Annual Report - Education
Record number of degrees completed faster than ever before
The strategic development of Laurea’s education activities continued in a productive manner in critical change projects that created operating models to strengthen competence-based approaches, enhance the quality of learning and study efficiency, increase non-degree-awarding education, and expand access to high-quality open digital studies. As a result of this development work, a record number of degrees were completed at Laurea in 2023. Compared to the previous year, the number of Bachelor’s degrees increased by about 17% and Master’s degrees by about 28%, representing the biggest change among all Finnish universities of applied sciences. As a result of its long-term development work, in 2023 Laurea was able to markedly increase the share of students who graduated within or under the target time of 3.5 years. Out of all Bachelor’s degrees awarded by Laurea in 2023, 77% were completed within the target time, which represented the second highest share among all Finnish universities of applied sciences.
Laurea’s pedagogical programme was launched at the opening ceremony for the 2023–2024 academic year in August. The pedagogical programme was created communally during the previous academic year as part of Laurea’s strategic initiative to develop the well-being and work efforts of its community. The jointly created pedagogical programme clarifies the strategic intent for implementing Laurea’s pedagogy, planning the work of Laurea’s teachers and instructors, and strengthening the pedagogical well-being of Laurea’s community. To support the personal guidance of Laurea students, the Fokus Ohjaajan työpöytä (Desktop for guidance providers) was added to the Peppi system. Laurea also invested in the knowledge-based management of educational activities by developing versatile Power BI reports to support its management efforts. AI training for teaching staff began at the beginning of the year, and Laurea’s first AI policies concerning all teaching and study activities at Laurea were prepared during the spring. In accordance with its new degree responsibilities, Laurea launched its new Bachelor's Degree in Rehabilitation Counselling in August 2023.
The number of credits completed as open UAS studies and other separate studies increased from the previous year to over 51,000 credits, which is the third highest number out of all Finnish universities of applied sciences The number of credits produced in collaboration with other higher education institutions also increased from previous years to around 8,600 credits. The 3AMK Alliance’s collaboration area for learning activities offered 28 joint competence modules arranged by three universities of applied sciences.
- Students at Laurea completed the second largest number of UAS Bachelor’s degrees in Finland
- 77% of Bachelor's degrees were completed within the target time
- Third largest number of completed UAS Master’s degrees in Finland
Key Figures
Education
Bachelor's degrees completed
- 2021: 1,671
- 2022: 1,594
- 2023: 1,867
Master's degrees completed
- 2021: 324
- 2022: 320
- 2023: 410
Credits completed at the open university of applied sciences
- 2021: 49,073
- 2022: 46,508
- 2023: 51,140
Number of students (September 2023)
- Bachelor's degrees: 8,480
- Master's degrees: 1,524
Employment
93.5% of those who completed a university of applied sciences degree were in employment a year after graduation (graduates of 2019)
96.0% of those who completed a university of applied sciences degree were in employment a year after graduation (graduates of 2020)
96.4% of those who completed a university of applied sciences degree were in employment a year after graduation (graduates of 2021)
Appeal
Primary applicants per starting place for study programmes taught in Finnish in the joint application process of spring and autumn. (Note: Since 2020, study programmes taught in English have not been placed in the order of preference.)
Overall appeal
- 2021: 5.34
- 2022: 3.94
- 2023: 5.35
Bachelor's degrees
- 2021: 5.55
- 2022: 4.10
- 2023: 4.42
Master's degrees
- 2021: 4.33
- 2022: 3.28
- 2023: 3.89
Number of applicants to Laurea
(Applicants who had Laurea education as an option for application.)
- 2021: 51,184
- 2022: 43,671
- 2023: 55,065