University of Tampere (UTA)
Erasmus – General and Specific Report
Name:
Sjoerdtje Visser
Student number:
S2202395
Study:
Accountancy & Controlling
Semester:
Autumn 2014
A General report
1. Host institution and exact dates of semester abroad
University of Tampere, Finland.
19 August 2014 – 30 December 2014
2. Contact with home faculty, preparation and journey
The study abroad fair convinced me where I want to go. My first choice would be Tampere. Also the
reports from other students are useful to read, they can help you with making your choice about
your destination. I filled in the form with my three choices. I was lucky, I was allowed to go to my first
choice; the University of Tampere.
The preparation was easier than I expected through the clear information of the RUG and the UTA.
The information session about going abroad organized by the RUG told me exactly what I had to do
before I went abroad. In the beginning of April UTA sent me a welcoming email. After this email
other emails followed with information what you have to do before departure, but also about
housing, courses you can follow and information about the university. At the moment that you
receive your welcoming email you can start with applying for you grant, applying for a room at TOAS,
filling in the learning agreement, book a ticket, check your insurance, applying for OV compensation
etc.
On the 19th of August I flew with SAS from Amsterdam to Tampere. I went by bus to the city center.
The bus stop is in front of the airport and a ticket cost €2.60. My tutor was waiting for me at bus stop
Rautatieasema, the Railway station, with my keys. We went together to Lapinkaari, the TOAS house
where I lived.
I didn’t have a lot of contact with my home faculty. I only contacted them about the substitution of
the course Business Ethics and I sent my learning agreement during mobility.
3. Residence abroad
1. Arrangements visa / residence permit
Because of Finland is part of the European Union you don’t need a visa. When you stay
longer than three months in Finland you need a residence permit. But when you leave the
country for one day the residence permit is not needed. A residence permit cost €50,- so I
would recommend to use that money for traveling. In the orientation week they told us that
we had to go to the police office to inform them that you live in Finland. This is only
necessary if you stay longer than three months in Finland without going one day abroad. If
you want to travel to Russia you need a passport, otherwise an ID-cart is enough.
2. Arrival and departure dates
I arrived in Tampere at the 19th of August and left on the 30th of December. I arrived a few
days before the orientation week started. I would recommend this because you need some
time to do the paper work, buy a bus cart, pick up your starting kit, your tutor can show you
the city and you can go to the IKEA. I stayed during Christmas with my family in Tampere, but
almost all exchange students left the weekend before Christmas.
3. Accommodation
My accommodation was provided by TOAS. TOAS is an organization which has a lot of
student houses in Tampere. In the houses for exchange students are more than 100 students
living. I stayed in Lapinkaari. Lapinkaari has only single rooms (12 m2 for €270 per month), a
bit more expensive than a shared room which you can rent in TOAS city, but I think also a bit
more comfortable. Every room in Lapinkaari has a private bathroom and you share the
kitchen with other exchange students. For me this was always a good opportunity to meet
new people, you can cook together and there were a lot of parties in the kitchens. There is a
sauna in the house and the public sauna at the lake is only five minutes walking. The nearest
supermarket is also five minutes walking, but this one is very expensive. The Lidl in the city
center is much cheaper. There is a bus stop in front of Lapinkaari, the bus is going every
fifteen minutes. Walking to the city takes 25 minutes. Don’t be too late with signing up for
TOAS, because the system is on a first come, first served basis.
4. Reception and introduction
The reception and introduction were very good. My tutor contacted me a few weeks before
my departure and told me a lot about the life of an exchange student in Tampere. My tutor
helped me the first days in Tampere with the paper work and guided me around the city.
When I had a question during my stay there was always somebody who could help me.
Depending on what my question was, I sent a message to my tutor, I went to the reception at
the university or I sent an email to the contact person for exchange students. The reception
at the university is friendly and helpful. The contact person for exchange students was the
whole week available and replied fast on emails.
5. Student life, culture and leisure
The student life in Groningen is comparable to the student life in Tampere. There are a lot of
students, bars, clubs and nice places to drink a coffee. ESN or a club organizes sometimes a
student party. The drinks are much cheaper on student parties. You can buy a ticket for a
student party in the book store at the university.
There is not that much culture in Tampere, but there are some museums, theaters and
cinemas. I would recommend the Pynnikki tower, the high observation tower, the public
sauna near Lapinkaari and the ice hockey matches in the ice hockey stadium.
I spend the most of my time with other exchange students. We went often to the city center
for a coffee, went to the public sauna and attend the student parties.
6. Language
People in Finland speak English very well. So communication is no problem. The Finnish
language is very hard. You can follow a Finnish survival course to learn some basic words. I
didn’t do this, because there are no other countries where the people speak Finnish or a
language which is similar to Finnish. But I think it is good to learn a few words like hello,
thank you etc. People can appreciate it when you try to speak a bit Finnish.
4. Grant – Amount
1. Information on the adequacy of the grant
Life in Finland is expensive. The Erasmus grant didn’t cover all my expenses. Food and other
basis commodities are 1.5 times as expensive as in the Netherlands. Going out or have a
drink somewhere is very expensive. I decided to enjoy my time in Tampere and don’t limit
this because of the high prices. I think that this point, the big amount of money you will
spend, is the most important point you should consider before you decide to go to Finland.
The Erasmus grant is not enough for this so ensure that you have some savings or borrow
some money.
2. Expenses abroad (living, visa and health check costs, food, travelling,vaccinations etc.) –
students always want to know this !
I received 70% of my Erasmus grant before my departure. I received every month my study
financing by the Dutch Government and a fund instead of my Dutch public transport card.
You have to buy your student card, this cost €10. The rent for my room was €270,- per
month. I bought each month a bus card for €33,-. I had almost everyday lunch at the
university for €2.60. I made trips to Tallinn (€150), St. Petersburg (€400), Stockholm (€140)
and Lapland (€ 530). Groceries, having a coffee in the city center, alcohol and the parties are
very expensive. I don’t know the exactly amount of money I spend to these things, but be
sure that you have some savings because you will spend more money than you receive. You
don’t need any vaccinations in Finland.
5. Study (general)
1. Introduction, general advice, etc.
Studying in Finland is easier than in The Netherlands. The level is a bit lower and the amount
of work you have to do for an exam is less. The website of the University of Tampere shows
exactly which courses you can follow, when the lectures and exams are and what you have to
do to pass the course. This is very useful to choose your courses. The email address of the
teacher of each course is written at the website, so if you have questions you can send an
email.
The semester starts with an orientation course. I think it is useful to attend some lectures of
this orientation course. For example they will explain you how to enroll for courses and give
you a tour around the university. In this way you know where you can find everything. The
orientation week ends with a guided bus tour on Saturday, this is very nice!
You can have a good lunch at the university for €2,60. The lunch consists of potatoes or rice,
choice between three different kinds of meat, a salad, two drinks and two breads. The
restaurants open at 11.00 and closes at 15.00.
The grading system is different from the grading systems in The Netherlands. If you fail a
course you will not receive a grade. The grades are on a scale from 1 until 5. 1 will turn into a
6, 2 will be a 7, 3 will be an 8, 4 will be a 9 and 5 will also be a 9. It is not possible to get a 10.
If you have a course without any grade, you can only pass or fail the course, it will turn into a
8 in The Netherlands.
You can borrow books in the library, you don’t need to buy them. The University of Tampere
uses often a paper as a final exam or the exam consists of a few essay questions. The exams
are not like Dutch exams.
2. Dates of beginning and end of lecture series and examination period
Block 1: 1 September 2014– 24 October 2014
Block 2: 27 October 2014 – 19 December 2014
Block 3: 7 January 2015 – 13 March 2015
Block 4: 16 March 2015 – 31 July 2015
Each course doesn’t take the same amount of weeks. An exam is most of the time one or two
weeks after the last lecture. Because of this you don’t have exam weeks with only exams and
no lectures as in The Netherlands.
3. Remarks on the organization of the study program
The organization of the study program and the communication is clear. The lecture slides and
all the information you need to know about a course you can find on Moodle. If you have still
questions you can send the teacher an email. They reply always very fast.
4. Level of education – language problems?
As mentioned before the level of education is lower than in my home university. The amount
of work is less and it is much easier to get a high grade for a course. I didn’t have any
language problems. The teachers can speak English quite well and it is not a problem if you
make some grammar or spelling mistakes in your paper or exam. The teacher has to
understand what you mean, but it is no problem if your English is not perfect.
5. Study facilities/ International Office abroad
The facilities are very good. There are always computers available and empty places in the
library. There are also meeting rooms where you can work with other students on group
work or discuss a subject.
The International Office can help you with all your questions and is very accessible. I was very
happy with the facilities at the University of Tampere. The facilities are for sure not
something where you should worry about.
6. Summary of subjects taken.
The detailed subscription of each course you can find in the specific report. I followed also
the orientation course but my home university doesn’t give credits for this course.
Service Marketing
Asian Pacific as a Business Area
Human Rights Law
Nordic Welfare Societies in Transition
Legal and Ethical Aspects of Asian Business
Business Ethics
5 ECTS
5 ECTS
5 ECTS
5 ECTS
5 ECTS
5 ECTS
6. Other relevant info you want to share with our future exchange students
If you want to go to St. Petersburg you need a passport. A lot of trips, for example the Onnibus (bus
from Tampere to Helsinki), you have to book by credit card. I would recommend taking a credit card
with you to Finland. Be fast with applying for TOAS. The later you apply, the bigger the chance that
you have no room.
Tampere is a really good choice if you want to travel around in North Europe. You can go easy by bus
to Helsinki. From Helsinki you can go by boat to St. Petersburg, Tallinn and Stockholm. ESN organizes
a lot of trips, also to Lapland.
Lidl is the best place to do your shopping’s. It is compared with the other supermarkets much
cheaper. The student restaurant at the university is a good place to have lunch. It is cheap and the
food is good.
7.Summary impression of the study period abroad and any
advice/suggestions/tips for students or academic staff who will be involved
with the host institution in the future.
I had four amazing months in Tampere. It was an experience I will never forget. I made great trips,
met many people, learned about the different cultures in Europe but also about my own culture. I
improved my English skills, made international friends and get high grades. There were a lot of
student parties where you could meet even more exchange students, but also Finnish students. The
buildings in Finland were not that special, but the nature is beautiful. Tampere was a great place to
stay, I would highly recommend going to Tampere! If you have any questions about studying in
Tampere you can send me an email: s.visser.22@student.rug.nl
B Specific report
Service Marketing
1. Host institution and study period
University of Tampere
School of Management
8 September 2014 – 16 October 2014
2. A. Lectures
Two times per week a lecture of two hours.
B. Literature
- Gummesson, Evert: Total Relationship Marketing, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2008 or later.
- Grönroos, Christian: Service Management and Marketing. Customer Management in Service
Competition, Wiley, 2007 or later.
- Other materials given by the lecturer, e.g. articles.
3. Overview of lecture program
The lectures were not obligatory, but I would recommend attending them. When you attend
eight of the ten lectures you will receive bonus points. The exam is mostly about the lecture
slides, so attending the lectures will help you to prepare yourself for the exam.
4. Contents
During the course the student learns to recognize the importance of the service mindset in
contemporary marketing. The student is able to use service insights in practice in different
business and organizational contexts. The student acknowledges the role of the customer in
value creation.
5. Lecture-related activities
During the lectures there was interaction between the teacher and the students. Each
lecture we discussed a few topics and shared our opinions with each other. I had to make
three times an assessment and self-study for the exam.
6. Relevance to Groningen study program
I followed a marketing course in Groningen, but this marketing course was about the service.
This was for me a new aspect, so I learned new theories.
7. Study load
If you follow all the lectures (20 hours), you don’t have to study so hard for the exam. The
lecture slides and the examples that the teacher explains during the lecture are the most
important to study for the exam. We didn’t get any question about the articles in the exam.
8. Assessment in Groningen
Lecturer: Elina Närvänen
Grade: 5 (9 in Groningen)
ECTS: 5
Asia Pacific as a Business Area
1. Host institution and study period
University of Tampere
School of Management
8 September 2014 – 23 October 2014
2. A. Lectures
Two times per week a lecture of four hours.
B. Literature
You only needed the following books if you chose to do the exam;
- Manktelow Aidan (Ed.): Guide to Emerging Markets. The Business Outlook, Opportunities
and Obstacles.The Economist Newspaper Ltd., Great Britain 2014.
- Chandler Clay–Zainulbhai Adil: Reimagining India. Unlocking the Potential of Asia's Next
Superpower. Simon & Schuster, USA 2013.
- Naisbitt, John–Naisbitt, Doris: China’s Megatrends. 8 Pillars of a New Society. Harper Collins
Publishers, USA 2010.
- Journals and other materials, informed by the lecturer.
3. Overview of lecture program
The lectures were not obligatory. You had to choose between make the exam or make a
paper with three other students. I chose for the paper. You could choose you own country
for which you had to make some questions. The lectures were sometimes interesting, but
you didn’t need the information to make the paper.
4. Contents
The course focuses on the geography, governance frames, business practices, business
cultures, strengths and weaknesses of various countries and their social structures in
preparing foreign companies and their representatives to organize businesses in the AsiaPacific Region. Another focus is to give an explanation for the rapid economic growth and the
major future challenges of the Asia-Pacific Region.
5. Lecture-related activities
I had to make a paper of 25 pages with three other students.
6. Relevance to Groningen study program
We made our paper about business in China. I didn’t know that much about this topic, so I
learned a lot. Asia is becoming more and more influential in the world economy, so it is good
to have some knowledge about it. But for my study Accountancy in Groningen it was not
really relevance.
7. Study load
There were five lectures (20 hours) and I worked a few days on the paper (20 hours).
8. Assessment in Groningen
Lecturer: Jukka Lahtinen
Grade: 4 (9 in Groningen)
ECTS: 5
Human Rights Law
1. Host institution and study period
University of Tampere
School of Management
23 September 2014 – 31 October 2014
2. A. Lectures
Two times per week a lecture; one of three hours and one of two hours.
B. Literature
Lecture slides.
3. Overview of lecture program
The lectures were not obligatory, but very useful to attend. The exam was about the lectures
and the lecture slides. There was no book, so the information which the teacher told was
important to remember.
4. Contents
The student has the basic knowledge of the international protection of human rights, legal
nature of human rights and the content of human rights. The student has an overview of the
status of human rights in international law and the national legal systems. They understand
the roles of human rights and humanitarian law in legal systems
5. Lecture-related activities
I had to make an essay and an exam. I think that both the essay and the exam were quite
hard, so I would recommend following the lectures.
6. Relevance to Groningen study program
The course was not that relevant for my study program in Groningen. I think that it is good to
know something about Human Rights, but it is not that useful for my further study.
7. Study load
There were six lectures (15 hours). The amount of work for the essay and the exam was high.
8. Assessment in Groningen
Lecturer: Professor Jukka Viljanen, Reija Matero, Heta Heiskanen
Grade: 3 (8 in Groningen)
ECTS: 5
Nordic Welfare Societies in Transition
1. Host institution and study period
University of Tampere
School of Social Sciences and Humanities
17 September 2014 – 19 November 2014
2. A. Lectures
One lecture of two hours per week.
B. Literature
Lecture slides.
3. Overview of lecture program
The lectures were obligatory. You were allowed to miss one lecture. Each lecture was given
by a different teacher. You had to choose one of the lecture topics and write an essay about
that topic.
4. Contents
The module describes the main features attached to Nordic welfare societies with emphasis
on the Finnish experiences and developments. The module helps students to make a
distinction between different type of welfare regimes, to better understand the
distinctiveness of the Nordic welfare model and differences between Nordic countries.
5. Lecture-related activities
I had to write an essay of 6-8 pages.
6. Relevance to Groningen study program
The course was not relevant for my study program in Groningen. But I liked the course
because I think the topics were very interesting. I lived four months in Scandinavia; so it is
nice to learn about the welfare in the Nordic Countries.
7. Study load
There were nine lectures (18 hours). I worked around twenty hours on the essay.
8. Assessment in Groningen
Lecturer: Aard-Jan Riekhoff
Grade: 3 (8 in Groningen)
ECTS: 5
Legal and Ethical Aspects of Asian Business
1. Host institution and study period
University of Tampere
School of Management
27 October 2014 – 10 November 2014
2. A. Lectures
Two lectures of four hours per week.
B. Literature
If you chose to do the exam, the teacher would give you the list with books that you had to
study.
3. Overview of lecture program
The lectures were not obligatory. You had to choose if you would make the exam or make a
paper with three other students.
4. Contents
The course introduces the students to the legal frames and practices of solving juridical
problems in the Asia-Pacific Region. The main areas of emphasis are: characteristics of Asian,
especially Chinese, Indian and Islamic business legislation, contract laws, capital and financial
markets, trade and currency legislation, labor laws, taxation and Intellectual Property Rights
(IPR). Accordingly, business ethics and corruption will be discussed in the course.
5. Lecture-related activities
I had to write a paper of 25 pages with three other students.
6. Relevance to Groningen study program
The course is not relevant for my study program in Groningen. When I followed this course, I
followed also the course Business Ethics. I think it was interesting to learn also something
about ethics in Asia, the difference in ethics between Europe and Asia is very big.
7. Study load
There were five lectures (20 hours). I worked around 25 hours on the paper.
8. Assessment in Groningen
Lecturer: Jukka Lahtinen
Grade: 4 (9 in Groningen)
ECTS: 5
Business Ethics
1. Host institution and study period
University of Tampere
School of Social Sciences and Humanities
30 October 2014 – 18 December 2014
2. A. Lectures
One lecture of four hours per week.
B. Literature
Crane, A. & Matten, D. (2010) Business Ethics: Managing corporate citizenship and
sustainability in the age of globalization, 3rd. ed. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN
978-0-19-956433-0
3. Overview of lecture program
You are allowed to start with this course when you past the pre-exam. Each week a lecture of
four hours.
4. Contents
This course aims to develop your understanding of business ethics and how organisations
follow the code of ethics in their daily operations. The course is designed to provide insights
into ethical theories and tools for developing ethical business practices along with your own
exploration of ethical decision making and how to develop ethical leadership. However, the
part of learning is developing an appreciation of your own aptitude and commitment for
becoming an ethical professional.
5. Lecture-related activities
A few times we had to prepare the lecture with our group. You didn’t get a mark for these
assignments, but you had to present your assignment so it was useful to do. The lectures
started most of the time with some theories or a guest lecture. The second part of the
lecture you worked with your group on some cases and in this way you discussed the
theories from the first part of the lecture. To pass the course you have to make a firm
analysis with your group and a learning diary together with another student.
6. Relevance to Groningen study program
The relevance to the study program in Groningen is high, because I could substitute this
course. The name of the course in Groningen is Ethics in Business and Management.
7. Study load
There were six lectures (24 hours). The firm analysis and learning diary were not that hard.
You have to study for the pre-exam, otherwise you cannot pass it.
8. Assessment in Groningen
Lecturer: Johanna Kujala
Grade: 4 (9 in Groningen)
ECTS: 5