HUMAK Lecturer Tero Lämsä Visits HAN University to Strengthen International Collaboration on Adventure Education and Outdoor Education. 

Tero Lämsä, a senior Finnish lecturer in Outdoor & Adventure Education at HUMAK University of Applied Sciences, recently visited the HAN University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands as part of a growing international collaboration. The visit focused on building bridges between HUMAK, HAN, and Malmö University (Sweden) to create a new blended intensive program (BIP) on outdoor learning. 

The initiative, developed through earlier conversations with HAN lecturer Jos Vaes, aims to provide students from all three universities with meaningful international learning experiences centered around outdoor and adventure education. During his visit, Lämsä worked with staff from the HAN Sport Studies program to develop joint course components and explore curriculum synergies. 

“We want students to experience learning in different natural environments and cultures. This not only deepens their outdoor skills, but also broadens their pedagogical understanding,” says Tero Lämsä. 

The planned course would include a week of outdoor-based learning in Finland, a follow-up week at HAN in the Netherlands, and potentially a third part hosted by Malmö University in Sweden, which also specializes in outdoor learning through the concept of friluftsliv. 

Shared Values, Different Approaches 

Although HUMAK and HAN have different academic profiles — with HUMAK focusing on community education and outdoor adventure education, and HAN on sport sciences — both institutions share a common pedagogical vision. They use physical and experiential activities to develop leadership, cooperation, and social-emotional skills in young people. 

“At HUMAK, we might sleep in snow shelters in Lapland or kayak across the Baltic Sea. At HAN, students might use flag football to explore group dynamics. But the underlying educational philosophy is the same,” says Lämsä. 

Tero also met with master’s students from the Sport and Exercise Innovation program, who presented projects tackling real-world social challenges — from activating young people to creating safe spaces for women to be physically active. These themes resonated strongly with the values of HUMAK’s own curriculum in community education that includes elements of social and youth work. 

From Practice to Theory — and Back Again 

Outdoor Adventure Education at HUMAK follows a holistic approach. Students not only develop hard skills like hiking, navigation, and technical skills, but also reflect on group processes and emotional safety. A typical outdoor day might last up to twelve hours, with students fully immersed in nature and learning through action, reflection, and feedback. 

While Finland’s harsh winter limits certain activities like kayaking to late spring, summer and early autumn, the learning never stops — it just adapts. The third year of HUMAK’s bachelor program shifts toward more research and in-depth projects, a structure similar to HAN’s Sport Studies degree. 

Looking Ahead: More Collaboration in the Pipeline 

The teacher exchange was part of the Erasmus+ program and allowed Tero to work closely with HAN colleagues on future course development and staff mobility. Nine staff members from HAN visited Humak Helsinki campus last Autumn and plans are already being discussed for more Humak lecturers to visit HAN, and for more joint student and staff activities in the coming years.

“This kind of collaboration is about more than just academic content,” says Tero. “It’s about building community, exchanging ideas, and encouraging students and staff to step outside their comfort zones.” 

Tero ended his visit by sharing one of his favorite guiding principles with the HAN team: 

“See life as a series of good opportunities — it’s up to you to decide whether you take them or not.” 

Learn more about our international programme in Adventure and Outdoor Education: Study Bachelor’s Degree in Adventure and Outdoor Education at Humak UAS, Finland