"We are here to stay"
Sören Berg Rasmussen emphasizes that the key to the society is language.
"Studying in Finland is something to be considered carefully" , says Sören Berg Rasmussen. He moved from Denmark to Helsinki in 2003 to study political science and is now beginning his master's thesis.
"The atmosphere at the university is good and Finland is a nice country. On the other hand a university degree from Finland is not that highly appreciated and one needs to learn Finnish very well to be able to get a job here."
Sören's reason to come to Finland was an old-fashioned one: a Finnish girlfriend. He thinks that most foreigners who come here to study have some kind of personal relations to the country. That is also vital for the motivation and willingness to integrate well into the society.
Sören Berg Rasmussen has been active in several organisations in the student community - among others the Debating Society and Tsemppi, an organisation for international degree students. He emphasizes that the key to the society is language.
"Everyone is keen to learn the language when they come. I was sure that I would learn Finnish in half a year. We should be forced more! It's easy to survive at the university in English but for a job we need to know the language on a level higher than socialising. That's what we are here for - to stay and work."
As most foreign degree students, Sören does not welcome possible tuition fees. The level of the courses taught in English and the teaching methods could sometimes be better. "No-one wants to pay for book exams", he concludes.
Text: Elina Mattila-Niemi
Photo: Tuomas Peritalo
