After completing her bachelor’s studies in French language and culture at the University of Helsinki, Mira Kotamäki knew she wanted a broader, more globally engaged education that would allow her to connect cultural questions with real-world issues. That’s when she discovered the Intercultural Encounters (ICE) Master’s Programme.
“I studied French language here at the University of Helsinki,” Mira explains. “So, my previous studies focused very much on language and on specific cultures and specific regions. I applied to ICE because I wanted to have a bit more like a global perspective.”
Mira chose ICE because she liked the limitless possibilities and ability to research her specific interests.
Now at the end of her ICE studies, Mira has found exactly what she was looking for and is ready for the next steps.
From Language to Global Issues
Mira’s academic journey within ICE included two major study modules: Global Transfers and Religion & Diversity.
In ICE we focus on themes rather than staying in aa specific discipline,” she says.
“So, for example, studying something like identity, AI, migration, these kinds of themes. But you are not limited to the specific theories or methods of a specific discipline. That has been very enriching for me.”
Assignments also allowed students to connect theory with everyday culture. Mira describes one assignment where she analysed different media like TV shows, political campaigns, and social media posts as part of her studies. “It has been motivating for me to be able to study things that are actually in today's world,” she says.
She adds that culture is often overlooked in big conversations: “For example, if we are talking about conflicts, we might approach that from like a political perspective. But I think it would be also important to talk about the culture aspects.”
Learning Through Diversity
Another highlight for Mira has been the diversity of the ICE community among students and faculty alike. “In our studies, we students come from different backgrounds, but also the teachers come from different backgrounds. And I don’t mean only like a national background or a cultural background, but also that we represent different age groups. We have different life experiences. And also we come from different disciplines. In ICE there is diversity.”
That diversity comes with both benefits and challenges. “You are kind of expected to share your thoughts from that background you are coming from, but it’s also sometimes challenging, because you have to explain your arguments and interests for someone who is from a completely different background. So I think that is kind of the most challenging but also very amazing thing in this program.”
She also emphasizes that ICE requires active engagement. “You are very expected to contribute. It doesn’t mean that you are expected to be a ready-made package. It just means that you have to show that you are able to learn, participate, and listen to others.”
Bridging Studies and Career
Mira has also built connections between her academic work and the professional world. She’s currently completing a traineeship with the City of Vantaa’s Employment and Integration Unit, where she’s helping develop an AI tool to assess Finnish language skills for job seekers from migrant backgrounds.
“I’m working in their employment and integration unit in Vantaa employment services,” Mira says. “Half of the customers are from a non-Finnish speaking background, so in that unit we are trying to help these customers with immigrant or non-Finnish language backgrounds to succeed in the job market.”
Her thesis work, which focuses on the importance friendship plays in integration, complements this traineeship and has further fueled her interest in working in policy planning or integration services after graduation.
Advice to Future Students
Mira encourages prospective students to consider ICE if they are eager to explore global issues through interdisciplinary lenses. “I would say that if you are willing to learn about different topics, if you are willing to kind of challenge yourself and look at things from new angles, I really encourage you to apply to ICE.”
She also offers a practical reminder: “We have a lot of freedom, but we also have a lot of responsibility with the freedom. In the Finnish university system, we plan our studies ourselves and we build our own specialization. So it’s very important to be self-reflective, so that you think about what are important for you, and you are somehow able to connect your interests to some broader themes and courses. In this way, you really can build quite a unique expertise profile.”
A Program That Inspires Confidence
Looking back, Mira says she’s proudest of the way ICE pushed her outside her comfort zone.
“I have got to study topics that I really didn’t know anything about beforehand,” she says. “For example, the Religion and Diversity module was something that I really didn’t have very much knowledge about, but then I really immersed myself. It has been very helpful for me to understand questions about diversity from a broader perspective.”
Whether it was attending conferences, supporting classmates in thesis seminars, or learning to articulate her skills for employers, Mira’s experience in ICE has equipped her with confidence and clarity.
“Challenging myself is maybe the thing that I’m most proud of,” Mira reflects.
And while she still jokes about not being sure exactly what her “profile” is, she knows ICE gave her the tools to keep building it: “Funny, because I’ve been talking about how you have to build your own profile. I’m like, what is my profile? But I know I’m building something meaningful.”