Empowering Students for Working Life

Welcome to Laurea’s University of Applied Sciences Business Col­lab­o­ra­tion Seminar

How can higher education better prepare students for the future of work while creating value for employers, communities and society?

Universities around the world are seeking new ways to strengthen graduate employability, deepen collaboration with working life and provide students with authentic learning experiences. Join university leaders, policymakers and higher education professionals to explore how these goals can be achieved through long-term partnerships between higher education institutions and external organisations.

For more than 20 years, Laurea University of Applied Sciences has continuously developed its award-winning Learning by Developing (LbD) approach. By integrating real development projects commissioned by companies, public organisations and communities into education, students develop professional competence while contributing to genuine workplace challenges. One indicator of the success of this long-term approach is Laurea’s graduate employment rate of 94.8% (2025), reflecting the strong connection between education and the world of work.

Over three days, you will experience how this approach is implemented in practice through keynote presentations, campus visits, real-life case examples, student and partner perspectives, and interactive workshops. You will also have opportunities to exchange ideas with peers from around the world and reflect on how similar approaches could be adapted to your own institution and national context.

What will you gain?

• Explore practical ways to strengthen collaboration between higher education and working life.
• Discover how authentic, project-based learning can enhance student engagement, competence development and graduate employability.
• Experience Laurea’s Learning by Developing (LbD) approach, refined through more than two decades of continuous development.
• Learn from real examples of collaboration with companies, public organisations and students.
• Exchange ideas with university leaders, policymakers and higher education professionals from different countries.
• Build new international partnerships and leave with practical ideas you can apply in your own institution.

Whether you are shaping higher education policy, leading a university or developing educational practices, this seminar offers a unique opportunity to experience authentic university–business collaboration in action and explore how similar approaches can support learning, innovation and employability in your own context.

Working life connected learning

Laurea’s ped­a­gog­i­cal model (Learning by Developing) enables working life connected learning

• Students gain knowledge and build networks through real-life experience
• Companies connect with future talent and develop their operations
• Universities ensure their degrees remain relevant and attractive to students

LbD also

• Strengthens the connection between higher education and the needs of society
• Promotes innovation and supports regional development

Learn more

Program Overview

Who should attend?

• University Presidents and Rectors
• Vice Presidents
• Deans
• Directors of Education
• Ministry representatives
• Higher Education Policy Makers

September 7, 2027: Pedagogy and Impact

How can higher education prepare students for an increasingly complex and rapidly changing world of work?

The opening day introduces Laurea’s award-winning Learning by Developing (LbD) approach, refined through more than 20 years of continuous development. Through keynote presentations from higher education leaders and policymakers, participants will explore how authentic collaboration with companies, public organisations and communities has become an integral part of teaching and learning.

Students and alumni will share first-hand experiences of learning through real development projects and how these experiences have supported their competence development, employability and career paths. Together, these perspectives provide a comprehensive introduction to Laurea’s educational approach and its long-term impact.

The day concludes with networking opportunities and informal discussions with fellow participants and members of the Laurea community.

September 8, 2027: Building Strong Partnerships

How can universities create long-term partnerships that benefit students, employers and society?

The second day focuses on the strategic partnerships that make working life connected learning possible. Through keynote presentations, company case examples and student perspectives, participants will discover how Laurea collaborates with leading companies and public organisations to create authentic learning opportunities and long-term value for all partners.

Interactive workshops and facilitated discussions provide opportunities to exchange experiences with international colleagues, explore different partnership models and reflect on how similar approaches could be adapted within participants’ own institutions.

The day concludes with shared reflections and an evening networking programme in the heart of Helsinki.

September 9, 2027: Hands-On Experience

See how authentic collaboration becomes part of everyday learning.

The final day takes participants to Laurea’s Hyvinkää campus, where working life connected learning is embedded in everyday teaching through authentic student projects and close collaboration with external partners. Meet students, explore real development assignments and gain first-hand insight into how project-based learning supports competence development, innovation and graduate employability.

The seminar concludes with a facilitated reflection workshop, enabling participants to identify key takeaways, exchange ideas with peers and develop practical actions that can be applied within their own organisations and higher education systems.

Registration

Registration details will be published in autumn 2026.