Uniting Companies, Employers and International University Talents (UNICOM+)
Duration of the project
Source of funding
Keski-Suomen elinkeino-, liikenne- ja ympäristökeskus
Total funding
151 140 €
The UNICOM+ project aims to utilise the extensive labor potential of highly educated international talents in the South-West Finland region more efficiently, thereby addressing the current and future deepening skills shortage in the area. Due to their background, international talents face greater challenges in integrating into working life compared to native Finns and are under a greater threat of unemployment upon graduation.
As increasing number of international talents seek employment already after starting at higher education (HE), a solution to the labor problem must be sought in collaboration between the area’s higher education institutions and public employment and entrepreneurship services. Due to this, the project will work closely with the new employment areas in Turku and Salo.
The partner organisations are the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi and Turku University of Applied Sciences. They develop, pilot and integrate new services in their respective universities to facilitate the access of international talents in higher education to the open labor market, employment in existing companies and organisations, and support them in their entrepreneurship endeavors. Through the services developed and implemented in the project, international talents are also better prepared to utilise the public employment and entrepreneurship services.
Unicom Plus Events Autumn 2026
Kick-off and Finnish Working Life SESSION FOR SELECTED STUDENTS
Date: 4 September 2026
Time: 09:30-12:00
Programme
- Course introduction
- Event stamp system
- Finnish work culture and hidden job market
Job Seeking and LinkedIn
Date: 18 September 2026
Time: 09:30-12:00
Programme
- 09:30-10:30 Job seeking SESSION FOR SELECTED STUDENTS
- 10:30-12:00 LinkedIn training (English)
Registration:
https://www.lyyti.in/UNICOMLinkEN18Sep
Session 3: Networking Skills and Employer Insight
Date: 2 October 2026
Time: 09:30-12:00
Programme
- Peer stories and networking practices, SESSION FOR SELECTED STUDENTS
- 10:30 Shaun Rudden: HR perspective, recruitment and networking
Registration:
https://www.lyyti.in/UNICOMNetworkingSkills2Oct
Session 4: Entrepreneurship Ecosystem and Future Trends
Date: 23 October 2026
Time: 09:30-12:00
Programme
- 09:30 Boost Turku: Startups as a career
- 11:00 Future trends and Southwest Finland labour market
Registration:
https://www.lyyti.in/UNICOMEntrepFutureTrends23Oct
Unicom Plus Company Visit: IFF
Date: 26 Oct 2026
Time: 08:30-17:00
Programme
Company visit to IFF facilities in Hanko
Registration:
https://www.lyyti.in/UnicomPIFF26Oct
Student Forum SESSION FOR SELECTED STUDENTS
Date: 29 October 2026
Programme:
Student Forum with University of Turku, Turku UAS student representatives, City of Turku and Noor e Sehar Butt, President of KISC – Kuopio International Student Council.
Networking and Intercultural Interaction, SESSION FOR SELECTED STUDENTS
Date: 6 November 2026
Activities
- Networking warm-up
- Rotating discussions on careers, company visits and ideas
- Reflection and connection mapping
- How to ask for a thesis opportunity
Idea Development & Finance
Date: 13 November 2026
Time: 09:30-12:00
Programme
- 09:30 Jani Rusi (POP Bank): Financial basics
- 10:30 Caroline Bondier: Business planning and personal positioning
Registration:
https://www.lyyti.in/UNICOMIdeasFinance13Nov
Pitching and Career Tools
Date: 20 November 2026
Time: 09:30-12:00
Programme
- 09:30-10:15 Barona: AI in job seeking
- 10:30-11:30 Anna Malmilehto: Pitching training
Registration:
https://www.lyyti.in/UNICOMPitchinCareerTools20Nov
Thesis Fair and Pitching Competition
Date: 26 November 2026
Time: 10:00-15:30
Programme
- 10:00-14:00 Thesis Fair during Find your Future Exhibition
- 14:30-15:30 Pitching Competition SESSION FOR SELECTED STUDENTS
Networking Breakfast with Entrepreneurs
Date: 4 December 2026
Time: 8:30- 10:30
Programme:
Informal Breakfast with international entrepreneurs in Turku to share about challenges and opportunities about becoming an entrepreneur in Southwest Finland.
Registration:
Unicom Plus Events Spring 2026
Student Forum – Company Visit
Date: 21 January 2026
Status: Fully booked
Description:
The Student Forum brings students and IF company together to discuss working life, recruitment, and career opportunities in Finland. This session focuses on direct interaction with a company, offering insights into employer expectations and real-life workplace experiences.
NOTE! This event is already fully booked.
CV Clinic
Date: 27 January 2026
Time: 11:00–13:00
Location: EduCity lobby
Guest Speakers / Experts:
- Elomatic Oy – CV guidance
- Pohjola Rakennus Oy – CV photography (first 20 participants)
- Turku UAS Career and Recruitment Services
Description:
Prepare for summer jobs by improving your CV with expert support. Elomatic Oy offers non-stop CV guidance with practical tips and feedback. Bring your CV and join when it suits you.
The first 20 participants will also receive a professional CV photo.
Get to Know Meyer Turku!
Date: 5 February 2026
Time: 11:00–12:00
Location: EduCity, Hammarbacka, 1st floor
Guest Speakers: Meyer Turku representatives
Registration: https://www.lyyti.fi/reg/MeyerTurkuSummerjobs
Description:
Meyer Turku invites students from Turku University of Applied Sciences to learn about job and summer recruitment opportunities. The event is held in Finnish, with slides in English. After the event, students can meet and network with the representatives.
Networking Skills for Working Life
Date: 11 March 2026
Time: 10:00–11:30 (EET)
Format: Hybrid (Kupittaa Campus / Online)
Guest Speaker: Megha Goswami
Registration: https://www.lyyti.in/Unicomplus113Networking
Description:
This session focuses on building professional networks in Finland, particularly in the Turku region. Students will learn how to intentionally grow their networks and gain insights from the guest speaker’s personal experience.
LinkedIn for Job Searching in Finland
Date: 25 March 2026
Time: 10:00–11:30 (EET)
Format: Hybrid
Guest Speaker: Lucia Vuillermin
Registration: https://www.lyyti.in/UNICOM_LinkedIn_kevt_2026_5400
Description:
This workshop helps students use LinkedIn strategically in the Finnish job market. Topics include profile optimisation, networking, and approaching recruiters in Finland.
Job Searching Strategies in Finland
Date: 8 April 2026
Time: 10:00–11:30 (EET)
Format: Online
Guest Speaker: Lukumanu Iddrisu
Registration: https://www.lyyti.in/JobSearch
Description:
This session provides practical guidance on job searching in Finland, including accessing the hidden job market, tailoring applications, and navigating recruitment processes.
Start of the course
Date: 6 May 2026
Time: 13.30–18.30
Location: EduCity
13.30 Start of the course
15.00 Dr Spinder Dhaliwal, Director Westminster Business School, UK and Hussain Shaikih, Founder kokit.fi
17.00 After Work, Turku Entrepreneurs Register HERE
Helsinki Day
Date: 12 May 2026
Time: 8:00–19:00 (EET)
Programme:
8-10 Bus from Turku to Helsinki
Coffee break at Startup Refugees
Pitching training
13 Shortcut, meeting with Angeliki Papagiannopoulou, Ecosystem & Programme Manager
Late Lunch
Free activities
17-19 Bus back to Turku
Entrepreneurship Workshop
Date: 18 May 2026
Time: 9:00–12:00 (EET)
Location: EduCity
Conducted by: Muntaser Mazen Al-Hamad and Juliano Prisada.
SHIFT Business Event
Date: Thu 28 May
Time: 10.30-12.00
Location: Joki Center
See the programme
Description: Networking event with the Entrepreneurship and Value Creation Research group.
Feedback session
Date: Fri 29 May
Time: 9-10
Format: Online
Description: Feedback discussion about the Practical Business Networking programme.
Contact us
Partners
- University of Turku
- Åbo Akademi
Meet the research team
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Research teams
Entrepreneurship and Value Creation
See all our projects
We carry out nearly 200 RDI projects annually together with working life and our international partner networks.