The document discusses the Federation of Universities of Applied Sciences (FUAS) alliance between three Finnish universities. It outlines plans to create a shared FUAS eCampus/virtual campus by 2015 that will provide online services and a shared learning environment for students. A pilot program of joint summer studies showed increased student enrollment and credits completed between 2011-2012. Feedback from students called for clearer enrollment deadlines and processes, more compulsory and flexible online courses, and improved notification of course requirements. The alliance aims to further enhance tutoring, curriculum development, and student mobility while harmonizing processes across the universities.

1. Innovative Solutions for Regional
Development
an eCampus
Jenni Meriläinen
Lahti University of Applied Sciences
eLearning Unit

2. 2
Federation of Universities of
Applied Sciences (FUAS)
A strategic alliance formed by HAMK, Lahti
and Laurea universities of applied sciences
The strategic intent is to strengthen the
international competitiveness of the
Greater Helsinki Metropolitan Area
January 21, 2013

3. 3
FUAS eCampus / Virtual Campus
 By 2015, the FUAS eCampus will form a shared
learning environment and developer community
for the students, staff and partners of the FUAS
Alliance
 Shared online services to support studies, research,
development and innovation
 Enhancing possibilities to structure personal study
plans
 Harmonizing the processes of FUAS organizations
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4. STUDENT MOBILITY 4
EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE
BASED ON EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
PERSONAL STUDY PLAN TUTORING
FUAS MEMBER UNIVERSITIES
MAJOR / MINOR
SUBJECTS THE NEEDS AND
THE MINIMUM COMPETENCE FOCUS DEMANDS OF
REQUIREMENTS OF MODULES AREAS SOCIETY AND
DEGREES WORKING LIFE
STUDY UNITS
DEGREE

5. 5
The eCampus / Virtual Campus
concept
 the FUAS eCampus takes a holistic approach to a
virtual campus in which ICT plays a key role in all
functions and cooperation
 A holistic approach defines virtual campus as a
broad conceptual framework for tools, services and
facilities
 No strict definition of virtual campus, every campus
becomes a virtual campus in varying degrees as
“blended models” become more common
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6. 6
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7. 7
Pilot – Joint Summer Studies
 Previous attempts hindered by the lack of
communication between the systems and the
processes of the different organizations
 The enrolment on courses, registration and
evaluation now takes place in each organization's
own student administration system
 Information is transmitted from one system to
another through a centralized integration hub
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8. 8
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9. 9
Joint summer studies
 The students find the study units of other organizations
in the system of their own UAS where they can also
enrol on the study units and courses.
 The students access the learning environments of the
partner organizations via SAML security services,
implemented by the national Haka federation.
 With the centralized integration hub it was possible to
implement student mobility between FUAS partners
without massive changes to each partner organization’s
information systems.
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10. 10
Measures taken in 2012
- Based on feedback from summer
studies in 2011
 Implementation of the integration hub
 More online courses
 More courses in English
 Common instructions have been developed
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11. 11
Joint summer studies - Statistics
 2011:
 2 593 enrolments by 1 500 students
 5 759 completed credits
 2012:
 3 180 enrolments by 2 305 students
 6 083 completed credits
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12. 12
Summer studies 2012 -
Feedback
 Enrolment deadlines need to be clearer (the
implementation of the integration hub was
delayed)
 Processes and notifications need to be developed
 The need for more compulsory, professional studies
 More online courses and more flexibility
 Students need to be notified about the
requirements and methods of each course well in
advance
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13. 13
Conclusions – Further
development
 A need to enhance tutoring
 Needs-based joint curricula development
 Student mobility during the full academic year
 Focus on harmonizing the processes while the
integration hub takes care of the data
transformation
 A joint IT Development Manager and eCampus
Development Manager for FUAS are being
recruited
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14. 14
Thank you!
Jenni.merilainen@lamk.fi
@JenniMerilainen
January 21, 2013