Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (Diak) offers high quality, innovative degree programmes of education and training in diaconia, media studies, nursing, sign language interpretation, social services and youth work. Diak emphasises a close relationship to practise and working life. It has four units and seven campuses located in different regions of Finland.

Diak also offers postgraduate studies in diaconia, health promotion and social services, and carries out research and development work. All Diak units are actively engaged in the specific social and health issues of their own regions.

Diak values are based on Christianity, therefore, we emphasise the human dignity of each person. Diak is committed to social justice, solidarity and the empowerment of people. It aims to train people to influence social change, work for a multicultural society and fight social exclusion.

Diak has about 3,000 students. Approximately 40 % of the students choose to take courses that give them dual qualifications in the fields of social work, youth work, diaconal or youth work in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

News

Opening of the Academic Year 2010-2011:

Vice Rector Pirjo Hakala: International Diak

Diak’s media and communication education continues at Turku University of Applied Sciences

Structural development of higher education was the main issue at the annual negotiations for the agreement between Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (Diak) and the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Diak will discontinue the degree programme in communication and media in 2011. The degree programme in media and communication will be transferred from Diak to Turku University of Applied Sciences as a degree programme in journalism.
Sign language interpretation training will continue in Turku. Diak will start a new degree programme in the interpretation of spoken languages in 2011.

Diak will organize its operation also in the future following the structure of four cardinal points of compass: Diak South, Diak East, Diak North, Diak West. The agreement with the Ministry of Education and Culture provides that Diak should make decisions about the units of the metropolitan area during the ongoing agreement period (2010-2012). The education of youth will be centralised to one campus in the metropolitan area during the next agreement period 2013-2016.

Information for international partners
Diak’s international cooperation in the field of communication and media will continue normally until the end of year 2010. Continuation of cooperation agreements with Diak’s partner organisations will be negotiated in the autumn. In order to continue our cooperation seamlessly, we hope that our partner organisations are able sign new agreements with Turku UAS in the field of communication and media.

Due to this transition period, incoming exchange students for communication and media programme for the spring 2011 are kindly requested to still submit their exchange application to Diak http://english.diak.fi/incomingexchange. The education organised in English by the programme will remain much the same during the coming years, even though the offering HEI will be different.

Further information: Head of International Relations Riikka Hälikkä, riikka.halikka (at)diak.fi