INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH INVEST

Across seven European universities, the INVEST alliance empowers students and staff to grow beyond borders. From strengthening English skills to gaining first international experiences and embracing peer-learning practices, our community thrives on sharing expertise and best practices every day.

This story begins in Finland, where Leena Hiltunen champions student well-being in an international context - just one example of how INVEST transforms opportunities into impact.

 

Finding Confidence and New Perspectives Through International Work

My name is Leena Hiltunen, and I work at Karelia University of Applied Sciences as a student welfare officer. When I first heard about INVEST, I wasn’t sure if it was for me. My work at Karelia UAS is all about supporting students and improving wellbeing. A large part of my days is spent in one-on-one meetings with students. Besides my regular work, I also take part in projects that aim to improve wellbeing. My supervisor suggested I join the INVEST alliance, especially because there was a chance to connect student wellbeing and international cooperation.

I joined INVEST, because I was curious. How do other universities approach student wellbeing? What ideas could we bring home? At the same time, I was a bit nervous. Meetings in English, new people, unfamiliar ways of working, it all sounded challenging. But I decided to give it a try.

One of the best parts has been meeting colleagues from different countries who care about the same things I do. In one of the workshops, we shared practices for supporting students and discovered ideas we hadn’t even considered before. Those conversations reminded me that even small universities like ours have a lot to offer, and a lot to learn.

Traveling for INVEST has been another highlight. Visiting Córdoba and seeing how others work gave me confidence. It also showed me that collaboration is built on trust, and trust grows when you spend time together. Some of my favorite memories are from informal moments like walking through historic streets, sharing meals, and laughing about cultural differences. Those experiences made the project feel real and human.

INVEST has changed how I see myself. At first, I worried about speaking English in meetings or leading discussions. Now, I feel comfortable and even enjoy it. I’ve learned about project work, teamwork across borders, and how openness can turn small ideas into big improvements. It has been a wonderful experience to observe the internal support from my peers in other INVEST universities - with their encouragement and genuine feedback to my ideas.

If I had to sum it up, I’d say this: growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone. Doing work through INVEST alliance gave me that chance, and I’m grateful I took it. For anyone who might be considering joining an international project, I would say: Go for it! It can change you and your work.

Want to learn more about international opportunities through INVEST? Visit the INVEST website invest-alliance.eu and follow INVEST on LinkedIn for more stories.

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