Rocky Mount, N.C.— Students from Finland will be attending North Carolina Wesleyan College as early as spring 2008, and Wesleyan students likewise will have an opportunity to study in Finland as the result of an exchange agreement recently completed between Wesleyan and educators in the Hyvinkaa-Riihimaki Educational Region of Finland.

A delegation from North Carolina Wesleyan College, Edgecombe Community College, and Nash Community College met with educators in Finland in September to finalize an agreement that established a student and faculty exchange program.
 

Wesleyan faculty, too, may choose to take part in the new exchange program, which is the first for Wesleyan and also the first between a U.S. college and this region of Finland.

In addition, because of the diversity of Finnish programs, Edgecombe Community College and Nash Community College also have been included in the exchange plans. The community colleges have agreed to arrange short-term visit opportunities for Finnish students who could benefit from courses in specialized training for business and industry.

“This exchange program will provide another way for Wesleyan and the community colleges in our area to enrich our region by giving students the opportunity to experience other cultures,” said Wesleyan President Ian Newbould.

Plans for the exchange began last March when four Finnish educators visited Wesleyan. The delegation was led by Ari Orelma, education CEO for the Hyvinkaa-Riihimaki Education Region in southern Finland. The area has a population of some 90,000 and is about a 40-minute train ride from Finland’s capital city of Helsinki.

 

Wesleyan President Ian Newbould, left, and Ari Orelma of Finland signed a letter of agreement when the Finnish delegation visited Wesleyan last March.

“Our first meeting laid the foundation for Wesleyan and the community colleges to accept students graduating from some of Finland’s two-year college-level programs and several high schools,” Newbould said. “Then, in September, a local delegation to Finland completed administrative details of the exchange.”

The group included, from Wesleyan: President Newbould and Gary L. Sherman, vice president of enrollment management; from Edgecombe Community College: President Deborah Lamb, Dr. Kristi Snuggs, vice president for instruction, and Lynn Cale, associate vice president for instruction; and from Nash Community College: Dr. Keith Smith, associate vice president for community affairs.

Gary Sherman, Wesleyan’s vice president of enrollment management, initiated the exchange program, based on his past experience with another college.

“The Hyvinkaa-Riihimaki Education Region places tremendous emphasis on education, and a high percentage of the population holds a college degree, yet many students are not able to access the traditional higher education track because space is unavailable,” Sherman explained. “Finland has two-year programs in business, accounting, and other subjects that could transfer to Wesleyan, and students in those programs in Finland could finish a bachelor’s degree at Wesleyan. Students from Finland who are in technical programs there could benefit from some of our community college programs that focus on specialized training for business and industry.

“Another attraction is that Finns are enamored with the NCAA programs at our schools. That level of participation does not exist in Finland and athletics are usually carried out at the club level.

“Language will not be a problem, especially for the young people, since students in Finland study English from an early age. Many courses at the Finnish institutes are taught in English, as well as some entire programs such as International Business.”

Finland already has arrangements with other countries, so it was not difficult to put an exchange program into place, Sherman said.

“The Finnish culture clearly embraces most things American, such as music, restaurants, and products,” Sherman said. “They even noted that they like Dr. Phil.”

Several Finnish students and their parents already have expressed a great deal of interest in the program, Sherman said, and some of Wesleyan’s faculty and students have shown enthusiasm for it also. “Faculty can easily participate in exchanges through Internet coursework and through courses taught with computers and video cameras in the Gateway Technology Center at Wesleyan,” Sherman said. “Video conferences through the Gateway Center can be useful in recruiting as well.

“We look forward to this effort resulting in many enrichment opportunities. The prospects are very exciting.”