The Foundation awarded scholarships to distinguished student and and staff members
Häme Vocational Higher Education and Research Foundation sr awarded Laura Kanerva as Student of the Year and Tero Ahvenharju as Employee of the Year at HAMK’s graduation ceremony on 13.12.2024.
The Foundation awarded scholarships to distinguished student and and staff members
Häme Vocational Higher Education and Research Foundation sr awarded again the Häme University of Applied Sciences Student of the Year and Employee of the Year at HAMK’s graduation ceremony on 13.12.2024.
The Häme Foundation for Higher Vocational Education and Research wants to encourage its staff in their work and students in their studies. The Foundation’s representative asks for nominations from HAMK’s directors, Heads of Degree programmes and all supervisors.
The Foundation has awarded Häme University of Applied Sciences staff annually since 2008, and the Student of the Year has been chosen since 2006.
Selections are made based on the nominations and an overall assessment, with an emphasis on activities in line with HAMK’s strategy.
Student of the year 2024, Laura Kanerva, Built Environment, 1000 €
Laura Kanerva’s studies have progressed with distinction. In her studies, she has shown accuracy, diligence and dedication.
Laura has actively and courageously participated in various student projects and has also been active in the SAP course jointly run by the Built Environment Education and Leiria Design in Portugal.
Laura has already found a good job in the field during her studies and has managed to apprentice her work. She has also managed to help her employer company with new knowledge and skills, while also bringing knowledge, examples and references to the learning situations.
Laura is can give constructive, good and developmental peer feedback to fellow students as well as to teachers.
Employee of the year 2024, Tero Ahvenharju, Head of Degree programme, Sustainability and Bio- and Food Technology Training, 1000 €
Tero Ahvenharju has quickly taken over two very different degrees: the Sustainable Development degee, which is at the heart of the social sustainability revolution, and the Bio- and Food Technology degree in the field of engineering.
International and national goals for a sustainable food system are the common theme that unites the two fields of education. Tero has used not only his good leadership skills, but also the pedagogical development of HAMK to increase cooperation between the schools. The multidisciplinary Product Development Project brings together the schools to address the sustainability challenges of food production. The physical distance between the Kehräämö campus and the university centre has been bridged by joint intensive days on the campuses.
Tero is a pioneer of Design Based Education pedagogy at HAMK. His experiences with DBE implementations in ICT and Sustainable Development on the Kehräämö campus serve as a model for all HAMK degree programmes. In the Department of Bio- and Natural Resources, Tero’s expertise and ability to articulate his experiences contribute to the application of DBE in training.
In sustainability education, 24/7 modules have long been developed that are truly independent of time and place. The open-minded approach of Tero and his team has enabled the 24/7 model to be work-based. Other Heahs of degree programme colleagues have a low, if not non-existent, threshold for asking Tero to assist with curriculum reform and designing DBE implementations. He does not come with a ready-made model, but also shares failures, observes and listens, and through co-development with staff, applies his experience to different situations.
Tero is a key person in defining HAMK’s sustainability goals, assessing their impact, and articulating sustainability themes in curricula and study guides. His critical, pragmatic and yet encouraging approach ensures continuous development towards the strategy’s goals.
Expectations for the future are high, as the Smart&Bio building brings business assignments and research into students’ everyday lives in a whole new way! Bio- and Food Technology education is at the forefront, but thanks to Tero’s character, all HAMK’s schools will be part of the new work. Tero can genuinely celebrate the successes of others and wants to create opportunities to do so. He is a person for whom the administrative boundaries of units are an opportunity for interesting leaps. Best of all, he spreads his sincere enthusiasm to everyone around him.
The Foundation has awarded Häme University of Applied Sciences staff annually since 2008, and the Student of the Year has been chosen since 2006. Selections are made based on the nominations and an overall assessment, with an emphasis on activities in line with HAMK’s strategy.
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