Metropolia passed FINEEC’s audit – particular strengths include participatory operating culture and diverse learning environments
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences passed the audit conducted by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC) and was awarded a quality label for six years. Metropolia received special praise from the audit team for a clear strategy, which is well-known among employees. As a continuous development principle, the PDCA cycle is a cornerstone of Metropolia’s quality work. Innovation hubs provide an exceptionally good development platform based on innovation and ecosystem thinking.
Education supports target-oriented learning
Metropolia focuses on student-centred teaching, personal learning processes and the diversity of students and their needs. The HEI offers students solid subject-specific core, which enables them to reach the envisaged learning outcomes. Students are well integrated into working life and have the opportunity to learn in authentic learning environments.
Metropolia continuously observes the students’ learning processes, and problems and difficulties are dealt with in cooperation between students, student services and academics. Students and external stakeholders participate in education planning, mainly on the advisory boards of degree programmes and schools. However, the external stakeholders and students should be more involved in the evidence-based enhancement of degree programmes.
‘Metropolia spirit’ encourages a creative atmosphere
Metropolia’s aim to put people first is reflected in its actions. The audit visit showed that the phenomenon-based approach, superb facilities and ‘Metropolia spirit’ encourage and enable creativity. The tendency to generate suggestions for improvement on a low-threshold level and dialogical manner was also visible.
“The ‘Metropolia spirit’ could be easily perceived during audit interviews with staff. Continuous improvement is clearly part of every employee’s mindset. However, it also turned out that responsibilities within this complex quality management still need clarification. The audit team recommends more intensive communication about the goals, instruments, and role distribution of the quality system on the operational level”, says Andreas Breinbauer, chair of the audit team and rector of a Fachhochschule des BFI Wien, Austria.
“I am particularly happy that the audit team has identified our "Metropolia spirit" and the strategy as key strengths guiding our operations and that we have succeeded in putting the strategy into practice. Our quality system based on continuous development promotes our operations in all our areas. We will continue the systematic development of the quality system in accordance with the development recommendations received from the audit”, says Riitta Konkola, CEO, President of Metropolia.
Innovation hubs provide a powerful development platform for innovation and ecosystem thinking
Metropolia is a multidisciplinary and artistic community which provides a first-rate opportunity to exchange ideas across sectoral boundaries. Innovation hubs provide a good development platform based on innovation and ecosystem thinking and create an excellent link between RDI and education, which benefits the students working on it and the working life partner.
The audit report is available on FINEEC’s audit platform.
More information
Riitta Konkola
President, CEO, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Virve Kentta
Business Architect, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences