Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (Finnish: Haaga-Helia ammattikorkeakoulu, Swedish: Haaga-Helia yrkeshögskola) is one of Finland's largest universities of applied sciences ("ammattikorkeakoulu" in Finnish). The institution is fully supervised and accredited by the Finnish government through the Ministry of Education and Culture. The university's primary facilities are in Pasila, Helsinki. It has other premises in Haaga, Malmi (all in Helsinki), and in Porvoo and Vierumäki.
Haaga-Helia offers Bachelor and Master level courses in business, information technology, sport and leisure education, hospitality, tourism and event management, journalism, and vocational teacher education. It has about 11,000 students, of whom 1,000 are international students, and about 730 employees, of whom over 400 are full-time teachers.[3] In the field of business, Haaga-Helia is one of the largest educators in the Nordic countries.
Haaga-Helia's Student Union that takes care of student advocacy and social and study-related interests is called Helga.[2]
Fields of education and degree programmes
Haaga-Helia offers 29 degree programmes (in 2024), of which 16 lead towards bachelor's degree and 13 towards master's degree. 15 degree programmes are conducted fully in English.
Bachelor degree programmes in English
Bachelor of Business Administration:
Degree Programme in Aviation Business, Porvoo campus
Degree Programme in Business Information Technology, Pasila campus
Degree Programme in Digital Business Innovations, Porvoo campus
Degree Programme in International Business, Pasila campus
Bachelor of Hospitality Management:
Degree Programme in Sustainable Tourism and Event Management, Porvoo campus
Degree Programme in Hospitality and Tourism Experience Management, Haaga campus
Degree Programme in Strategic Hospitality Management, online
Bachelor of Sports:
Degree Programme in Sports Coaching and Management, Vierumäki campus
Master degree programmes in English
Master of Business Administration:
Degree Programme in AI for Business Transformation, European Joint Master's Degree
Double Degree Programme in Business Technologies and Management, Pasila campus and MCI The Entrepreurial School, Innsbruck, Austria
Degree Programme in Business Technologies, Pasila campus
Degree Programme in Leading Business Transformation, Pasila campus
Degree Programme in Strategising in Organisations, Virtual studies
Degree Programme in Sustainable Aviation Business, Virtual studies
Master of Hospitality Management:
Degree programme in Tourism and Hospitality Business, Pasila campus
Haaga-Helia's President and CEO is Teemu Kokko, Vice Presidents are Minna Hiillos (Teaching and Learning) and Salla Huttunen (Competences, RDI and Digitalisation).
Campuses
Haaga-Helia operates on five campuses: Pasila, Malmi, Haaga (all in Helsinki), Porvoo and Vierumäki.[6]
Board
The Board governs and oversees Haaga-Helia's operations. Chairman of the board is Deputy CEO Jorma Rauhala. Other members of the board: Principal Lecturer Minna-Maari Harmaala, Manager Mirja Heiskari, CEO Tauno Jalonen, Development Director Björn Keto, Director Markku Lahtinen, Development Manager Kai Laikio (1. Deputy Chairman of the board), Student Joni Lappalainen, CEO Timo Lappi (2. Deputy Chairman of the board), CEO of Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences Teemu Kokko, Director of Finance Virpi Peltoniemi (Board Secretary).[7]
History
Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences was established in the beginning of 2007, when Helsinki Business Polytechnic (Helia) and Haaga Institute Polytechnic merged and created a new university of applied sciences. At the time, there were approximately 6000 students in Helia and approximately 4000 students in Haaga Institute. Haaga-Helia was the first university of applied sciences in Finland to launch an English-taught Bachelor's degree programme in 1993 (Degree Programme in Hospitality Management).[8]
