Plans to merge Finland’s top university of applied sciences spark confusion among staff and students

Plans to merge South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (XAMK) with the LUT Group have taken staff and students by surprise, Yle reports. XAMK has consistently ranked as Finland’s leading university of applied sciences in recent national comparisons.

Hanna Pajari-Seppänen, the local trustee for XAMK’s Teaching Union (OAJ), described the news as a shock. “We had heard rumours, but the confirmation still came as a complete surprise,” she said at the Kouvola campus. XAMK currently serves around 12,000 students across its four locations: Kotka, Kouvola, Mikkeli, and Savonlinna.

Niko Heikkilä, chair of XAMK’s student union Kaakko, also expressed bewilderment. “Students have been discussing this quite a bit,” he said. “We hope they’ll be included in the process and that their position won’t weaken.”

The four owner-municipalities—Kotka, Kouvola, Mikkeli, and Savonlinna—have confirmed preliminary talks to deepen cooperation between XAMK and the LUT Group, which includes Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT) and LAB University of Applied Sciences. One proposed model would see XAMK become a subsidiary of LUT Group, similar to LAB.

Pajari-Seppänen voiced concerns over potential impacts on staff qualifications and course offerings. “Many of our teachers don’t hold university degrees—would their vocational teaching credentials still suffice?” she asked. She also questioned whether programs might be cut or relocated, citing LAB’s 2024 transfer of its fine arts program from Lappeenranta to Lahti as a cautionary example.

For smaller campuses like Savonlinna, where an aging population relies on young students for vitality, the merger’s effects remain unclear. “What would this mean for regional access to education?” Pajari-Seppänen asked.

Heikkilä, however, struck a more optimistic tone. “Deeper cooperation isn’t inherently bad,” he said, noting that the student union has participated in discussions and plans to share development proposals. “We’ve already touched base with LAB and will continue those talks soon.”

The timing of the merger talks coincides with XAMK’s announcement of its 2025 results, where it reaffirmed its status as Finland’s top-performing university of applied sciences, leading in research funding, open university education, and degree completion rates—key metrics for government funding allocations.

Pajari-Seppänen acknowledged that a merger would benefit LUT Group but urged caution. “I hope XAMK remains XAMK. If a merger happens, decision-makers must carefully consider the consequences.”

XAMK’s board and municipal leaders will discuss the plans further on Friday. Any next steps, including timelines, will depend on approval from the city councils of the owner-municipalities this spring.