Learning by doing

INTERVIEW

Name: Taoufik El Fassi
Institution: HAAGA-HELIA University of Applied Sciences
Degree Programme: Tourism

Learning by doing -attitude

Taoufik was first an exchange student and realizet that Porvoo would be a very nice city to live in. So he decided to move to Finland and complete his studies in Porvoo.

– I am from Morocco and started my tourism studies in Germany, studied there for two years and now I will complete my studies in Porvoo.

Tauofik got interested in tourism through his previous work assignments at a hotel and campsite. He likes arranging events and ended up searching for a suitable study place to improve his workmanship. Tauofik choose HAAGA-HELIA beacause he was right from the beginning inspired by the practice oriented – learning by doing – attitude at HAAGA-HELIA.

– All the teachers have their own specialties, which means that we get much real-life stories and the quality of education is good.

International contacts in Porvoo
 

Tauofik finds the Porvoo Campus really nice and ideal place to study tourism. International and talkative atmosphere makes it is easy to get to known with other students and studies offer a lot of good real life contacts.

– I think that the Porvoo Campus is a very special place because I feel that I am not just studying here. I would say that studying at HAAGA-HELIA is more like working in a company. The real life contacts are present in everyday studies. My basic day at school is almost like an ordinary day would be at a real work place. We can mainly decide on our own the structure and content of the day. Different project meetings keep me busy. I like projects and people count on me as an active and hard-working group member. At HAAGA-HELIA I have really liked the studies because I can learn by doing and not just sit quiet listening to lectures.

Freedom and responsibility
 

Projects give freedom to students but at the same time teamwork and time management can be quite challenging. Studies call especially for responsibility.

– I have learnt to take more responsibility and I have also learned to work under pressure and with people who have different backgrounds. Some people can find it difficult to meet commitments made to yourself and others in the beginning of studies because they can be overwhelmed by all the freedom when it comes to the structure and implementation of degree programme. If people fail to take responsibility, they will fail their teams. The international environment in Porvoo Campus can also be very challenging to get involved with other nationalities. But this environment also helps to constantly develop networks.