Information Technology, Industrial Engineering, Clean Technology
Metropolia is Finland’s largest university of applied sciences (UAS), created in 2008 through a merger. It has four campuses in the Helsinki metropolitan area and provides professionally oriented higher education in technology, business, culture, and health care.
Metropolia is the largest university of applied sciences in the Helsinki region, with about 16,500 students and 1,000 staff. It is a practice-oriented institution: degrees take three and a half to four years, include a work placement and often a thesis written for a company. The main campuses are Myllypuro, a modern site built around a metro station in east Helsinki, Arabia for design and culture in the former porcelain factory area, Myyrmäki and Leppävaara.
Engineering and information technology are the largest technical areas, with programmes in information technology, industrial engineering, civil engineering, electronics, energy and clean technology. The degree is a Bachelor of Engineering, which is recognised in Finland and in the EU, and graduates can continue with a master’s degree after a period of work. Other schools cover health care, social services, business and culture, so students can find partners across fields.
Applied research and development take place in laboratories and project environments such as the Myllypuro campus, where students and companies run joint projects in automation, sustainable construction, digital services and the circular economy. Partnerships with companies in the capital region are an important part of teaching, and many theses are based on real problems from employers.
Tuition is free for EU and EEA students, and non-EU students pay fees for degree programmes in English. A number of bachelor programmes are taught in English, and Finnish programmes need a good command of the language. Applications for the English-taught programmes are normally made in January through the national admissions portal.
Student housing foundations in Helsinki offer rooms at lower rents than the private market, and student discounts on public transport help with costs. About 70,000 people have graduated from Metropolia and its predecessors, and graduates are in demand in the technology and service sectors of the Helsinki region.
Domains taught:
Automation, Civil Engineering, Data Analytics, Electrical and Electronics, Industrial Design, Project Management, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Extensive collaboration with companies, public sector organizations, and other institutions in the Helsinki region for projects, internships, and thesis work. Strong participation in international mobility programs.
Research:
Conducts applied research, development, and innovation (RDI) projects focused on five thematic areas: Clean and Sustainable Solutions, Customer-oriented Wellbeing and Health Services, Data-driven Construction, Functional City for People, and Smart Mobility.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
1000
Current students***:
16500
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
70000
Pros
Largest UAS in Finland with a wide range of professional programs, strong industry connections in the capital region, modern campuses and learning environments.
Cons
As a UAS, it has a weaker focus on fundamental research compared to traditional universities; can feel large and impersonal.
Best For
Students seeking a practical, professionally focused higher education with strong employment prospects in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
Tampere University of Applied Sciences follows much the same lines as this institution, with industrial design, civil engineering and automation as common ground, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and mba, and covers ecology and sustainability and mechanical engineering as well.
Turku University of Applied Sciences shares the core fields of this university, namely electrical and electronics and software engineering; it is smaller, enrolling about 10,000 students against roughly 16,500 here, and is also a public institution.
University of Helsinki works in much the same fields, chiefly data analytics, and it is larger, enrolling about 31,000 students against roughly 16,500 here, and is also a public institution.
Among national alternatives, LUT University stands out for its focus on industrial design, electrical and electronics and data analytics, and it is also a public institution and also offers doctoral programmes.
Think of University of Turku when data analytics and software engineering is the priority: it covers marine science and chemistry as well, and is slightly larger, at about 21,900 students against roughly 16,500 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
The closest overseas parallel on industrial design, civil engineering and electrical and electronics is National Cheng Kung University, located in Taiwan; it also offers doctoral programmes and covers materials and life sciences as well.
Seen from abroad, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong) is a close relative on subject matter, since industrial design, civil engineering and data analytics are central to both, and it covers logistics and materials as well, and is larger, enrolling about 33,900 students against roughly 16,500 here.
RMIT University in Australia pursues a similar profile in industrial design, civil engineering and electrical and electronics, and it covers finance and aerospace as well, and is far larger, with about 95,000 students against roughly 16,500 here.
University of Macau brings a Macau setting to the same core fields, electrical and electronics, data analytics and software engineering, and it is also a public institution and also offers doctoral programmes.
Abroad, Renmin University of China (China) covers project management and data analytics in a comparable way, and it covers finance and statistics as well, and is larger, enrolling about 27,810 students against roughly 16,500 here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Metropolia?
The main address is Myllypurontie 1 in Helsinki. The university also has campuses in Arabia, Myyrmäki and Leppävaara.
How large is Metropolia?
About 16,500 students and 1,000 staff.
What is a university of applied sciences?
It is a practice-oriented institution where degrees combine academic study with work placements and projects with companies.
What can you study at Metropolia?
Information technology, industrial engineering, civil engineering, electronics, energy, health care, social services, business and culture.
How long are the degrees?
Bachelor degrees take three and a half to four years, depending on the programme.
Are programmes available in English?
Yes. A number of bachelor programmes are taught in English, while Finnish programmes require a good command of the language.
Is tuition free?
Yes for students from the EU and EEA. Non-EU students pay fees for degree programmes in English.
When do you apply?
Applications for English-taught programmes are normally made in January through the national admissions portal.
Do students work with companies?
Yes. Many theses and projects are carried out for employers in the Helsinki region.
Is housing affordable?
Student housing foundations offer lower rents than the private market, and student discounts on public transport help with costs.
Agile Methodology, Clean Technologies, Innovation, Project Management, Research and Development, User-Centered Design
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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