The responsibility for development and implementation of the questionnaire lies with Arene.