The Police University College (Polamk) is Finland’s only police educational institute – a center of expertise in police education, research and development.
We have a special position in the field of higher education: we are simultaneously a university of applied sciences and a police unit. Unlike other universities of applied sciences, we operate under the Ministry of the Interior.
We build the foundation for the professionalism of the Finnish Police. All new police officers graduate from the Police University College in Tampere. We are also responsible for further and continuing education for the police. Additionally, we offer education to other groups, such as stakeholders and the private security sector.
We organize education in both Finnish and Swedish, and some courses are also taught in English.
Read more on our Education page
The Police University College is Finland's only higher education institution specializing in police research. We produce research for the purposes of developing safety in society.
We engage in applied research and development, serving the planning and development of policing and internal security. The research we produce is also used in police education.
Read more on our Research and Development page
Our campus is located in Hervanta, approximately eight kilometers from Tampere city center. The grounds are roughly 21 hectares in size, which means you could fit 30 football fields within our fences.
Our campus has classroom and office facilities, a library and an sports hall, which includes a gym, a swimming pool and a wrestling hall. Additionally, the area has a variety of facilities for practical training, including a driver training track, a forensic investigation laboratory, a command training center and a practice area with a city backdrop. There are eight student apartment buildings capable of housing more than 750 students.
The Police University College campus is an enclosed area and may only be accessed if you are taking part in training or have been invited. However, the Police Museum, which is connected with the Police University College, is open to visitors.
The Police Dog Training Centre, located in Rinkelinmäki, Hämeenlinna operates as part of the Police University College. In addition to classroom, accommodation and office facilities, the Police Dog Training Centre’s seven-hectare grounds include various training and practice facilities as well as kennels.
The Driver Training Centre, located in Pieksämäki, is also part of the Police University College. We organize driver training at other locations as well.
For more information about visiting campus see the For visitors page
Police Dog Training Centre webpages
More information on driver training
Roughly 200 employees work at the Police University College, half of whom occupy teaching positions. Approximately 40 percent of staff are police officers.
The Police University College community has its own code of community – a shared set of rules built together by staff and students.
Police University College organization chart in the Operational Quality Manual
