For many companies, finding skilled labour is a challenge. At the same time, in Ostrobothnia there are many foreign-born residents with both competence and a strong willingness to work. The path into working life is nevertheless far from easy for those who have moved to the region from another country and who do not yet have strong proficiency in Swedish or Finnish.
Matter never stops resonating with the stories it has been through – and neither do the people who spend their lives reshaping it. That’s not …
What do we have, if we do not have hope for the future? We are born into this world with an inherent system – one that drives us to connect, develop, and survive. Throughout life, we encounter events that both strengthen and challenge this system, sometimes shaking it to its core. Yet, hope for the future remains one of our most essential resources. To believe in tomorrow, to believe that something good awaits us, is profoundly human. At the same time, this resource is delicate – shaped by both our surroundings and the internal mechanisms that influence our thoughts and emotions.
Europe’s energy transition is accelerating as countries strive for climate neutrality and seek to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Wind, solar, and other renewable energy technologies are expanding rapidly across the continent.
Digitalization and data-driven decision-making are becoming increasingly important in business and in education. At Centria University of Applied Sciences, we actively explore new learning environments that connect theory with practice and support the development of analytical and entrepreneurial competences. A recent example of this approach is the successful test of the Hockey Analyst NHL Analytics Game, which was piloted in an educational context during early 2026 after invitation to Early Access Program. Business Builders games have been employed at Centria since the introduction of the platform in 2024.
International project work with Erasmus+ project FII;)CA is creating long lasting impact professionally and socially for participating students and staff members.
Imagine a room filled with guitars, flutes, saxophones and kanteles, along with the voices of people from all around the Nordics and Baltics – this is what happens when students and their teachers are exchanging traditions, sharing cultures and stories across borders. This is the essential idea behind the Nordtrad Network, of which Centria was coordinating during this year.
In recent years, the number of inbound exchange students who spend at least one semester at Centria University of Applied Sciences has been reaching approximately 80 students per academic year.
Since 2021, Centria University of Applied Sciences has partnered with Guangzhou Maritime University to deliver a joint bachelor’s program in Information Technology. Operating under a 3+1 double degree model, Centria sends teaching staff to Guangzhou for one-third courses of the program, while students complete their final year in Finland. This autumn, 40 Chinese students arrived in Kokkola to begin their final year studies – marking a new chapter in their academic and personal journeys.
Northern Ostrobothnia region has experienced significant growth in renewable energy development in recent years, with wind power being the most prominent. The development is primarily driven by the region’s extensive costal area, abundant wind resources, and low population density among other factors.