Business, networking and Northern Lights – BIP course connected international guests and local businesses
How do international markets open up for businesses? This is what many North Savo companies are wondering. Different countries and regions have differing markets and business cultures, so any concrete insights and contacts are needed when making plans. As a business-oriented and international University of Applied Sciences, Savonia’s mission is to promote growth, profitability and internationalisation in the region’s core industries.
The students identifies opportunities for internationalisation
In March, Savonia UAS hosted guests from the Netherlands and Germany for an international Erasmus+ BIP (Blended Intensive Programme) week. Together with Savonia students, the international students spent a week in groups working on solutions for sustainable, international growth and concretely planning a roadmap for their client companies to the Central European market. They were guided by the organiser of the week, RDI expert and lecturer Jari Niemelä, and visiting professors Marco Thomisch from Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg and Rint Hestra from NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences.
Three client companies, Innokem, a technochemical company specialising in cleaning and coating products and solutions, PlanetAmino, a producer of protein biscuits made from plant protein, and Biobros, a provider of water and wastewater treatment solutions, are all either interested in or have already entered the Central European market.
Networking provides lessons for the future
During the week, the groups worked under the guidance of their teachers, but mostly independently, as decided with the client company. The programme also included joint lectures and visits to Savonia and Kuopio: the students went to a KalPa ice hockey match, took a sauna and the most daring ones tried ice swimming in the open water.
Maximlian Haas, Nina Ersfeld, Adithya Raj and Nicolás Oliver were all in Finland for the first time. They found the experience excellent.
“It has been fun, we have learned about the Finnish culture as well as the cultures of all the participants. We have also had the opportunity to get to know our client company and its products and to think about how to open doors to the Dutch market,” they say.
Working with the real companies and customers has been an educational experience. Networking, with companies, teachers and other students, is also essential.
“I want to be a business owner after my studies, so this has been very instructive. It has been interesting to hear the ideas and views of entrepreneurs and to practice networking,” says Adithya Raj.
Experiencing the Finnish winter
The leisure programme has also been enjoyable. The students all went to a hockey match for the first time in their lives. The high-speed sport impressed them.
“Situations come so fast that you really have to concentrate on the game. If you miss something, you can’t get a replay,” they say.
Taking a sauna and swimming in the open water was also a great experience.
“It was one of the things we were most looking forward to in Finland!
Maximilian Haas’ highlight of the week was seeing the northern lights blazing in the sky.
“It was amazing, I have never seen them in nature before.”
Fresh ideas and affirmation thoughts
In addition to leisure activities, people worked hard. Jari Niemelä praises the motivation of the students. The participants had come to the week to learn. Working was very self-directed.
On Friday, the teams presented the results to representatives of client companies and received feedback on their presentation and work from companies and teachers.
Ari Kuikka, CEO of Innokem, said the company is currently going through a growth phase and internationalisation is a current theme for them in many ways.
“It was interesting to hear other people’s ideas. The students’ views confirmed my own thinking. Competition is tough and if you want to stand out, you must do something different from others. I also came up with some completely new ideas that we will be working on further.”
Kuikka was satisfied with the experience:
“I got the feeling that the students were really committed to the project and also made an effort. I briefed the students at the beginning of the week and during the week there were phone calls and emails. The supervising teachers were also very engaged. I consider this kind of cooperation with companies and Savonia to be a valuable thing.”
Simo Putkuri, entrepreneur at PlanetAmino, also appreciates the cooperation.
“I have similar experience from my own student days and I wanted to offer students the opportunity myself. When working with students, the task must be clear and concrete, something that is genuinely useful to them. And you have to accept that there can be a wide range of results.”
Putkuri says the presentation gave him some good ideas that he will continue to reflect on. He also found it interesting to hear presentations for other client companies. Although the industries are different, some of the ideas can also be applied to his own business: “After all, what happens in the company afterwards is crucial. Overall, this project was a positive experience. I am looking forward to cooperate in the future.”
