It’s typical that when someone goes to a new place and enjoys it there, they come back home and talk about their experience. That’s the best way to build a reputation, by enabling people to experience it for themselves, and then talk about it.
abroad was in Canada, where he under-
like I had joined a very active and high-
took practical farm training alongside
quality research community.”
several other Finnish students. “It was “We drove tractors and were involved
Part of an International Research Community
hands-on in day to day farming tasks.”
The links Kola forged during his Ful-
Later, in the mid-1980s, he studied at
bright year continue to this day. Kola
the University of Arkansas, Fayettevil-
has collaborated with former colleagues
le. “Of course, that’s where Fulbright
at the University of Illinois on joint ar-
was from, and I can still remember his
ticles and projects, and his own stu-
statue on the University Campus. Bill
dents benefit from contact with these
Clinton was governor of Arkansas then.
international research networks.
really hard work,” he recalls, smiling.
It was a really interesting time to be there.” This early experience of study abroad – something of a grass-roots effort,
“It led to a kind of community,” he explains. “When you meet interesting people, you follow where they go and see how they develop.”
largely organized by the Finnish Agri-
That’s the vision Kola has for inter-
cultural students’ association Sampsa
national staff who visit the University of
– piqued Kola’s interest in pursuing in-
Helsinki. “It’s typical that when someo-
ternational study. In 1989-1990, he was
ne goes to a new place and enjoys it the-
awarded an ASLA-Fulbright scholarship
re, they come back home and talk about
to the University of Illinois, Urbana-
their experience. That’s the best way to
Kola, as a former Fulbright grantee, is
Champaign, investigating agricultural
build a reputation, by enabling people to
convinced of the importance of the Ful-
economics and policy as part of his doc-
experience it for themselves, and then
bright program as part of his vision of
toral research project.
talk about it.”
Forging Links through Fulbright
internationalisation, and particularly
“Illinois was one of the possible
This sense of community, Kola ex-
Finnish-
partner institutions offered by Ful-
plains, is a characteristic of top-level
American relations. “It’s very impor-
bright at the time, and it turned out to
universities, particularly those with a
tant to have this kind of international
be an excellent opportunity for me,”
long tradition. “At 373 years old, we fit
exchange, and Fulbright is particularly
Kola explains. “There were some young
nicely into that category,” Kola says,
significant as a point of connection with
professors in agricultural economics
“Long term development is how you
the US. In the past, a lot of Finns went to
working there, who had come from the
create universities; it cannot happen
the States during their university stu-
University of Chicago – one of the top
overnight. We want our university to be
dies, but this has diminished to some
economics universities in the world,
well known, and we want to continue
extent since Finland joined the EU. If we
with a lot of Nobel prize-winners on
telling our story not only within Finland
didn’t have Fulbright, the focus would
the faculty. These young professors and
but also around the world.”
now be even stronger on Europe.”
researchers at Illinois were eager to de-
for
further
strengthening
Kola’s own first experience of study
velop their research and ideas, and I felt
Lue Environmental Stewardship -stipendiaatin tarina verkossa
Text: Louisa Gairn
Suomalaisten opiskelijoiden määrä yhdysvaltalaisissa yliopistoissa kasvanut Yhdysvaltalaisissa
korkeakouluissa
opiskeli kaikkiaan 691 suomalaista lukuvuonna 2012-2013. Lukumäärä on noin kahdeksan prosenttia edellisvuoden määrää (640) suurempi. Suomessa puolestaan opiskeli 256 yhdysvaltalaista lukuvuonna 2011-2012. Tiedot käyvät Päivi Pirhonen vietti kesällä viisi viikkoa Kansas State Universityssä, missä hän
ilmi kansainvälistä liikkuvuutta käsit-
osallistui Summer Institute for European Student Leaders on Environmental Stewardship
televästä Open Doors 2013 –raportista,
-ohjelmaan. Kesän 2014 Summer Institute -stipendi tulee hakuun alkuvuodesta
jonka on julkaissut yhdysvaltalainen
2014. Tarkemmat tiedot julkaistaan Fulbright Centerin verkkosivulla.
Institute of International Education (IIE).
Lue Päivin kirjoitus ”Kesästipendiaattina Kansasista” osoitteessa www.fulbright.fi/ fi/stipendiohjelma-kandidaattitason-opintoihin/summer-institute/pirhonen.
Englanninkielinen
lehdistötiedote
Open Doors 2013 –raportista on saatavilla osoitteessa www.fulbright.fi.
16
www.fulbright.fi