# Kuopio is not just a city and Savonia is not just a university

> Professor Kay Berkling from DHBW Ravensburg spent the whole week visiting Kuopio and Savonia.

## A Seamless Integration of Life and Learning
Kuopio and Savonia are deeply intertwined. The university is conveniently located near the town and industry, connected to a vocational school where students often hold jobs. The city’s layout encourages a seamless blend of working, studying, and living. With bright evenings, citizens of all ages utilize the market place, beach promenade, and outdoor training rooms, reflecting a culture that embraces the outdoors.

## The Savonia Campus Experience
Upon entering the Savonia University of Applied Sciences, the environment is vibrant and welcoming. The building features floors color-coded in green, orange, pink, yellow, and blue, which help signify different fields of study—for instance, music is associated with pink and engineering with orange.

The campus design prioritizes flexibility and comfort. Teachers have access to various room formats—single, double, remote, hybrid, or lounge-style—to suit different interaction needs. The inclusion of "family" kitchens and comfortable, home-like spaces contributes to a warm atmosphere. It is notable that Savonia was recognized as the best place to work in Finland for large companies in 2023.

## Applied Science and Industry Cooperation
Savonia is deeply integrated with industry through three primary channels:
1. **Concurrent Work and Study:** Many students work in their fields while pursuing their degrees.
2. **Collaborative Research:** Teachers actively cooperate with industry partners on projects and research.
3. **Integrated Curriculum:** Industry is brought into the classroom through projects, guest speakers, and teaching contracts.

The campus laboratories are extensive and open, featuring glass walls that encourage curiosity. The hallways are designed as living spaces where students can work, experiment, and collaborate, fostering an interdisciplinary environment where students from different fields—such as jewelry making and mechanical engineering—can interact.

## The Future of Education: Skills and Digitalization
A key highlight of the visit was the **DigiVisio** platform, a universal student advising tool. This system allows students to track past coursework, receive personalized recommendations, and plan learning paths based on their profiles.

This infrastructure supports a potential paradigm shift in European education:
* **Skills-based Degrees:** Moving away from predefined curricula toward recognizing skills acquired across various learning opportunities.
* **Microcredentials:** Integrating smaller learning units seamlessly into degree programs.
* **Global Mobility:** Envisioning a future where students can take classes across different universities and countries, with credits and skills matched to their personal bachelor paths.

The vision for the future involves a "Tinder-like" matching system for skills, where students can connect with industry partners for internships, project supervision, or research opportunities even before graduation. This would allow students to choose classes not just for the subject matter, but for teaching styles and industry-aligned projects that match their personal goals and professional aspirations.