CBU Master's degree programmes a gateway to international careers

Text Anne Heikkinen I Photo Tanja Kähkönen

Students of the CBU Master's degree programme in Forestry and Environmental Engineering at Koli in summer 2009.

Internationality, strong knowledge of the culture on both sides of the Finnish-Russian border and fellow students from all over the world distinctively characterise the Finnish-Russian Cross-Border University (CBU). The CBU is a consortium of four Finnish and five Russian universities and its students hail from a total of 29 different countries.

Joint strengths

The CBU offers Master’s degree programmes executed in cooperation between Finnish and Russian universities in five different fields. Some of the programmes are already now conferring double degrees, which means that the students will obtain both a Finnish and a Russian Master’s degree. “This consortium is the most far reaching example of European cooperation with Russian universities. In this model, universities from two countries are offering students joint Master’s degree programmes and even an opportunity to obtain a double degree. No similar models exist in the EU and it is our goal to be a gateway between the EU and Russia,” says Professor Liisa Tahvanainen, CBU Director at the UEF.

The CBU Master’s degree programmes have been operating since 2007. This cooperation was launched to develop joint degree programmes alongside the ever-intensifying research cooperation. “The establishment of the consortium was also considered important for the development of trade between Finland and Russia as well as for corporate cooperation,” she continues.

All the CBU Master’s degree programmes involve both Finnish and Russian universities. The Joensuu Campus of the University of Eastern Finland coordinates the Master’s degree programme in Forestry and Environmental Engineering and the Master’s degree programme Information and Communications Technology. The Kuopio Campus, in turn, coordinates the Master’s degree programme in Public Health. Furthermore, the International Relations programme is coordinated by the University of Tampere, and the Business and Administration programme by Lappeenranta University of Technology.

“The programmes reflect the universities’ areas of expertise. In these fields, the proximity of the Russian border and cooperation between Finland and Russia is especially productive. The strengths of the CBU programmes lie in the expertise on both sides of the border, and this is something we wish to offer to others, too,” Professor Tahvanainen summarises.

Crossing borders

The CBU Master’s degree programmes have a total of 210 students enrolled. Approximately half of the students come from Russia and Finns amount to some 15 per cent at the moment. “The idea is that the student applies for admission to study in his or her home university either in Finland or Russia. After that, the student can complete studies offered by the consortium, either as individual courses or as more extensive study modules. Student mobility is active, as the studies include a minimum of one semester of studies to be completed in a partner university across the border,” says CBU Vice Director Eero Forss.

“This is what is so special about the CBU. Our joint degree programmes enable us to offer our students a versatile selection of studies in both Finland and Russia, and all of them in English,” Professor Tahvanainen explains.

Mr Ding Liao, a CBU student from China came to Joensuu to study in the Master’s degree programme in Information and Communications Technology. “The multicultural nature of the CBU appealed to me the most. Students hailing from all over the world provide a great possibility to get to know different cultures. I also think that it’s a good thing that I can expand my degree by taking studies at one of the partner universities,” Mr Liao says.

“The world is filled with opportunities. An international study environment and fresh viewpoints into my own discipline are always welcome,” says Mr Maxim Trishkin studying in the Master’s degree programme in Forestry and Environmental Engineering.

He has experience of studying on both sides of the Finnish-Russian border. “These studies have expanded my expertise and now I kind of see both sides of coin. In the forest sector, international experience and expertise is definitely an advantage.

The first students from the CBU Master’s degree programmes graduated last year. “Our experiences are very good. The employment situation of the CBU graduates is good. The biggest advantage for them is that they have the skills needed to operate in an international environment and they are familiar with the two different cultures. Russia hosts many international companies who need employees who are familiar with the local operating environment. Moreover, the CBU is also a gateway to the EU,” CBU Vice Director Forss explains.

The next step for the CBU is the launch of joint doctoral programmes. “The doctoral programmes are a natural continuation to the Master’s degree programmes, and many of our students would be happy to pursue postgraduate studies within the CBU. These programmes will be launched next year,” Professor Tahvanainen concludes.