The Finnish Olympic Committee Grants Metropolia a Quality Label for Supporting Dual Careers of Elite Athletes

The Finnish Olympic Committee has awarded Metropolia University of Applied Sciences the official certificate for an Elite Athlete Friendly University. This recognition affirms Metropolia’s strong commitment to supporting student-athletes in successfully combining their academic and athletic careers.

According to the Finnish Olympic Committee, Metropolia offers a broad range of study opportunities and student support services that also cater specifically to the needs of student-athletes. The Committee highlighted Metropolia’s HyMy Village – a wellbeing and health services hub – for its diverse services that support athletic training and overall wellbeing, including a state-of-the-art motion laboratory.

Metropolia has implemented several athlete-friendly practices, such as the "Athlete Study Path", a dedicated webpage for student-athletes, and tailored materials and guidance for staff working with student-athletes.

One of the students benefiting from these flexible arrangements is Anton Jääskeläinen, a third-year Automotive Engineering student and competitive artistic gymnast.

“I wanted to combine higher education with sports to ensure I would have a profession after my athletic career. Metropolia was very supportive of my sporting ambitions, and everything went smoothly. Together with my study advisor, we planned my schedules, and I was able to move exam dates and course timelines to fit around training. I would definitely recommend this path to anyone considering combining higher education with an athletic career,” Jääskeläinen shares.

Metropolia Supports Dual Careers Across All Fields of Study

For years, Metropolia has been actively building study pathways for athletes. According to CEO and President Riitta Konkola, Metropolia attracts not only students from the Helsinki metropolitan area but also student-athletes relocating from other parts of Finland to pursue competitive sports.

“At Metropolia, we want to support student-athletes in developing both their sporting careers and their education. In doing so, we help them build a meaningful life after sports. We aim to enable dual careers across all four of our fields of study – technology, culture, health and social services, and business,” says Konkola.

The Finnish Olympic Committee Audits Higher Education Institutions Based on Quality Criteria

Since 2023, the Finnish Olympic Committee has audited higher education institutions and granted the quality label to those that meet the defined criteria for being elite athlete-friendly. The aim is to establish a national model that supports dual careers at the higher education level, mirroring existing practices in sports-oriented upper secondary schools and high schools.

The dual career approach – supporting athletes in combining competitive sport with studies or work – is a core value of Finnish sport. The audit process identifies and recognizes universities and universities of applied sciences that meet the quality standards and are committed to developing dual career pathways in collaboration with sports academies.

Additional information:

Titta Komssi
Sports Account Manager, Senior Lecturer
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
titta.komssi [at] metropolia.fi (titta[dot]komssi[at]metropolia[dot]fi)