Results of the Needs Analysis Carried Out in Finland

A. Background Questions | B. Proficiency in Finnish | C. Studying | D. Questions about everyday situations | E. Social life and leisure | F. Important vocabulary

at the University of Jyväskylä (spring 2000 and autumn 2001), and the University of Joensuu, Institute for Intercultural Communication in Savonlinna (autumn 2001)

Total: 75 answers = 21 answers from Jyväskylä to the long questionnaire and 54 answers to the short questionnaire (48 answers from Jyväskylä and 6 answers from Savonlinna)

1. Gender Distribution

2. Age Distribution

3. Home Country

*Spain 6 %, France 6 %, Germany 13 %, Austria 6 %, UK 1 %, Netherlands 2 %, Portugal 1 %.

4. Mother Tongues

Six students were bilingual and both languages were counted: 3 Ukrainians (Russian & Ukrainian), one Estonian (Russian & Estonian), one Sovak (Slovakian and Hungarian) and one Spanish student (Spanish & Catalan)
* The student from Morocco had Arabic as mother tongue.
** The student from Bangladesh had Bangla as mother tongue
*** The student from Iran had Fars as mother tongue.

5. Other languages (multiple answers, only 21 questionnaires)

6. Students’ Field of Study (Those students who studied in two or three faculties/departments were counted more than once.)

Some students combined studies in more than one department or faculty: 1 Sports & Economics, 1 Economics & IT, 1 Teacher Education & Communication, 1 Special Education & English, 1 Economics & Political Science & Sports Management, 1 Social Science & Culture Studies, 1 German & History & Education, 1 Art History & History.

7 . Length of Stay

The majority of the students stayed in Finland for one (36 %) or two (32 %) semesters. 7 % stayed 4 semesters.

8. Why did you want to study abroad? multiple answers (only 21 “long” questionnaires)

*something else

• "to get experience to live abroad for a while" (F21/The Netherlands)
• "learn English, meet new people, to see something new" (F22/Poland)
• "meet people, learn English" (F25/Poland)
• "intercultural practice" (F25/Germany)
• "it's interesting to study in another country" (F21/Russia)
• "Finnish girlfriend" (M26/Germany)
• "to get to know another culture" (F23/Germany)
• "to acquire new experiences and knowledge" (F23/Estonia)
• "international contacts" (M24/Germany)
• "escape my cultureless society" (M28/Canada)
• "I just wanted to be in Finland!! This was my big "dream"." (F21/Austria)

9. How (through which programme) did you come to Finland?

10. Why did you decide to come to Finland as an exchange student?
(multiple answers, open question)

11. What has surprised you most about Finland? (multiple answers)

people unsocial / shy 16 %

• "The people, their shy attitude." (F20/Spain)
• "There is no social life at the hall of residence, all people are just watching TV in their own rooms." (F21/Hungary)
• "How quiet and introvert people are." (F20/Spain)

beautiful and clear nature / air 13 %

• "That here is such clear water and air." (F21/Russia)
• "Lots of trees and lakes everywhere." (M22/Spain)

people friendly / nice 12 %

• "Helpfulness." (F22/Poland)
• "Finns are very polite." (M21/Ukraine)

weather 9 %

• "The cold, the weather is very cold." (M22/Spain)
• "Wintertime." (F34/Bangladesh)

good / flexible studying opportunities 8 %

• "The study program is very flexible." (F21/USA)
• "That it is possible to choose the courses you want to study and the timetables are not prearranged." (F23/Lithuania)

high prices 6 %

• "The prices for food and clothes." (M21/Ukraine)
• "Expensive prices." (M26/Germany)

language skills of Finns 5 %

• "The level of English of most people. They speak it worse than I was thinking". (M21/France)

drinking habits 5 %

• "The amount of extremely drunken people on weekends." (M20/Canada)
• "Die vielen total betrunkenen Finnen in der Innenstadt."
  The great number of totally drunken people Finns in the centre. (M24/Germany)

food 5 %

• "How early people have lunch." (F24/UK)
• "The taste of “salmiakki”." (M20/Ukraine)

Finnish language 3 %

• "The difficulty of language is high." (M46/USA)

single answers 14 %

• "Showers in the toilet." (22/Poland)

empty 4 %

12. What have you enjoyed most about Finland (multiple answers)

beautiful nature / silence 25,8 %

• "Das beschauliche Leben, die Nähe zur Natur, die Ruhe."
  The contemplative life, the closeness to nature, the tranquillity. (F23/Germany)
• "Silence and nature." (M22/Poland)

nice and honest people 16,9 %

• "Herzlichkeit und Ehrlichkeit der Leute."
  Kindness and honesty of the people. (M29/Switzerland)
• "I liked the way Finnish people take care of foreigners. I felt that I always will get help in any difficult situation." (F22/Lithuania)

other exchange students and student life 10,5 %

• "Die vielen netten Austauschstudenten."
  Lots of nice exchange students. (F25/Germany)
• "Company of exchange students." (F23/Estonia)

snow and winter 8,9 %

• "It might sound strange, but the winter. All this snow, ice and extreme cold are new to me and I have enjoyed it." (M20/Spain)

studying system 8,9 %

• "Professionality of university staff, for example the librarians." (F40/Russia)
• "Everything is really well organized at the university. The lectures are quite good and the staff is really friendly." (F21/Estonia)

sauna culture 6,5 %

• "Sauna. I have tried it for the first time in my life. And I enjoy it too much. It is extremely good." (M21/Ukraine)

weather and seasons 4,8 %

• "Summers." (F34/Bangladesh)

food 4,8 %

• "Das Essen in den Unirestaurants."
  The food in university restaurants. (F24/Germany)

sports and travelling 4,8 %

• "The possibility to go to Lapland or Russia." (F21/France)
• "Skiing at Pyhätunturi." (F20/Russia)

single answers 4,8 %

• "Als Student hat man viele Rabatte, was sehr von Vorteil ist."
  As a student you get lots of discounts which is a big advantage. (F20/Austria)

empty 3,2 %

13. What have you enjoyed least about Finland? (multiple answers)

prices 21,8 %

• "The prices. Everything is more expensive than in my country so I have to be extremely careful when spending money." (M20/Spain)
• "High rent." (F23/Estonia)

darkness and cold weather 18,8 %

• "The length of day in winter – it’s so short." (M20/Ukraine)
• "I’m already fed up with winter." (F22/Poland)

drinking habits 12,9 %

• "The drinking “culture” has sometimes been very irritating to me. Even if I like to drink a beer or wine sometimes, I find it hard to deal with the way people get drunk here." (F28/Germany)
• "Finnish youth drinks a lot." (F19/Russia)

shyness / uncommunicativeness of people 8,9 %

• "I think that the behaviour of some Finnish people. Many of my friends live with Finns in the student’s village, and I know that they feel very lonely. Finns don’t like talking, they close their doors, and they are quite official even after two month of common living." (M22/Poland)

food 8,9 %

• "Beer, food." (F22/Poland)
• "Sausages. Food in general." (M23/Germany)
• "Das ganze Essen ist fettfrei."
  All foods are fat free. (M24/Germany)

difficult language 3,0 %

nothing 2 %

• "Nothing in particular even though the language is really difficult." (M27/Iran)

single answers 16,8 %

• "Situations when I didn’t understand Finnish." (M26/Germany)

empty 6,9 %

14. Did you take part in the orientation week programme? (only 21 questionnaire)

15. Did you get all the information you needed During this week? (only 21 questionnaire)

16. If not, what other information you would have liked to be given?
(multiple answers, only 21 questionnaires)

17. Have you had any difficulties in dealing with practical matters or getting to know the university? (only 21 questionnaires)

18. More specified answers when answering yes (6 answers, multiple answers)

*other: caretaker, finding the way around the town

19. Description of Problems (multiple answers, only 21 questionnaires)