From January to May 2026, 31 students from Finland, Germany and Sweden participated in an international 5 ECTS course that combined virtual learning, multicultural teamwork and an intensive on-campus week at SAMK, Finland.
Designed around project-based and team-based learning principles, the course brought together students from different academic and cultural backgrounds to collaborate on a shared engineering challenge. Working in international teams, participants were encouraged to take ownership of their projects while developing solutions under realistic constraints, including limited budgets, tight deadlines and technical requirements.
The highlight of the programme was the on-campus week at SAMK, where students transformed their concepts into physical prototypes. Teams manufactured components, assembled their designs and tested their solutions in a real river environment. In total, the students developed six prototype concepts and six physical prototypes, several of which were successfully tested under real operating conditions.
Beyond the technical achievements, one of the most valuable outcomes of the course was the strong international collaboration fostered throughout the project. Students worked across cultures, disciplines and perspectives, strengthening not only their engineering knowledge but also essential professional skills such as communication, teamwork, project management and problem-solving.
The programme also provided participants with opportunities to build international connections and exchange experiences beyond the classroom, contributing to a rich and engaging learning environment.
At Diverse, we are proud to support educational initiatives that combine sustainability, innovation and experiential learning. This course once again demonstrated the value of international cooperation in preparing future professionals to address real-world challenges through collaborative and hands-on approaches.
We would like to thank all students, lecturers and staff members from Finland, Germany and Sweden whose commitment and enthusiasm made this successful learning experience possible.
