Competence descriptions until 2021

The student has the following competences after graduating:

1. Generic competences
2. Professional competences
3. Official language competence

1. Generic competences

Learning competence

The student is able to:

• Value and perceive realistically his/her own knowledge, skills and attitudes, and realizes his/her own development needs
• Know his/her own learning style, take responsibility of and to learn autonomously, and can enter and endure in learning processes
• Learn collaboratively, and share knowledge within his/her own working community
• Manage changes, and can recognize and use different learning and work opportunities
• Plan, develop and take responsibility of his/her own professional development

Ethical competence

The student:

• Is conscious of how different value systems affect society, work community and the individual
• Respect the equality of all people and strive to act fairly, equally and for everyone's participation
• Is able to apply the ethical principles of your own field
• Promotes a safe and secure working culture
• Promotes sustainable development
• Can apply accepted ethical principles of good study and research praxis

Communicative and social competence

The student is able to:

• Listen to others and communicate in both domestic languages and at least one foreign language
• Express and argue for your own views in various professional, social and cultural contexts
• Present messages in written form, verbally and visually by using different communication styles and means appropriate to the target group and context
• Lead, collaborate with others and work effectively in groups
• Be critical of information systems in your own field and help develop
• Be sensitive to others and can handle conflict

Global competence

The student:

• Is aware of your own cultural background
• Is familiar with the Nordic social model as value base
• Is aware of and open to cultural diversity as a resource and challenge
• Can independently operate in various international and intercultural contexts, and critically reflect on your own role in it
• Realize the opportunities and challenges of globalization

Social and organizational skills

The student:

• Knows the actors as well as the societal and economic connections in his/her own profession within the public, private and third sector
• Knows which opportunities exist to influence society and how these can develop his/her own profession
• Masters the principles of how organizations work and are managed, and is ready to lead work tasks
• Knows the organizational structure, key documents and legislation in working life
• Can organize and take responsibility of the sustainable development of both their own business and the society
• Can critically reflect and analyse the surrounding world in a social and political context
• Understands and respects equality and cultural diversity and has the capacity to handle conflicts in a constructive and tolerant way
• Can work towards openness and transparency in organizations and communities

Competence in development activities and entrepreneurship

The student is able to:

• Search for, review, and handle information and knowledge
• Critically evaluate information and knowledge and understand the overall picture
• Resolve problems and make informed decisions
• Master the relevant tools and systems that are used in the field
• Know the fundamentals and methods within research and development work, and is able to carry out a research, development and innovation (RDI) project
• Apply different methods to develop his/her own professional field in a systematic and innovative way
• Comprehend the principles of a user-oriented action and has the readiness for business and entrepreneurship
• See a product or a service from a profitability, sustainability and lifecycle perspective
• Knows the principles (and differences) of commercial and open publishing and how different types of source material can be used

Digital literacy

The student is able to:

• Critically, creatively and with self-confidence use digital technology and web services to reach their goals in studies, private and professional life.
• Use web and database services to find reliable and relevant information
• Use different kinds of communication tools, collaborate and share materials with others.
• Produce and edit different kinds of material such as text, images and multimedia and create presentations for different purposes.
• Recognize the most common security risks and how to protect her-/himself and the surroundings.
• Familiarize with the digital competences that are necessary for their professional career

2. Professional competences

After that you have successfully taken a polytechnic degree you have professional competences in your field. You will find the professional competences for each programme separately.

3. Official language competence

According to section 6 of the Act (424/2003) and section 8 of the Decree (352/2003) an officially certified language competence is required of a graduate of a polytechnic. It is important for the student that the maturity examination is written in the language in which schooling was conducted. It is a combination of the school language and the language of the maturity examination that gives the basis for what the law terms "excellent knowledge". Knowledge of the other domestic language, both written and spoken, is assessed as good or satisfactory. The school language is considered to be that language in which the student has received his/her basic education (= the comprehensive school) or upper-secondary school education.