Anastasiia Huhtala, who moved from Russia to Finland, is studying in the English-language degree programme in Information Technology at Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk). Anastasiia especially appreciates the practical and international nature of her studies.

In 2019, Anastasiia Huhtala was on the brink of a major change when family reasons brought her from Russia to Finland. Having completed an engineering degree in materials technology in Russia, Anastasiia had the choice of either getting her previous degree recognised in Finland by completing it again in Finnish or moving to a completely new field.

– I decided to apply for the degree programme in Information Technology at Oamk, since my background in engineering made IT a good alternative. I had a go at programming during my previous studies and enjoyed it a lot, so the field felt like the right choice.

Anastasiia chose Oamk especially because it offered practically oriented studies and because Oulu offers good employment opportunities in the IT sector.

– When I studied materials technology, I participated in a student exchange at the University of Lapland, where the studies were more theoretical. Since practically oriented studies are better suited to me, I preferred applying to a university of applied sciences rather than a research university.

Before applying to Oamk, Anastasiia lived in Rovaniemi, and the move to a larger city also appealed to her.

– Oulu is the right size, not too big nor too small.

Anastasiia finds the Information Technology studies interesting and she really enjoys studying at Oamk.

– I like the teachers’ way of teaching and communicating with students. We complete various practical assignments, which also help us demonstrate our skills when applying for jobs after graduation.

What Anastasiia likes most about her studies is that they are practically oriented and prepare students for real work and workplaces.

– We also complete projects set bt companies, which helps us network and gain experience of workplaces during our studies.

Anastasiia’s study group includes many students from other parts of the world, which has offered her a fruitful opportunity to study in an international environment.

– You can learn a lot just over lunch when discussing various topics with your peer students from other cultures. It has been very interesting.

According to Anastasiia, the studies require students to have good time management skills and an independent approach to studies, as well as problem-solving skills.

In the future, Anastasiia would like to work as a full stack developer or a UX/UI designer.

– Fortunately, Oulu offers numerous opportunities after graduation, as the city is home to many different IT companies.

In addition to the city’s employment opportunities, Anastasiia especially appreciates nature in Oulu.

– Here, you can easily get into nature. My bike ride to the university is also enjoyable since there’s a lot of greenery along the way.

Anastasiia warmly recommends Oamk’s Information Technology degree programme to anyone interested in a career in web development.

– Oamk provides an excellent study environment, with high-quality instruction and a positive atmosphere.

Caption: Anastasiia, who is studying to become an IT engineer, dreams of working as a full stack developer or UX/UI designer.

Caption: In Oulu, Anastasiia especially appreciates the natural environment and good employment opportunities in the IT sector.