Introduction
Laurea is a research-oriented and developmental university of applied sciences that produces new competence. Laurea’s pedagogical innovation, the Learning by Developing (LbD) model, is built on a development project that is genuinely rooted in the world of work, which aims to produce new practices and whose progress requires collaboration between lecturers, students and workplace experts. The best projects produce new competence and know-how.
LbD is also a method to fulfil the overall duty given to universities of applied sciences, involving three basic tasks – pedagogy, regional development and research and development – carried out in integrated and merged fashion. Integration means making a solid connection between the three tasks such that all students, lecturers and other staff can participate in all three at the same time.
Laurea works in the highly competitive region of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. Within the innovation
environment of the Metropolitan Area, Laurea is profiled particularly as a developer of regional development influence,
R&D linked to cluster development, network and business competence, related operating models, the welfare sector
and welfare entrepreneurship.
The regional vision for Uusimaa is to become the most competitive, safe and welcoming metropolitan area in northern
Europe.
With regard to international relations, Laurea enriches its area of operation with its international networks, R&D programmes and top-level expertise, promoting the internationalisation of the broader metropolitan area. In terms of innovation, Laurea strengthens and supports the innovation capacity of its region and creates favourable conditions for the birth of innovation.
