International students’ theses open doors to the world

Despite the benefits of hiring international talent, post-graduation employment for these individuals has proven more challenging than for Finnish students. However, organisations stand to gain by cooperating with international experts through thesis commissions. 

“In the future, international workforce will be needed to fill the labour shortage, and commissioning a thesis is a good first step for organisations to cooperate with an international expert,” says senior specialist in international affairs Terhi Kipinä from Tampere University.

In the future, international workforce will be needed to fill the labour shortage, and commissioning a thesis is a good first step for organisations to cooperate with an international expert.

Terhi Kipinä, Tampere University

According to reports compiled by the TEK organisation for academic engineers and architects in Finland (the link leads to a Finnish-language website), writing a master’s thesis for a company may even quadruple the student’s chances of finding permanent employment, especially if they come from non-EU countries. The networks established during the thesis process can help students make significant career progress, particularly if they lack prior contacts in Finland.

Theses also offer companies a low-threshold opportunity to collaborate with international experts. After a successful thesis process, employers find it easier to hire skilled individuals because they have already had the chance to work with the student in advance. The networks obtained from the thesis position can help students to make significant career progress because they may not have any previous contacts in Finland.

Theses provide a low threshold for internationalisation

Theses authored by international students offer companies a low-threshold opportunity to try working with an international expert. After a successful thesis process, it is also easy for the employer to hire a skilled graduate because there has already been an opportunity to work with the student in advance.

“Students also often have valuable knowledge of the market situation in their home country, and they can act as cultural mediators,” Kipinä says.

Students also often have valuable knowledge of the market situation in their home country, and they can act as cultural mediators.

Terhi Kipinä, Tampere University

A thesis is always based on the student’s prior learning. The student has the latest knowledge of the field, which should be utilised by the organisation that commissions the thesis. One thesis supervisor is needed from the company, but the supervisor does not need to know anything complicated about Tampere University’s processes.

“All academic guidance and counselling related to the thesis process is provided by the university,” says Terhi Kilamo, University Lecturer at the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences.

OptoFidelity has a long tradition of international theses

OptoFidelity Oy, which provides optical metrology products and solutions, has commissioned several theses from both Finnish and international students. Each year, the company commissions two to three theses, often in technology fields, but other fields can also be considered.

The theses have often been done as a part of OptoFidelity’s customer work, but some have also been completed in Business Finland-funded projects. The theses generally solve very practical problems.

Studies before work

When commissioning theses, OptoFidelity finds that the most important aspect also for them is that the students’ studies are progressing, and the theses is completed. At OptoFidelity, some working time can be used for writing the thesis, but at the same time, the schedule for completing the thesis is kept realistic. In the best-case scenario, the graduating student will be employed by the company.

“One thesis resulted in a successful product, and the author of that thesis is now working for us as the product owner,” says Veera Salpalahti, Chief People & Culture Officer at OptoFidelity.

One thesis resulted in a successful product, and the author of that thesis is now working for us as the product owner.

Veera Salpalahti, OptoFidelity Oy

Good thesis authors have been discovered by OptoFidelity through word of mouth. As the company has already commissioned many successful theses, news of a good job placement for thesis writers spreads in the student community.