Tiia Manninen, who has settled in Iceland, took her path to university of applied sciences studies through the Finnish army, and entrepreneurship. A young well-being entrepreneur from Saarijärvi felt the need to deepen her entrepreneurial skills, and at the same time gain more international expertise and stay close to his own business area. Therefore, Manninen's choice was the International Business degree programme at Jamk University of Applied Sciences.
Entrepreneurship as the guiding star of studies
Jamk University of Applied Sciences spoke of applied research and made Manninen expect concrete benefits for entrepreneurship. That is why the theoretical nature of basic studies surprised Manninen. 'I wanted to gain more understanding and learn about entrepreneurship, and maybe I wasn't aiming for top grades for study attainments,' she recalls the beginning of her higher education path.
The international group of business students was a nice surprise. 'Students had different needs and expectations for higher education. We were at very different stages of our life paths," Manninen says. She praises the fact that Jamk has strong trust in students, and no ready-made forced mold was offered for progressing in studies. The amount of support offered during the studies was also positive.
Based in Reykjavik
Tiia Manninen's studies coincided with the years of coronavirus lockdowns. The studies that began in 2018 were partly put on hold during the pandemic years, as Manninen focused mainly on developing her own company. At the same time, she moved to Iceland, from where she could complete her studies remotely.
Manninen wanted to take advantage of the opportunities offered by her studies for international experiences. As a freemover, she was admitted to the University of Reykjavík as an independent exchange student. Manninen is pleased with how smoothly the freemover exchange arrangements work in both Jamk and Reykjavik. In Reykjavík, Tiia Manninen particularly appreciated the diverse teaching methods, general diversity and a wide range of courses on sustainable business.
Harvard challenged and rewarded
Tiia Manninen made another study exchange at Harvard University in Boston, USA. Harvard was chosen as an exchange destination because Manninen wanted to challenge herself. "I wondered what would be the craziest thing I could do at this stage of my life," she laughs.
The intensive Summer School was both academically demanding and rewarding. During the studies, the topics were dealt with in a very conversational manner, and this initially challenged the Finn. Working in a multidisciplinary and multicultural environment was rewarding and enlightening. "Harvard taught me to defend my own points of view, clarified my own values and developed my debating and argumentation skills in a foreign language," Manninen praises.
Seize the opportunities of internationalization
Tiia Manninen advises those interested in different study exchanges to reserve time for the selection process, visas and other practical matters. "The experience is definitely worthwhile, even if it may be laborious at times!" she encourages.
The exchange periods also brought perspective to Finnish higher education studies. In Finland, studies are quite free and flexible compared to international peers. "On the other hand, inclusivity and diverse teaching methods should be brought to Finland even more strongly," Manninen says. The fact that Finnish education is free of charge is a value that is better understood when you have had to invest in various study fees abroad.
Internship in Uganda
At the end of her studies in 2024, Tiia Manninen wanted to explore yet another new country and continent and went on an internship in Uganda. The organisation that offered the internship, focusing on improving women's educational opportunities and promoting economic independence, appreciated Manninen's expertise. The training was rewarding but hard. The two-month practical training took place in Kitala, Entebbe.
"The internship was very educational, both culturally and personally. Seeing total poverty was hard and the phenomena related to poverty became clearer," Manninen describes. Manninen was supported during the internship by a local team. She also praises Jamk's support and flexibility in this exceptional internship location. After the internship, Manninen and the organisation have developed a long-term relationship, and today they are working on building a vocational school in the area.
A study path tailored to you
Before the internship, Manninen wrote an interdisciplinary thesis, which expanded Manninen's knowledge of Finnish legislation. Writing her thesis also made Manninen even more excited about research and the academic path. "During the process, I really got to learn how to lead myself."
'I wouldn't change anything in my studies, because everything has been enriching,' Manninen smiles. She encourages higher education students to make their degree their own, because comparisons with others are never worthwhile. "School is meant to support your life path, not the other way around," she emphasizes. Jamk is very flexible and internationality is strongly supported, and Manninen encourages people to utilise these throughout their studies.
Network of Women Entrepreneurs
During her studies, Manninen would have liked to get stronger support for entrepreneurship. Manninen took advantage of the Business Factory Incubator service and completed the entrepreneurship studies offered. Manninen found the the incubator in particular useful, but felt that supporting entrepreneurship ended there.
'It would be great if Jamk had a community that supports especially female entrepreneurs and those interested in entrepreneurship, consisting of both entrepreneurial students and alumni,' Manninen ponders. "The peer network is worth its weight in gold, and women still need strong support on the path to entrepreneurship."
If you are interested in such a network, please contact Tiia Manninen on Linkedin!
