About Vaasa
Vaasa is a university city founded in 1606, and a significant center of the Swedish speaking Finnish community. Vaasa was one of the most significant and most populated cities in the early 1900’s. Vaasa was even the temporary capital of Finland during the Civil War in 1918.
The population of the city is 67 598, from which Finnish speaking are 69,7 %, Swedish speaking 22,7 % and other 7,6 %. 4,7 % of the population are international citizens.
Vaasa has 12 600 higher education institute students and 5 000 high school or vocational school students. This means that in Vaasa every 5th inhabitant is HEI student.
The mainly wooden and densely built town of Vaasa was almost utterly destroyed in 1852,
and was rebuilt in 1862 about seven kilometres (4.3 miles) to the northwest from the old town. Because of the rising of the earth, the old town only had a shallow channel leading to it.
City now named Nikolaistad (in honour of the Tsar Nikolai I of Russia) was built closer to the outer harbour of the time located in Palosaari (Brandö).
The city was promptly renamed Vaasa after the independence of Finland in 1917.
The first public library of Finland was established at Vaasa in 1794.
The Vaasa region is the leading energy technology cluster in the Nordic countries. In addition to research performers, it includes such leading technology firms as ABB, Wärtsilä, Danfoss and some 60 SMEs. One third of Finland’s total energy technology export originates from the Vaasa region.
Vaasa and Higher Education
Vaasa started teaching technology in 1849 with the mandate of the Tsar with the name Tekniska Realskolan i Vasa.
Vasa industriskola was established 1887.
Vasa industriskola started a Finnish speaking department in 1928 and was bilingual until 1967 when it was divided in two based on the language to Vasa tekniska läroanstalt (Swedish) and Vaasan teknillinen oppilaitos (Finnish).
1961 School of Economics and Business Administration in Vaasa is established and is renamed as Vaasan korkeakoulu, when education in Humanities begins. Education in Social Sciences also begins in the early 1980's.
1990 Vaasan korkeakoulu started teaching Technology (in cooperation with Helsinki University of Technology).
1991 Vaasan korkeakoulu becomes University of Vaasa, and Vaasan teknillinen oppilaitos started the first degree program in English (Bachelor in Architecture & Engineering), also Vasa tekniska läroanstalt becomes Vasa tekniska temporära yrkeshögskola (temporary UAS).
1994 The University of Vaasa moves to new premises located in Palosaari.
1996 Vaasan teknillinen oppilaitos (polytechnic) becomes Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (UAS), and Vasa tekniska läroanstalt (polytechnic) becomes Svenska yrkeshögskolan.
2008 Svenska yrkeshögskolan merges with Yrkeshögskolan Sydväst and becomes NOVIA University of Applied Sciences.
Kvarken Archipelago
Area between Vaasa region and the Swedish coast is called Kvarken (Merenkurkku).
In summer 2006, The Kvarken Archipelago was the first Finnish natural site to be listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The Kvarken Archipelago together with the High Coast in Sweden form a unique geological entity and a transboundary World Natural Heritage Site. The steep High Coast and the flat Kvarken Archipelago (the low coast) are topographical opposites. Together they serve as a unique example of ongoing geological and biological processes and ecosystem development in time and space.
Land uplift started 20 000 years ago, at the beginning of deglaciation. During the first thousand years of land uplift, the rebound rate was up to 100 mm per year (10 m in 100 years). The total initial depression is assumed to have been in the magnitude of 900-1000 m when the Scandinavian Ice Sheet was 3400-3700 m thick. Isostatic rebound presumably will continue for 10 000 to 12 500 years in the Kvarken area and the remaining land uplift will probably be 100-125 metres.
Isostatic land uplift not only exposes new land but it also creates many practical problems in the Kvarken area. For example, all old harbours are now far from the coast. The old harbour of Wasa-Korsholm from the 13th century is now situated 10 km inland from the present Vasklot harbour founded in 1890. New land emerges rapidly from the shallow sea, for example, 35 ha annually in the Replot and Björköby villages.
Changes from year 1978 to 2006 in the Kvarken archipelago as a result of land uplift.
According to the current results from three precise levelings in Finland, the current absolute annual land uplift is about 8.0 mm on the Finnish side and about 8.5 mm on the Swedish side of the Northern Kvarken.
Palosaari Campus
Town of Palosaari became a part of Vaasa in 1930’s.
Palosaari has 5700 inhabitants and 10 000 students studying at the campus area.
Palosaari campus area has 10 lunch restaurants.
Originally it was an area based on industry, housing, shipbuilding docks and a Vaasa cotton factory which closed in 1980.
Palosaari harbour was in its time a significant port in exporting tar.
This pedigree has been honoured in the Vaasa University’s main building, which is named Tervahovi (Tar court), which was built 1994 next to the both Polytechnic schools in Palosaari.
Technobotnia
The empty weaving hall of Vaasa cotton factory was restored in 1996 to accommodate the laboratories of The University of Vaasa, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences and Novia University of Applied Sciences. The building was named Technobothnia.
Later the rest of the factory buildings were renovated and now they are used by the University of Vaasa and local businesses.
Tritonia
In 2001, Tritonia Academic Library was built to serve first University of Vaasa, Åbo Akademi University and Hanken School of Economics units in Vaasa. In 2010, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences and Novia University of Applied Sciences joined the collaboration.
Domus Bothnica
In 2008, the Student Union of the University of Vaasa, VYY, built Domus Bothnica - the Student Union House of Vaasa, on the seashore next to the old cotton factory.
VEBIC
In 2016, the 1st phase of Vaasa Energy Business Innovation Centre or VEBIC was built next to the Palosaari bridge. VEBIC is a new research and innovation platform hosted by the University of Vaasa.
The VEBIC platform includes laboratories and a program for energy and sustainable development research projects. The two laboratories are an internal combustion engine laboratory and a separate but interconnected laboratory for fuel development.
The project is organized in cooperation with the University of Vaasa, Wärtsilä, MAN Diesel & Turbo, Win GD, Dinex Ecocat and many other international universities and research institutes.
Alere
In 2017, the joint project of Vaasa University of Applied Sciences and Novia University of Applied Sciences to renovate an old school building was completed.
Alere now houses the Social and Healthcare programmes of both UAS in the same building and uses the same equipment.
About the NP
For tired travellers we start by eating dinner at Palosaari.
Plenaries will start at 16:30 at Palosaari.
During the plenaries on Friday and Saturday, there will be other students in the school.
Saturday afternoon and Sunday the school is officially closed.
Throughout the campus area there is Eduroam service.
There is also a guest wifi at the plenaries:
VAMKGuest
Password: International2016
University campus has also a wifi UwasaOpen, which doesn’t need login credentials.
Palosaari Campus is located just outside of the Vaasa city center, 25 min walk from the train station and 15 min from the city center.
VAMK’s address is Wolffintie 30.
University of Vaasa’s address is Wolffintie 34.
Novia UAS’s address is Wolffintie 33.
The accommodation is halfway between the city center and Palosaari campus at Kirkkopuistikko 11-13.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1Ym38dPiHLyvf5uL60BKzsOaw-_s&hl=en&usp=sharing
What to Pack
ESN Spirit
Sleeping bag
Mattress
Toiletries and a towel (no sauna or pool unfortunately)
Student card for student food discount
Sitsit costume
Comfortable clothes for the plenaries
Outgoing clothes for the Friday social program
Pillow
Cash money for drinks at sitsit and the cloakroom
No need to pack alcohol as all the places we spend time are “alcohol free” areas
Extension cords if you bring electronic equipment, eg. chargers (there will be a limited amount of electrical sockets)
Indoor shoes or woolen socks for comfort at the accommodation
Comfortable shoes for walking from the accommodation to the plenaries (1,2 km one way)
Warm clothes (it’s windy in Vaasa)
Arrival
By Train or Bus
From Vaasa Matkakeskus (station for both bus and trains) is about 900m walk (relatively luggage friendly route).
Members of the OC can meet you at the station and lead you to the accommodation at Kirkkopuistikko 11-13.
By Plane
Buses 10 and 4 travel between the airport and city center roughly every hour.
Airport Taxi costs 18€/person.
OC pick-up also possible.
Contact the OC for more information at NP@Esnvaasa.net.
By Car
With a car you can arrive straight to the accommodation place at Kirkkopuistikko 11-13 and park the car for free at the school parking lot.
Accommodation
There will be people present in the premises throughout the weekend.
You can contact the person by calling to +358417516364
You will have a great opportunity to stay in a unique sport hall of Vasa Övningsskola, which is a Swedish speaking school. Vaasa Trivial School (later Vasa Övningsskola) was established 1683–1684, and was moved from Nykarleby to Vaasa in 1783. You can use all the facilities as you wish but do that responsibly. There are 15 electric sockets, 6 showers and 3 toilets for men and women and a huge space to place your mattress. You will be also able to get hot water for your personal use.
Plenaries
You can contact a person in charge of the plenaries by calling +358405346679.
Throughout the campus area there is Eduroam service.
There is also a guest wifi at the plenaries:
VAMKGuest
Password: International2016
Plenaries will be at VAMK C-building auditorium.
Workshops are in the near proximity of the auditorium.
During the Friday and Saturday morning there will be other students.
On Saturday evening and Sunday the school is officially closed so our movements are limited in the building.
Please act responsibly and tidy.
Food
Breakfast:
Breakfast buffet will be prepared for you by the OC in the mornings at the accommodation
based on your preferences stated in the “additional information” form.
Breaks
Breaks will be offered next to the plenaries. They will include coffee, tea, cold drinks, snacks, sandwiches and fruits.
Serveri
Serveri is a Fazer Amica operated student cafeteria at VAMK and will be our place for student lunch on Saturday.
http://www.amica.fi/ravintolat/ravintolat-kaupungeittain/vaasa/vaasa-palosaaren-kampus/serveri/
Cotton Club
Cotton Club is an independent lunch restaurant that offers student lunches, and it also has rights to serve alcohol.
There we will have dinner on Saturday evening before the sitsit.
We will also have a lunch there on Sunday.
Sitsit
Sitsit with ESN Vaasa
ESN Vaasa’s sitsit are held at a nightclub Fontana. This means that no own drinks are allowed. During the sitsit taps and shots cost 2€, afterwards the prices are higher. Sitsit ticket includes two shots and two drinks from tabs (beer, cider, long drink, non-alcoholic).
During the sitsit there will be “warm food”, so we recommend that you eat something beforehand since the food is not so filling and it’s good to eat something before drinking. Water is free and we have student discounts with other drinks. Before sitsit it’s possible to buy drink tickets which are valid for taps and shots. We advise you to bring some cash for cloakroom and for possible additional drinks. Cloakroom fee is 3 euros.
During the weekend student overalls are not allowed in Fontana Nightclub after 10 pm. We recommend you to wear something else or change clothes after sitsit if you wish to stay.
When sitsit is over we kindly ask you to move to other rooms in Fontana. We have only very limited time to clean everything before all the other party animals arrive. Fontana has three different rooms: Main Room, Bank (90’s side) and White Room + terrace.
Drink tickets are valid only during the sitsit. On Saturday nights there are no student discounts after 10 pm.
Fontana Nightclub is open until 4.00. They stop serving drinks at 3.30.
This time our theme is PALLOMERI! Unfortunately we can’t acquire a real ball pit, but we will have decorations according to theme and we warmly recommend you to wear something colorful, paint colorful balls to you face and body or just somehow show awesome pallomeri attitude to all participants!
Some Rules
- Toastmasters are your king(s) and queen(s). Usually we have two toastmasters at ESN Vaasa’s sitsit. Their words are your rules.
- During the sitsit it’s prohibited to leave your place. We have usually from one to three breaks which allow people to go to toilet or smoking. Fontana has terrace with heating lamps where you can have some fresh air during the breaks.
- When toastmasters speak, you listen quietly. (No talking, eating or drinking!)
- When there are some performances, you listen. (No talking, eating or drinking!)
- Don’t use your phone during the sitsit!
- In every table there are usually 1-3 head of the tables, who are the only ones allowed to leave the table. They are your waiters who will bring you more drinks if needed.
- Never stand on the tables or chairs.
- In some of our sitsit we have special punisher who gives the punishments. (Sometimes punisher can be your savior and you can ask and get a permission to use toilet.)
- The sitsit will always start with Helan går and end with My heart will go on.
If you break the rules you will be punished.
VOCABULARY:
SITSIT: A Traditional Finnish academic student party with food, drinking, special program and singing.
TOASTMASTER: The Master of Ceremony, leads the event and songs. Every time the toastmaster speaks everyone else stays quiet!
HELAN GÅR: A Swedish saying which means drinking your shot at once. Also the name of a traditional Swedish snaps song. This song is always sung first in a sitsit party.
SAMLING – SKIT SKÅL!: At any point if there is nothing going on at the stage, anyone can start yelling "samling" and everyone raises their glasses and joins the call. The one who started needs to end it by hitting the table with their glass and yelling "skit skål"!
MELLANSOUP: If you get thirsty during a song you can between the
verses yell "mellansoup" and everyone will take a swig from their drink.
OMSTART: If singing a song is not successful and goes really badly you can yell "omstart" and the song will be started again from the beginning.
PUNISHMENT: You'll be punished if you are not obeying the rules. It can be anything from singing and dancing on the stage, having your hands taped together, tasting some "lovely" special drinks or having a time out from the party.
”Det var det bästa, det bästa vi har hört” is Swedish and means ”it was the best, the best we have heard”. After every performance everyone should thank the performers by shouting this.
Friday Social Program
We will have some get to know activities.
Also the NB applicants will introduce themselves.
Cloakroom fee is 3 euros. Drinks will cost 3€.
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- Vaasa University of Applied Sciences
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