International Raseko
Raseko offers all its students opportunities to gain international competence, regardless of their qualification, its scope or mode of study.
Raseko offers all its students opportunities to gain international competence, regardless of their qualification, its scope or mode of study.
Students interested in international activities go abroad to gain competence in accordance with their personal competence development plan (PCDP). The completed unit(s) can be either vocational qualification units or the unit entitled “Operating in an international business environment”, worth 15 competence points and offered locally by Raseko. “Operating in an international business environment” is a unit that is suitable for all fields and also demonstrates the student’s international competence in their qualification certificate. The most suitable unit is decided together with the coordinating teacher and the international affairs coordinator of the field during cross-cultural orientation training.
In order to complete an international period, the student must be of age and possess some experience in Finnish working life. International periods typically take place in the final year of studies. Working life periods completed abroad last for 2–12 weeks on average, but can also be more than 90 days long. Underage students may take part in international periods if their teacher goes abroad with them. These periods are shorter, approximately one week long.
International periods are funded primarily by Erasmus+ project funds, which cover travel and accommodation costs. The exact amount of funding depends on the selected country of destination and the duration of the trip. However, international periods always require funding from the student as well, because the student must pay particularly for their leisure costs themselves.
Erasmus+ funding enables the completion of international periods all across Europe and, with the new programme period that began in 2021, global mobility is also possible. Raseko currently has partners and networks in several European countries in addition to Thailand and China.
Internationalization at home
Internationalization at home is one way to gain international competence. Internationalization at home means obtaining international experience, language skills and cultural knowledge domestically without travelling abroad. Since only a small portion of VET students complete a period abroad, internationalization at home ensures that all students can gain international competence, if they wish. This is important, because more and more graduates with a vocational qualification will work in international and multicultural environments, also in Finland.
Methods to gain international competence domestically include completing a working life period in a multinational company, cooperation with students from different language and cultural backgrounds who are studying at the institution and with foreign students arriving at Raseko, studying languages, virtual cooperation with international partner institutions and attending events with an international dimension or participating in their organization. More information about internationalization at home is available on the Finvet.fi website maintained by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
International competence in a virtual environment
International activities do not always require physical travel to another country. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opportunities provided by technology have become an even more integral part of Raseko’s international activities. Raseko has been involved in implementing various virtual measures for gaining international competence.
Erasmus+ accreditation
The Finnish National Agency for Education has granted Erasmus accreditation to Raseko as of 1 March 2021 for the programme period covering the next seven years. Erasmus+ accreditation enables systematic, strategic international mobility in the new programme period 2021–2027. The accreditation is a sign of Raseko’s commitment to the quality standards of the Erasmus Programme, the good state of the internationalization strategy, a determined and active approach and functional processes.
International networks
Raseko is an active member of various networks that promote internationalization.
ThaiGO is a network of educational institutions in Finland and Thailand that launched its operations in 2014 with financing from the Finnish National Agency for Education.
Financed by the Finnish National Agency for Education, ThaiGO is a network of educational institutions in Finland and Thailand that launched its operations in 2014.
The network currently consists of 11 Finnish upper secondary education providers and three Thai schools. Raseko is the coordinator of the network’s activities. In addition, the network works in close cooperation with the Embassy of Finland in Bangkok.
The network aims to develop vocational competence in a multicultural working environment by improving the international readiness of students and teaching staff and the international activities of the participating institutions. The quality of the students’ working life periods during periods abroad is developed and verified in cooperation with local and foreign working life partners. In addition, the network aims to increase cultural awareness between Finland and Thailand.
The network arranges student and teacher mobility from Finland to Thailand. The mobility periods are carried out in student groups and last for two to four weeks on average. In addition, delegation visits have been organized to both countries.
FinnVET in China is a project that continues the activities of the Kam’oon China and Chinet networks. The project is about organizing VET student, teacher and expert exchanges from Finland to China and welcoming students and teachers from China to Finland. The project aims to increase awareness about China in Finland and vice versa. Developing and fostering internationalization at home are also key tasks of the project.
The network aims to enable student and staff mobility to China. During the exchange period, students and teachers are given the opportunity to develop their competence and learn about a foreign culture. The goal is to improve the international competence of both the students and the teachers.
The project compiles the good practices and experiences of global networks funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education into a publication. The purpose of the publication is to increase the awareness and know-how of VET staff and management of global activities. The main themes are the good practices learned in global activities and internationalization at home. OSAO is the project coordinator and the other participants are Raseko, KSAO and Savo Vocational College. The project participants maintain and develop the Finvet.fi website.
The Sotenet network is an Erasmus+ mobility project aiming to offer students pursuing a Vocational Qualification in Social and Health Care high-quality working life periods in social and health care jobs across Europe. The duration of the periods varies from five to eight weeks, depending on the student’s personal competence development plan (PCDP). The places of work include ECEC centres, homes for the elderly, hospitals, home care, assisted living facilities, facilities offering round-the clock care and nursing homes.
The project partners come from Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The partners are mainly educational institutions in a number of cities in different countries. The Sotenet network has been in operation for 20 years and includes six other Finnish education providers in addition to Raseko.
International projects
Internationality is a natural part of Raseko’s operations. We are involved in a number of international projects and networks.
Erasmus+, mobility project
The Erasmus+ programme for vocational education and training supports periods abroad for students and staff and the international cooperation projects of educational institutions and organizations. The mobility projects of the Erasmus+ programme allow almost 50 Raseko students a year to complete a working life period abroad. The projects give all Raseko students equal opportunities to gain international competence. Students must be of age to complete a working life period abroad, and they often choose to do so in their final year of studies. The duration of the periods varies from two weeks to up to three months.
European Voice of Sales
A strategic partnership project funded by the Erasmus+ programme and coordinated by Raseko. The project also involves four international VET providers as partners (Norway, Iceland, Portugal and Italy). The goal is to present sales work in a new light by highlighting the importance of salespeople’s expertise and providing tools for sales work in practice in close cooperation with the business sector (local and international). The project is open for participation to all Raseko students aged 16–20 years. A teacher always accompanies students on the trip. The periods last for five days.
European Voice of Tomorrow
A strategic partnership project funded by the Erasmus+ programme and coordinated by Raseko. The project also involves four international VET providers as partners (Norway, Iceland, Portugal and Italy). The goal is to respond to the challenges of economic growth by improving young people’s understanding of the significance of international trade in practice in close cooperation with the business sector (local and international). The project pays special attention to the principles of sustainable development. The project is open for participation to all Raseko students aged 16–20 years. In addition, special attention is given to financially or socially more disadvantaged students. A teacher always accompanies students on the trip. The periods last for seven days.
Individualized Learning in Collaborative and Blended Learning Environments, CoBle
Coble project will contribute to EU teachers preparation for the use of digital
technology in their daily work. The unifying goal for all CoBle partners is the need to empower teachers in VET to improve their pedagogical and digital practices of the implementation of blended learning and offer students individualized and collaborative online learning activities.
The project will focus on:
- Improving teachers’ pedagogical competence to operate online with their students.
- Supplying the teachers with relevant agile and cooperative methods of work and digital tools.
- Creating online communities of teachers where they can jointly develop and learn from each other and exchange experiences.
- Empowering the students by providing them individualized learning and improved collaborative learning process online.
Häme University of Applied Sciences coordinates the project and the partners are from Finland, Italy, Germany and Slovenia.
Project SEED
SEED (Sustainable Energy Education) promotes the fight against climate change by implementing innovative training in vocational education as an environment of continuous learning. The project involves cooperation with local companies and the University of Applied Sciences (TUAS) by developing cooperation and partnerships. The effects at the regional level are realized as a strong innovation and know-how ecosystem, which can be used to match the needs of regional companies with education.
Project schedule 1.6.2022 – 31.5.2026
I4U (Industry 4.0 Upskilling For SMEs)
I4U project (Industry 4.0 Upskilling For SMEs) offers support for the digital transition of labor-intensive companies and the opportunity to develop Industry 4.0 skills for employees and managers of SMEs.
The project develops and implements 20 training modules that can be customized according to the needs of companies. Competence development focuses on three skill areas: technical, analytical and soft skills. Topics include e.g. robotics, information security, artificial intelligence, analytical skills, decision-making, people management or digitization of administration.
Participants of the project are from Spain, Norway, Poland, Slovakia and Türkiye.
The target group is micro and SME companies, e.g. from the fields of technology, machine industry, automotive industry and manufacturing industry.
The project schedule is 1.6.2022 – 31.5.2025.
International Coordinators:
International Raseko 2020 – YouTube (Please change the subtitles in English)
Raseko International – You can find the travelogues of students who were abroad during their studies.