Monitoring Natural Waters

#savoniaUAS

Monitoring Natural Waters, 5 ECTS

Natural waters are a critical natural resource all over the world and working towards cleaner waters is a common goal for all of us. Savonia and partner universities arrange Erasmus+ Blended Erasmus Intensive Programs in various study fields, this “Monitoring Natural Waters” is one of them. This BIP coordinated by Department of Environmental Technology focuses on the global challenge aiming at improving the purity of natural waters.

The purpose of the intensive week is to get to know the essence natural waters, main factors influencing water quality and catchment area -based monitoring of water bodies. The course not only include virtual independent assignments and lectures, but students will also be working on a Finnish lake and Savonia UAS water laboratory in mixed teams. Practical field exercises are supervised by the Savonia UAS lecturers to get a better understanding of the natural lake environment and monitoring of its ecological status.
The physical mobility teaching period of the course will take place during August or September 2026.

Dates

Virtual introductory studies: 10–30 August 2026
Intensive week in Kuopio: 31 August – 4 September 2026
Concluding virtual studies: 7–30 September 2026

What you will learn

The content of the lectures, workshops and field works will include topics like

ecological status and condition of Finland’s natural waters,
current and future threats to water quality,
catchment area as a starting point for water protection,
monitoring water quality and hydrological measurements

At the end of the program, students have more information how you can influence the quality of water bodies and have better understanding of working together towards cleaner natural waters. Students also gain valuable experience working in the field and get to know Finnish nature in a tangible way.

Teaching methods

This blended intensive program consists of three parts, first introductory virtual studies, then physical mobility period (5 days) at Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Kuopio, Finland) and finally conclusive virtual studies. Students can do virtual studies independently using the tasks and study materials provided by the learning environment (MOOC).

This physical mobility period at Kuopio starts with determining the catchment area, include practical work in the field and laboratory and ends with analyzing the results together at the campus.

The five-day study period in Kuopio includes studying on campus and in the field as follows:

Day 1: Orientation with field exercises (on campus),
Days 2 and 3: Field exercises at the Pieni-Valkeinen lake (on site),
Day 4: Water analyzes in the laboratory (on campus),
Day 5: Analysis and summary of the results (on campus)

Practical information

The get together event will be held in one of the many local saunas, where you can have dinner and relax in the amazing lake views and get to know Finland’s clean natural waters, for example by swimming. Local students will take you along to the social events happening during the week.

What is the Finnish culture like? Let’s have a look!

Accommodation

Housing in hostels / AirBnb costs approx. 60-80 € / night in a 2-person room / apartment.

Airbnb
Booking
Hostel Matkustajakoti
Hostel Hermanni
Hotel Savonia
Forenom Aparthotel Kuopio
Aseman portti
Hotels in Kuopio-Tahko area

Savonia Microkatu campus can be reached by local buses:
https://www.savonia.fi/en/savonia-uas/campuses/visit-us/

Finances

Joining the intensive week is free of charge for the selected students of Savonia’s partner universities. However, you must take care of your own living expenses. Basic student lunch at the campus restaurant is 2,95€, including a variety of salads, a main course, bread, and a glass of milk/juice/home-made beer (water not limited).

Ask your home university about the possibility to get an Erasmus+ grant to cover your travel and accommodation expenses.

How to arrive to Kuopio

The intensive week is arranged at Savonia UAS Microkatu campus (Microkatu 1) in Kuopio. The distance between Helsinki and Kuopio is 400 km.

You can travel to Kuopio by plane, bus or train.

Train ticket (one way) costs approx. 25-45 €. Trains are leaving from the Helsinki city center or Helsinki airport.
Bus ticket (one way) costs approx. 15-30 €. Buses are leaving from Helsinki airport and from city center bus station (Kamppi).
Finnair flies to Kuopio several times a day from Helsinki. Ticket prices vary normally (one way) from 100 to 200 €.

Connections & timetables

Trains: http://www.vr.fi/en/
Buses: http://www.matkahuolto.fi/en
Flights: http://www.finnair.fi

From Kuopio airport you can either take a taxi (e.g. Taksi1 or Menevä Taksi) or a local bus to Kuopio city center. The bus between the city center and airport operates on weekdays (Mon-Fri) only.