A significant number of international students study and graduate in Satakunta each year. However, their skills and expertise could be utilised more widely by companies in the region. The RoboAI Research Center is now exploring the experiences and needs of companies in Satakunta, as well as potential barriers to making use of international talent. The aim is to develop new models for collaboration between companies and international students, particularly through technology and development projects.
RoboAI Academy, which operates as part of the RoboAI Research Center, carries out dozens of student projects each year based on real-world assignments from companies. International students also participate in these projects, and observations made in these practical collaborations were one of the starting points for launching the International talents to Satakunta project.
– At RoboAI Academy, we have seen that international students have a great deal of expertise that companies in Satakunta could benefit from. During their studies, students successfully carry out projects with companies, but after graduation, relatively few of them find employment in Satakunta. We wanted to understand why this is the case and what we could do to improve the situation, says Principal Lecturer Mirka Leino.
Survey seeks ways to bring companies and talent together
The RoboAI Research Center is now conducting a survey to build an up-to-date picture of companies’ needs and expectations regarding international talent, as well as the factors that may currently make collaboration more difficult. The results will be used in the International Talents to Satakunta (ITS) project to develop practical models for technology and development projects involving companies and international students.
The aim is to lower the threshold for collaboration and identify practical solutions that would enable companies to make better use of international talent. At the same time, the project aims to strengthen international students’ opportunities to build their careers in Satakunta after graduation.
The survey is open to companies from all sectors across Satakunta and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. The survey is in Finnish. All responses will be treated confidentially.
Answer the survey (in Finnish):
ITS – International talents to Satakunta project is co-funded by the European Union and the City of Pori. The funding is administered by the Regional Council of Satakunta. The project runs from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028.
