JYU alumni Qingyang Li: Guiding international talents to a bright future in Finland

– Understand your intentions, encourages Qingyang Li, JYU alumna from the Master's Degree Programme in Applied Language Studies for the Changing Society. She advises being open to different opportunities but also taking proactive steps to create opportunities for oneself. Through her time at JYU, and other international experiences, she cultivated skills and created networks that have enabled her to do great things in her professional career.

Relevant experiences matter: Embracing cultural diversity

Coming from a family of educators, it seemed quite natural for Qingyang Li to continue in the footsteps of her family members. She began her academic career in the world of teacher education in her home country, China, but as fate would have it, an exchange program would bring her to Switzerland for a year, opening up a whole new world of possibilities for her.

It was so easy to travel, and I loved the cultural diversity, how people can just speak their own language, but still somehow remain united. I felt so much love for Europe.

Qingyang didn’t just develop a connection to European culture, but she also created a long-lasting bond with her Swiss host family which she has maintained to this day.

She showed herself that she could survive and thrive in Europe: it was clear that she wanted to return, but at the time, it seemed that Europe would remain outside of her realm of possibilities. However, this was no reason to give up!

Finland chose me: Discovering JYU and Jyväskylä

Understanding her potential, Qingyang decided to apply to a variety of prestigious universities around the world and she even got accepted to the University of Toronto.

I was fully prepared that I was going to go to Canada and then I started my part-time assistant job in the International Office of my home university.

While supporting her university in the creation of mobility agreements with different Finnish universities, she began learning more and more about the education system of this Nordic country. An educator at heart, she knew she had to give Finland a chance and, fortunately, the Ģ��ֱ�� and its Master's Degree Programme in Applied Language Studies for the Changing Society were exactly the thing she was looking for!

As many students know, finding the right programme and being accepted is only one tiny piece of the puzzle when moving abroad. Integrating into a new society always comes with a certain set of challenges: especially in a community that has the reputation for coldness and darkness. Fortunately, the vibrant international student community in Jyväskylä made Qingyang feel welcome and connected, as all the students faced similar challenges.

Moreover, thanks to University programmes such as the Friendship programme and the Each One Teach One programme, she was also able to connect with the local Finnish community and even learn a bit of Finnish herself. From enjoying a summer cottage with her Each One Teach One colleague to falling in love with her host mother’s “Pulla”, Qingyang walked the extra mile to make the most out of her time in Jyväskylä. The positive results, naturally, followed.

Building a career path: Networking and practical experiences at JYU

Through the networks Qingyang had constructed for herself, she was able to get access to a wide range of opportunities that she might have missed on her own.

The importance of networking in Finland is best showcased through the way Qingyang found the job that greatly impacted her Master’s thesis: her host mother was the one who noticed that the City of Jyväskylä was looking for a new heritage teacher in Mandarin Chinese! She encouraged Qingyang to apply to this job and supported her throughout the application period.

This meaningful work gave her not only a glimpse into the Finnish job market, but it also gave her additional support systems. Qingyang gives a lot of credit to Pia Bärlund, the person who hired her, for helping her transition from being a student to becoming an employee.

Plenty of opportunities were also found within the classroom. As Qingyang recalls, since she was part of the inaugural class of this new Master’s degree programme, the students and teachers had a lot of flexibility to work together on creating an environment in which everyone could thrive.

For Qingyang, this meat being able to voice her opinions directly and developing a strong awareness for the power and meaning of language. Furthermore, through her Master’s thesis work, under the guidance of Maria Ruohotie-Lyhty, researching Finnish-Chinese children’s bilingual identity through multiliteracies, she was able to combine classroom theory with the practical work she was doing. Slowly, but surely, she was collecting all the necessary tools for her future career.

Supporting international talents: Qingyang Li’s work at HAMK

Since 2022, Qingyang has been using her skills to support international students at Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK): first as a Talent Boost Mentor and now as a Career Guidance Specialist.

In this role, she supports international students by providing guidance on crafting CVs, writing cover letters, and developing networking strategies - key skills for securing a job in Finland. She credits her programme at JYU for enabling her to think critically and for giving her the freedom to really consider what students want.

Having a deep understanding for the importance of community, Qingyang proactively helps build bridges at HAMK by coordinating their very own Friendship Programme. Beyond building personal connections within her community, she also spends a significant portion of her time advocating for her students within the local business community.

Of course, Qingyang never forgets to credit the people who supported her, thereby again, emphasising the immense importance of meaningful connections. This time, she highlights Kati Heikkinen as someone who has been a door-opener for her and other internationals.

Considering the plethora of personal experiences she has, Finland is exceptionally fortunate to have someone like Qingyang offering students the support they need to thrive in Finland. So, what advice does she have for current and future students at JYU?

Understand your intentions

When it comes to students applying to JYU, Qingyang had the following to say:

I feel that the intention of these new applicants is something that can either make them or destroy them.

She encourages the potential students to think about their own suitability for the programme they are applying to and Finland as a whole. In her opinion, it is crucial for the students to understand their intentions behind coming to Finland and adjust their expectations accordingly.

For current students, especially those nearing graduation, Qingyang had the following piece of advice:

Make the best out of your experience and don’t focus just on studying.

As she puts it, while everything students do during standard working hours, i.e. between 09:00 and 18:00, is very important, what is done between 18:00 and 21:00 is at least as important. Deciding how to spend your free time, especially in a country that prides itself in its work-life balance, is a crucial skill to cultivate during your studies.

With the many options available during every moment in Jyväskylä, what will YOU decide to get out of JYU?

LinkedIn:

HAMK:

Each One Teach One at JYU:

JYU Local Friendship Programme: The JYU Local Friendship Programme | Ģ��ֱ��

LAGIC: Master's Degree Programme in Language, Globalization and Intercultural Communication | Ģ��ֱ��

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