Caroline Saadé: A Reutlingen University student shares her experiences with exchange at Haaga-Helia

Caroline Saadé, a student from our partner Reutlingen University, expected that going on exchange meant getting a unique opportunity – one that would feature academic growth, exploration of new cultures, and lifelong memories. Her ideal destination would offer an enriching education and many travel opportunities.

With these ideas in mind, she discovered Finland and Haaga-Helia, and became convinced by both the stunning nature and Haaga-Helia’s strong business portfolio. “Haaga-Helia’s focus on innovation and its campus’ location in Helsinki was the ideal way to experience living in a capital city and study in a modern environment.”

A way to make new friends and gain unique study perspectives

She remarked that her favourite memories are of the people she met along the way. She also had great experiences with organisations such as Student Union Helga and the Erasmus Student Network, which are present from the very beginning of exchange studies. “Haaga-Helia’s student network did a fantastic job in making us exchange students feel welcomed immediately,” she said. She also enjoyed access to many exciting trip opportunities and activities that helped immerse her in the student social scene.

Caroline also set out to work on her business skill set and knowledge, and she found that Haaga-Helia gave her the chance to dive into new topics and educational challenges. “They had not been covered in my studies so far,” she said. “I selected courses where I learned about the potential of AI in business and even got to work on two consulting projects for Finnish companies.” She feels that she walked away equipped with crucial knowledge and soft skills which are highly relevant to her professional career goals.

During her learning journey, Haaga-Helia’s staff helped her adjust to exchange student life and with any questions she had. “My entire exchange semester went very smoothly thanks to Haaga-Helia’s staff, and I have always received useful and quick support which really facilitated and benefitted my time in Finland.”

Exchange challenges make you stronger

Students can expect to face challenges when they go on exchange, but they should be embraced as an opportunity to strengthen your character!

Caroline noted that living in Finland during autumn and winter means that you must be able to deal with cold temperatures and short daylight periods. She tried hard to adapt and was happy to find new resilience in herself. “Dealing with these challenging circumstances helped me to discover my inner ‘sisu’, which going forward is a powerful source of inner strength and resilience in tough situations.”

Caroline was also pleased to experience learning Finnish, a unique language she doesn’t think she would have encountered elsewhere. “Learning Finnish was the first time I had to start studying the structure and vocabulary of a new language from zero, since it is not part of the Indo-European group, like all the other languages I speak.”

Haaga-Helia as a destination for exchange

When asked, Caroline eagerly agreed that she would recommend Haaga-Helia to others. “I would absolutely choose Haaga-Helia again for an exchange semester! The support for exchange students is very well organised, and it enriches your stay in Finland enormously. Furthermore, Helsinki is a great city to live in and the perfect starting place to explore Finland and its beautiful nature.”

Image and quotes: Caroline Saadé