In May, David Másilka from the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies completed an Erasmus staff training mobility at Lapland University of Applied Sciences (LaplandUAS) in Rovaniemi, Finland. The mobility aimed to explore innovative approaches to outdoor education and experiential learning, exchange expertise with Finnish colleagues, and establish professional contacts with the potential to develop into future collaboration between the two institutions.
As part of the programme, David participated in the course Education in Nature and Outdoor Pedagogy, which forms part of the Green Exercise Studies programme for international exchange students. Upon successful completion, participants are eligible to obtain the Green Exercise Outdoor Guide Certification, which focuses on using physical activity in natural environments to promote health, education, and personal development.
The course combines online seminars, independent project work, and intensive field-based instruction. A key feature of the programme is the learning by doing approach, in which students acquire knowledge and skills through direct experience and active engagement in authentic tasks. During the course, students were responsible for designing and delivering a team-building programme for approximately eighty pupils from a local primary school. The teaching approach employed by the Finnish lecturers closely aligns with the principles of experiential learning and outdoor education that have long been developed and applied at the Faculty of Physical Culture.
One of the most valuable aspects of the mobility was the opportunity to experience the Santasport Centre, where LaplandUAS delivers its sports-related degree programmes. This unique environment brings together university education, elite sport, applied research, and close cooperation with practitioners. Students interact daily with coaches, physiotherapists, sport scientists, and elite athletes, gaining hands-on experience in an environment where theory and practice are naturally integrated. This educational model provided significant inspiration for the further development of teaching at the Faculty of Physical Culture.
Lapland University of Applied Sciences is recognised as one of Europe's leading institutions in applied higher education. Its educational philosophy is built on close links between academic study and professional practice, applied research, cooperation with regional partners, and the development of competencies tailored to the specific conditions of the Arctic region. These principles are reflected not only in the curriculum but also in students' preparation for their future professional careers.
The surrounding natural environment is another integral part of the educational experience. Located close to the Arctic Circle, Rovaniemi provides exceptional conditions for year-round outdoor education and experiential learning. Students have the opportunity to develop practical skills in the authentic setting of the Nordic wilderness, where the natural environment becomes an integral part of the learning process.
The mobility generated valuable ideas that can contribute to the further development of outdoor education, experiential learning, and the preparation of future professionals in the fields of physical activity and healthy lifestyles at the Faculty of Physical Culture. At the same time, the newly established contacts revealed considerable potential for future cooperation with Lapland University of Applied Sciences, potentially creating new opportunities for student and staff mobility, as well as broader academic and educational collaboration.
