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International Staff Week at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences

We warmly invite colleagues from our partner universities to Metropolia's International Staff Week in Helsinki in 10th –12th June 2026!

This year we will focus on inviting colleagues from the International Relations Offices and International Degree Students Support.

Target groups for the International staff week are colleagues working in student exchanges (incoming & outgoing) and international partnerships and colleagues working with International Degree Student Support Services. Participants can choose between those two parallel tracks.

Theme of the week: From Hectic to Happy – Wellbeing in International Offices

In the lively world of the international relations and international degree student support, wellbeing is more important than ever—for staff carrying a busy workload and for students adapting to new environments. As we gather in Finland, the world’s happiest country, we look to Finnish wellbeing practices as inspiration—but we know wellbeing is a global effort, built on shared knowledge and fresh ideas.

Participants will choose one track:

  • Track 1: International Exchanges & Mobility Services - for colleagues working in student exchanges (incoming & outgoing) and international partnerships
  • Track 2: Supporting international students’ path from arrival to employment - for colleagues working in developing support services and international student guidance.

Both tracks include interactive sessions, case examples, and networking. Participants are invited to share their own best practices during the week.

Registration and application

Registration is no longer possible. The participation will be confirmed by mid March, please do not book flights or hotel before that. Places are limited, maximum 20 participants per track.

What to expect: Getting to know Metropolia UAS better, for example the services we offer to international and our local students, exploring our inspiring learning environments, possibility to exchange knowledge, experiences, and ideas as well as to create new networks. Please note that the programme will not include teaching opportunities.

  • active participation: interactive workshops and peer exchange
  • time to slow down, reflect, and connect
  • networking with colleagues from around the world

Participation fee: None. However, participants are expected to cover their own travel and accommodation costs, as well as personal expenses such as lunches.

Staff Week Programme (changes might occur)

Tuesday 9 June

  • 18.00-20.00 Informal get-together at Restaurant Deliberi, city center of Helsinki, Keskuskatu 7 (self-funded)

Wednesday 10 June (Myllypuro campus)

  • 9.00-9.45 Registration at Myllypuro Campus lobby - please arrive between 9.-9.45 - morning coffee available
  • 10.00-12.00 Joint programme for both tracks:
    • Introduction to Metropolia (Head of International Relations Sofia Lähdeniemi)
    • 'My Finnish Happiness' - Introductions of Metropolia International relations team
    • Introductions of participants & getting to know each other
    • Keynote: Advancing Wellbeing in and through International Higher Education: The case of the Creativity and Arts in Social and Health Fields master’s programme (Elise Castro, student of the CRASH programme)
  • 12.00-13.00 Lunch on Campus (self-funded)
  • 13.00-14.00 Boosting student wellbeing - experiences and examples from Metropolia (Study Coach Hanna-Maaria Saarinen and Psychologist Emmi Arponen, Student Well-being Services)
  • 14.00 Afternoon coffee break
  • 14.30-16.00
    • Track 1: Student wellbeing and exchanges – incoming and outgoing student’s perspectives, sharing the best practices from Metropolia and participants
    • Track 2: Benchmarking the services offered for international degree students, case example from Metropolia Welcome Hub

18.00-20.00 Relaxing in the evening - (voluntary & self-funded)

  • sauna and swimming (fee approximately 30 €)
  • city tour by walking – no fee
  • Relaxing Me-time :-)

Thursday 11 June (Myllypuro Campus)

  • 9.00-9.45 Possibility to join Myllypuro Campus tour
  • 10.00-12.00 Designing Better Workdays: A Human-Centered Approach to Wellbeing (Pamela Spokes, Service Designer)
  • 12.00-13.00 Lunch on Campus (self-funded)
  • 13.00-16.00 Workshops and Finnish coffee (did you know that Finns drink most coffee in the World?!)
    • Track 1: Sharing best practices in different coping strategies in the hectic international offices – perspectives from Metropolia and participants
    • Track 2: Sharing best practices in international degree student support from settling into a new country and culture to employment

18.00 - Staff Week Dinner - offered by Metropolia UAS - Restaurant Sunn (Aleksanterinkatu 26)

Friday 12 June (Arabia Campus)

  • 9.00-9.45 Possibility to join Arabia Campus tour
  • 10.00 Morning Coffee - it's Coffee time Again!
  • 10.30-12.30 Nature walk – experience the Finnish happiness in the forest while wrapping-up the staff week: What to take home with you?
  • 12.30-13.30 Lunch: Common reservation to Restaurant Leimu in Arabia Campus or choose your favourite Bistro Bryk / Thai bistro Krung Thep / Nepalese restaurant Swagatam (self-funded)

Afternoon: possibility to visit the events of the Helsinki day (programme not yet released)

Helsinki’s birthday is traditionally marked on 12 June, when the city is packed with a wide range of free-of-charge events organised by various local associations, companies, clubs, organisations and active residents. Helsinki Day has been celebrated since 1959.

Practical information on Metropolia and Helsinki

Metropolia Myllypuro campus (Wednesday & Thursday)

The campus is located next to the Myllypuro metro station, 16 minutes from the Central Railway Station, and 2 min from Itäkeskus metro station. Choose Metro M2 - direction Mellunmäki. Exit the Myllypuro metro station direction 'A' called 'Orpaanporras' and you will see the campus ahead of you. Please visit the Myllypuro Campus pages for further information.

Metropolia Arabia Creative Campus (Friday)

The campus is located in Arabia district in Helsinki, about 20 minutes from the Central Railway Station, either by bus (number 71) or tram (number 6). Please visit the Arabia Campus pages for further information.

Accommodation options

Helsinki is a relatively small capital city and the public transportation system is excellent, so there are many accommodation options to choose from. We recommend to stay in the city center of Helsinki, it is easy to get from there to Myllypuro and Arabia campuses. The prices in a single room in the capital region are often from 70 € up to 170 € euros per night. You can find more information about the available housing options on the Google maps or at any hotel booking services sites or Airbnb.

Here are few tips for accommodation if needed.

City Center, near the main railway station:

Hakaniemi area, near the center and good connections by metro:

Noli Studios - apartment style housing - you can use this code METROPOLIA25 in order to get 10 € discount

Arrival to Helsinki

The Helsinki Airport is 20 kilometres away from the city centre of Helsinki, and the public transport system provides two connections: the train ride takes about 40 minutes and the bus ride takes about 50 minutes.

  • Ring Rail Line trains I and P between Helsinki Airport and Helsinki Central Railway Station. Train runs every 10 minutes during daytime.
  • The local bus number 615 between Helsinki Airport and Helsinki Central Railway Station. The bus leaves from right outside the arrival terminals.

Zone ticket ABC is required for journeys from the center of Helsinki to the airport and vice versa. Purchase your ticket from a the ticket machine, outlet or with a HSL mobile phone app before the journey. There are no longer ticket sales in the trains or buses.

Journey Planner will find you the best public transportation connections in Helsinki region.

Other practical information

Contact information

Staff Week Team staffweek [at] metropolia.fi (staffweek[at]metropolia[dot]fi)

Erasmus+ documents to be signed?

If you are getting an Erasmus + grant from your home university, please prepare your documents for Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Training. Please make sure to send your pre-filled and signed Mobility Agreement to staffweek [at] metropolia.fi (staffweek[at]metropolia[dot]fi) before the event.

Necessary Information about Metropolia for your Erasmus+ Mobility Agreement:

  • Name: Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
  • Erasmus Code: SF HELSINK41
  • Address: Myllypurontie 1, 00920 Helsinki
  • Contact person name and position: Terhi Topi, Erasmus Coordinator
  • Faculty/Department: International Relations
  • Country: Finland (FI)
  • Contact person e-mail / phone iro [at] metropolia.fi (iro[at]metropolia[dot]fi), Tel. +358 40 193 7758
  • Size of enterprise (if applicable) > 250 employees

Testimonials

"It was very interesting and useful to exchange experiences, to get new energy :-)"

"The program was very well done, in according with my specific work and was helping, giving me a lot of new ideas to improve my personal job."

"All the activities were very important to us as administrative staff and it was interesting to hear Metropolia's way of tackling issues."