Young people in Finland consider the Police University College one of the most valued universities of applied sciences. In an image survey carried out by the market research company Taloustutkimus, the Police University College received the highest overall grade.
The image of universities of applied sciences was surveyed, e.g., by means of eight statements, four of which the respondents found to describe the Police University College best: A definite strength is the high-quality of teaching and a qualification appreciated in the labor market. In addition, the Police University College has a reputation as a good place to study, standing out from other higher education institutions.
The Police University College is also well known and has high visibility in social media, one of the strongest in the survey.
“The survey places the Police University College among the five most interesting universities of applied sciences in the country, as 9% of the target group are interested in studying with us. This is particularly significant for a small higher education institution with a highly specialized field of study. Today, police officers are multiply skilled and the work is varied, and it is also perceived as such,” says Kimmo Himberg , Director of the Police University College.
“The area in need of development is the image of the international opportunities offered by a career in the police forces. Finnish police works actively in all sectors of international police operations, and the Police University College’s task is to provide the required basic skills even for this purpose.”
The survey also looked into which fields of study offered by universities of applied sciences and universities are of interest to young people. Students in vocational education institutions found the police sector to be the most interesting of all fields of study. Upper secondary school students ranked the police sector sixth, the only undergraduate degree program among the 20 most interesting.
Taloustutkimus made a survey in March–April 2018 on how well universities of applied sciences are known and what their image is. The survey was carried out by means of an internet survey, with more than 2,000 people under the age of 30 responding nationwide.
