Riitta Konkola
The profile of Finnish universities of applied sciences is to act as an implementer of applied research close to working life and as a trainer of future experts. We are part of the European Higher Education Area. According to the European Strategy for Universities, higher education institutions are the foundation of openness, democracy, justice, sustainable growth, entrepreneurship and employment. They play a key role in post-pandemic recovery and in shaping sustainable societies. Thus, it can be said that our society needs the input of universities of applied sciences now more than ever.
Many phenomena and related challenges are visible in our society, such as climate change, population ageing, exclusion and inequality. These and many other problems require UASs to make significant contributions to education and research, development and innovation (RDI) in order to find suitable solutions and strengthen our expertise.
One of the most important tasks of UASs is to prepare their students to meet changing societal needs. UAS can respond to this by offering studies where students from different fields together seek a comprehensive understanding and find new solutions. All universities have examples of pedagogical solutions that link the challenges of working life to the students’ learning tasks.
In fact, universities of applied sciences can strengthen their position as social actors by reacting quickly and flexibly to changing situations. Agile and innovative teaching methods and close cooperation with business and industry enable universities of applied sciences to train competent professionals ready for change.
New technologies, such as artificial intelligence and robotization, are changing the world of work. Together with working life, UASs can design competence packages that increase employees’ ability to use new technologies. These entities provide a quick route to competence development.
There is also a need for understanding and knowledge of how new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), are used and how it should be approached. Talk about the AI revolution (Ojanperä, T. 2023) and AI literacy (Toivonen, H. 2023). Applications utilizing AI are spreading rapidly and their applications are diversifying.
In addition to technical understanding, skills are needed to interpret the results produced by artificial intelligence, skills to know how to use it yourself and to act safely and responsibly (Toivonen, 149). Arene’s recommendations for the utilization of AI for UASs are also necessary when new AI tools are introduced. Using them can enhance learning and make the learning experience more multidimensional. However, artificial intelligence does not replace people’s thinking and development and value production through social interaction.
The theme of this year’s first UAS Journal issue is the role of universities of applied sciences in forward-looking business cooperation and RDI activities. The articles focus on the ways in which universities of applied sciences develop their operations and services in order to promote business and working life cooperation and how research, development and innovation (RDI) activities support teaching and learning. Anticipation competence also emerges when considering new forms of cooperation and their contents. The articles highlight concrete examples of cooperation projects between universities of applied sciences and working life as well as sustainable results of RDI work.
The universities of applied sciences play a major role in the development of society. In this issue of the UAS Journal, you will find inspiring examples of how the impact of universities of applied sciences radiates to many parties and how students prepare themselves as experts for the future.
Riitta Konkola, Lic.Educ., President and Rector, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences; Chairman of the Board, Arene, riitta.konkola(at)metropolia.fi.
Sources
Arenen suositukset tekoälyn hyödyntämisestä ammattikorkeakouluille. https://arene.fi/wp-content/uploads/PDF/2023/AI-Arene-suositukset.pdf?_t=1686309593. Retrieved 4.2.2024.
European Strategy for Universities. https://education.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-01/communication-european-strategy-for-universities-graphic-version.pdf. Retrieved 4.2.2024.
Ojanperä, T. 2023. Tekoälyn vallankumous. Käsikirja. Helsinki: Alma Talent.
Toivonen, H. 2023. Mitä tekoäly on? 100 kysymystä ja vastausta. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Teos.
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