LUT University has negotiated a significant agreement on education collaboration with Hebei University of Technology (HEBUT) in China. The collaboration aims substantially to expand LUT University’s international Bachelor’s studies in technology in Lappeenranta and to launch Bachelor’s programmes also on LUT University’s Lahti campus.
The collaboration will comprise Lappeenranta-based Bachelor’s programmes in mechanical and electrical engineering, and energy technology and software engineering programmes in Lahti. The new programmes will be launched in autumn 2021 when roughly 250 students start their studies on the two campuses. An important share of the programmes’ international students will come from beyond the EU.
Hebei University of Technology (HEBUT), founded in 1903, has approximately 20 000 students and is located in the city of Tianjin. HEBUT began providing education in English in the early 1900s, and international collaboration has been an essential part of its operation ever since. The QS ranking lists HEBUT among the top 301–350 universities in the BRIC countries.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with LUT University in Lappeenranta and Lahti. Our collaboration is spearheaded by four jointly organised and executed Bachelor’s programmes,” states Guowei Ma, HEBUT’s Vice President, Research and International Affairs.
Rector Juha-Matti Saksa, LUT University, is satisfied with the outcome of the collaboration negotiations. “LUT University is investing in education export by bringing international students to its campuses. This is also a way for us to react to the shortage of experts in Finnish businesses,” Saksa outlines. “We believe that especially companies operating on the Asian markets will be very interested in these future professionals. This endeavour demonstrates the power of collaboration: the agreement would never have seen daylight without the collective efforts of LUT University and the regions of Päijät-Häme and South Karelia.”
The collaboration in education between LUT University and Hebei University of Technology will be an important milestone in the internationalisation of the Finnish academic sector. The education of international experts in Finland will promote the achievement of national goals for education export and international growth.
Further information:
Rector Juha-Matti Saksa, LUT University
juha-matti.saksa@lut.fi, +358 400 166 6659