Exchange report - incoming students
Home university: Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Study programme: Occupational Therapy
Exchange programme: Erasmus
Semester: Autumn semester 2012/2013
Name: Iiris Lehtinen
Email address: iiris.e.lehtinen@metropolia.fi

Arrival and registration

I think that the introduction days were nice. Some of the information given there was already familiar to me but there were also new and important information. It was also nice to meet other international students. I had also a meeting with the teachers responsible for international students in my field of study. It was good to meet them in the beginning and get general information. 

Acommendation

I applied housing though UAC. At first I didn't get an offer from them and I thought that was weird because my classmate got an offer. We applied at the same time. So I contacted UAC and it turned out that they were planning to send me an offer but had forgot to do that earlier but I was offered a room then. 

The housing was ok compered to the price of it. And I was really pleased with the location of accommodation in Södermalm and the view from our house. The thing that bothered me a bit was renovation of half of the toilets and showers in my floor that lasted about a month.

Leisure time and social activities

The global friends had a good variety of social events I think. I took part in some of those. We had one international party in Solna campus in an old house by the name of GammelgÄrden. That was really nice and relaxed party with international and swedish students and also some teachers in the fields of occupational therapy, physiotherapy and nursing.

Pre-departure

I have been thinking on studying abroad ever since I started my studies in Finland. I just wasn't sure where I would like to go. The decision of coming to Stockholm was made after I heard that one of my classmates in Finland would also be interested of coming to Stockholm. We both like the Swedish language and it was clear for us that we wanted to study in Swedish if being in Sweden. Karolinska Institutet has a good reputation and I had heard good things from those students that had studied in KI from my school before me.

I think that you can find most of the information needed while you are applying in KI's web pages. It might just take a while because there are so much information. 

Courses during the exchange period

1AR018 : Advanced clinical placement
I had three different placements during 7 weeks. It was nice to see many different places but it was also demanding to change places almost every two weeks.
1AR010 : Organisation and Management
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1AR017 : Interprofessional Clinical Education
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EAR004 : Analyses of literature from an occupational perspective
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Summary

I'm glad that I had an opportunity to be an exchange student at KI. I'm satisfied with my stay in Stockholm and could recommend KI as an exchange university.

Language and Culture

I didn't have any language course.

Studies in general

I liked to study in Sweden. It isn't that different from Finland so it was quite easy to start studying. I think that the teachers and supervisors were really professional in general and in my opinion I learned a lot.

I did my studies in Swedish and my language skills became better also. It was nice to be able to speak with patients in their own language.