Dreams, enabling, and hindering factors of learning in demanding RDI projects

In universities of applied sciences in Finland the masters’ degree programs aim at EQF7 level competences that require mastering “broad and highly specialized concepts, methods and information for independent thinking and/or research” and “leading and developing complex, unpredictable and new strategic approaches” and “leading things and/or people” (Valtioneuvoston asetus 120/2017).

To this end, incorporating research, development, and innovation (RDI) activities into master’s degree programs would greatly benefit students, and there is a strong demand for such integration (Helariutta et al. 2021; Hero et al. 2024; Väänänen and Peltonen 2020). However, only one third of Finnish universities of applied sciences (UAS) have adopted the integration of teaching and RDI as their pedagogical operating model (Toom et al. 2023). According to a national survey, the integration of UAS master’s programs with UAS RDI remains limited (VAKE pre-study 2023).

This article presents the findings from a workshop study at LAB University of Applied Sciences. LAB is planning to pilot the possibility for master’s students to learn in RDI projects and publish academic journal articles as theses. Universities of applied sciences have more demanding RDI projects than before (e.g. EU Horizon, Academy of Finland, etc.), which also require academic publishing and provide opportunities for master’s students to learn.

At LAB, the mission is to help companies innovate and grow. LAB wants to integrate demanding RDI activities and master’s education even more strongly and create places for students to participate in research groups. To serve this purpose, LAB wishes to enable talented students to participate in peer-reviewed publications related to demanding innovation activities. However, this opportunity is only in its initial piloting phase and needs more clarification and reasoning. LAB’s master’s programs aim to develop strong evidence-based knowledge and skills for management and expert positions while providing opportunities for further studies.

What are the dreams, enabling, and hindering factors of learning in RDI projects and academic publishing? The authors engaged 29 LAB Master’s degree and RDI staff members in a workshop study. An official research permission was obtained from LAB in advance. Workshop participants were informed about the collection and use of the data in the publication, and that participation was voluntary. The research data was collected during the workshop and consisted of notes written by external researchers (documented in Word) and the participants (handwritten). The findings were analyzed using a deductive content analysis by the three authors in multiple discussion rounds (Krippendorff 2013).

Findings: Student as a member of an RDI project

The workshop participants explored and discussed the dreams, enabling, and hindering factors related to students working in RDI projects. What are the dreams, enabling, and hindering factors of learning in RDI projects (Table 1)?

Table 1. Student as a member of an RDI project: Dreams, enabling and hindering factors in LAB.

Upper category	Sub-category	Factor
Dreams	Students work in RDI projects as part of studies RDI projects are ready for student participation	– Students’ competencies are developed in RDI integration – Students’ produce RDI-outcomes – Students would be employed in RDI projects – Working in RDI projects offers UAS career opportunities for students – Curricula and processes support student learning in RDI projects – Quality RDI processes and tools support student participation – A lot of RDI funding – RDI project can tutor students – Students are easy to recruit to RDI projects, even if they come from the working life
Enabling factors	Working-life orientation Flexible curricula Double-roles (RDI and teaching) Clear RDI-learning processes	– Students are appreciated as representatives of working life – Not only research, but also development and innovation – Flexible curricula to support RDI learning – Co-operative roles clearly defined – Teachers’ can tutor students as part of RDI group – Teachers and RDI personnel understand each others aims – RDI project participation guidance – Choosing students to RDI group – Managing expectations
Hindering factors	Students integration to RDI projects is hard Teaching and RDI are organized in silos	– Students’ do not have motivation in UAS RDI work – Student potential is not recognized – Students do not have RDI competence – Student expect working-life orientation in UAS – Students do not have time as they are working – Teachers RDI competence is not good enough – RDI group and teaching are in silos, no joint plan – Curricula do not support RDI project integration – RDI funding instruments do not support integration to teaching – Poor communication towards students

Students in RDI projects: Dreams

In LAB workshop, participants wished that students would work more in RDI projects as part of their studies and that the RDI projects would be more ready for student participation (Table 1).

Participants wished that the students’ competencies could be developed in learning that would be pedagogically integrated into RDI work and that students would produce RDI outcomes as employees of the RDI projects. Participants dreamt that working in RDI projects would offer UAS career opportunities for students. They dreamed that UAS master’s curricula and processes would better support student learning in RDI projects. (LAB workshop 23.1.2025.)

The dream is that the curricula allow students to participate in RDI.
Students can be directed to the right project, and having a better overview of all projects, the project database benefits everyone! RDI support services work well.
Attention is paid to student selection: The job description is clear enough.

Students in RDI projects: Enabling factors

Participants postulated that working-life orientation, flexible curricula, double roles of RDI-teaching staff, and clearly defined RDI processes are the enabling factors that support student learning in the RDI projects (Table 1).

Students are appreciated as the representatives of working-life, bringing added value not only to research, but also to development and innovation. Flexible curricula are needed for flexible student RDI work, that is not seen only as thesis work, but also as joint practical projects, research output and concrete implementable results. Teachers and RDI personnel should understand each other’s roles, or same people should act in a double role as teachers and as RDI developers. Teaching integrated RDI would need clear guidance and a manual, processes of choosing students, and ways to manage the student expectations. (LAB workshop 23.1.2025)

Students in RDI projects: Hindering factors

The participants highlighted two types of hindering factors. Student integration to RDI projects seems to be hard and teaching and RDI are organized in silos (Table 1).

Student integration is found to be hard as UAS master’s staff felt that students’ motivation may be low and there may be a lack of resources due to their own work. Students expect working-life orientation in UAS, and not only academic-type research work. Students’ lack of research competencies may hinder their work in the RDI uni.

Participants felt that teaching and RDI are organized in their silos. That seems to show in teacher RDI competence and experience, and a lack of joint aims, plans and curricula. RDI funding instruments rarely support integration, and the ability to communicate RDI learning opportunities is underdeveloped. (LAB workshop 23.1.2025.)

The tutor does not recognize the students’ potential. There are many students.
The project person does not know the student’s skills.
The student rarely has research studies in their background. The supervisor cannot teach how to conduct research.
Often, when master’s and doctoral post graduates come to masters, they already have methodological knowledge, but they come because of the practical approach.
How closely can the student work as part of the research group – does the student really get involved!?

Findings: Academic journal article as a thesis

In addition to students working in RDI projects, workshop participants explored and discussed the dreams, enabling, and hindering factors related to students writing a journal article thesis (Table 2).

Table 2. Students publishing journal article theses: Dreams, enabling and hindering factors in LAB.

Upper category	Sub-category	Factor
Dreams	Capable motivated students Develops students competence Clear understanding of the requirements of academic journal article The role of RDI would be more visible and develop working life Students receive high-quality guidance	– Enough students capable of writing an academic acticle – Students having motivation to proceed towards postgraduate studies – Students are part of RDI activities and research groups – Being part of the RDI work support´s students learning – Studies develop competencies needed in academic writing – The process is clear, the method of operation has spread widely – Academic article writing visualization and branding – Academic articles developes working life – Scientific publications can be a future success factor – The research-based nature of education is more visible – Students receive good supervision – Students gain knowledge and understanding – The competence development is discussed
Enabling factors	Relevant, timely and positive communication Flexible and visual process Focus is on students’ learning Teachers’ experience and pedagogical competence Support for teachers’ work RDI and research group as a learning environment	– Previous good experiences are shared – Students are informed about the different types of thesis implementations – Communication raises awareness of the evidence-based nature of Master education – The process is described visually – The process is flexible for students – Communication about the skills to be practiced – Achieving relevant competencies in a timely manner – Teachers have pedagogical skills and encouraging approach – Students are introduced to the publishing process and publications – Teachers work is supported – Project for developing thesis supervision is planned – Information on reserch group activities – Pedagogical model and study units on working in a research group exist – Staff members identify potential opportunities for students to join academic writing
Hindering factors	Ambiguity in communication and roles and responsibilities Content and timing of master’s studies Lack of resources Challenges to identify students potential and engage them to RDI activities Consistent quality of supervision	– Difficult to access information – Unclear communication – The usability of information for working life – Ambiguity of responsibilities – Short duration of Master’s studies – Short study period – Study-acquired competences inadequately support journal article thesis writing – Lack of time available for supervising the thesis – Insufficient support by UAS services – Lack of structured RDI participation opportunities – Difficulty of identifying student’s potential – Inadequate skills of the supervisor – Self-serving motives of supervisors

Journal article thesis: Dreams

Workshop participants expressed a desire for greater clarity regarding the role of UAS research and its value to working life, both internally and externally (table 2). They hoped that the research-based nature of education would be more prominently recognized. Additionally, participants envisioned organizational structures, processes, and curricula that would actively support the journal article thesis option, ensuring its availability and clear communication to relevant stakeholders.

Furthermore, they dreamt of the competencies and motivation of both staff and students being well-aligned with the demands of journal article-based theses. In this ideal scenario, students would receive the necessary guidance, both in navigating the thesis process and in developing their academic writing skills

At the same time, the research group becomes a community support. This is how we would find and recruit experts for research groups. The thesis would no longer be an individual project!
In Master’s education, research is made visible and evidence-based information sources are required, this also in the student selection process, all the time communicating that the studies are based on research/researched information and evidence-based information.
A beautifully flowing process that develops expertise and spreads widely

Journal article thesis: Enabling factors

Workshop participants identified several key enablers for implementing the journal article thesis option. (Table 2). Effective communication about the requirements and the process for writing a journal article was seen as crucial. Strong learning support and pedagogical guidance from an experienced teacher to the student was highlighted repeatedly.

Additionally, the role of a supportive learning environment, such as participation in a research group, was recognized as essential. Participants also emphasized the need for a well-defined yet flexible process for implementing this type of thesis. Furthermore, a competence-based approach, along with a clear understanding of the specific competencies to be developed, was acknowledged as a key enabler.

Communication and branding play a big role here. It is important to make the different thesis opportunities visible through marketing and communication.
The studies should have a model of how to join a research group. A pedagogical model of how a student slips into the group.
Supervisors are not left alone with the process, but the supervisor also has support

Journal article as thesis: Hindering factors

Several hindering factors related to journal article theses were identified. The main obstacles were associated with competencies, resources, learning environments, processes, and communication. (Table 2).

Participants noted that awareness of the journal article thesis format remains limited. Additionally, difficulties in accessing relevant information, along with ambiguity regarding roles and responsibilities, were recognized as significant barriers.

From a process perspective, identifying capable students and effectively engaging them in RDI activities posed challenges. Furthermore, insufficient resources like limited time available for thesis supervision, were regarded as key hindering factors. Participants also emphasized the need for consistency in teachers’ competencies, noting that variations in expertise could negatively impact students’ learning and writing processes.

The scientific thesis option should be clearly presented on the website, in communications and marketing
Even at Bachelor level, there are no longer enough studies that are connected to the substance of one’s own field. Only some generic studies. How can one strive for scientific Master’s studies from that?
Funding can be a challenge, how much resources are available
How does a student find a role to act as part of the project actors?

Discussion and conclusions

To be able to explore LAB Masters provided interesting insights as several other UAS’s in Finland are considering RDI project and student learning integration opportunities at the moment. The findings indicate that many visions and practical enabling and hindering factors need to be considered while planning, guiding, and tutoring the student’s work. Overall, there was quite a positive attitude toward the opportunity for students working in RDI teams and publishing journal articles. The workshop took it for granted that it is acceptable to carry out a thesis as an academic article.

It is interesting what was missing from the workshop discussion. There was not much discussion about students’ leadership role in academic publishing, nor how the results would be implemented in working life as part of student work. To integrate leadership competence development in a master’s program (cf. Valtioneuvoston asetus 120/2017), student agency in managing the thesis project as an RDI process is essential. The goal is to enhance working-life practices rather than solely focusing on theory.

The University of Applied Sciences Act (Ammattikorkeakoululaki § 2 932/2014) or the YAMK EQF 7 objectives were not seen as hindering factors. However, students and RDI projects need an explanation why this should be done. According to UAS law, the thesis should demonstrate the student’s ability to understand, apply, and produce professional results in his/her field. At its best, the thesis serves as a bridge between student and working life. (Ammattikorkeakoululaki § 2 932/2014). If the thesis is published in an academic journal, students should still implement the results in working life somehow.

Master’s studies aim to provide graduates with extensive and deep knowledge and necessary theoretical knowledge to act as a developer in demanding professional expert and management duties (Ammattikorkeakoululaki § 2 932/2014). In a Finnish master’s in a UAS it is not enough to act as an academic researcher. If the thesis is an academic article, the student should still act as a professional expert and demonstrate developed management competence. However, an academic article may offer “a profound view of one’s profession, its societal importance and situation in the working world, and the ability to follow and analyze the development of research data and professional practices”, and “the ability for lifelong learning and continuous professional development “ if the topic allows. (cf. Ammattikorkeakoululaki § 2 932/2014).

Pedagogy should help students to navigate through their own research (R) to the development of real-life conditions (D) to implementing the developed innovative solutions (I) in practice via practicing management actions. UAS master’s students play a unique dual role as both students and employees, which enables them to directly impact the world by applying their expertise and managerial skills. (VAKE pre-study 2023).

When producing an academic journal article as a thesis, working life may not be found. The implementation in working life should be guaranteed. The student should reflect on the development process, its management, and its contribution to professional practice. This involves incorporating practical development into the academic journal article thesis project for novel innovations in working life.

A scientific article as a thesis is not intended to be mainstream, but a considered opportunity for a small group of students who have the motivation and ability for it. This case study offers only a snapshot of one workshop in one UAS. The results are the LAB staff’s view on the matter. However, the findings raise concerns about motivations and questions for further evaluation. What are the deeper motivations of students, teachers, and organizations? What is the added value for the student? How do journal articles succeed in influencing the development of professional practice and working life? These questions need clear answers and process support in teacher and student guidance. The current process is in its initial stage and can be refined during the pilot phase.

This article is part of HAMK’s and Haaga-Helias’s ”VaKe – National Master Development Programme in the Context of Continuous Learning” (2024-25) funded by the ESF+

LISÄÄ AIHEEN YMPÄRILTÄ / RELATED POSTS