Spouse integration services for the foreign academic staff : higher educational institutions in Tampere region
Suvanto, Nuppu (2018)
Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu
2018
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018110516695
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2018110516695
Tiivistelmä
This thesis was commissioned to find out the needed reasoning and background information in order to start formulating the new spouse services for the new Tampere University in the joint Hidden Gems -project of the three universities, Tampere University, Tampere University of Technology and Tampere University of Applied Sciences. The aim was to find out what services the chosen case universities offer for the spouses of their foreign academic staff and why the universities’ want to provide them. Also the service cooperation in each region was looked into. The benchmarking case universities chosen in the Hidden Gems -project were Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, ETH Zürich in Switzerland, KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, KU Leuven in Belgium, University of Basel in Switzerland and the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. The research results were also linked to the operational environment of the City of Tampere.
The theoretical framework included the adjustment factors of spouses, integration support services and the role and motivational factors of the employers in organizing the spouse integration services. The chosen research method was qualitative and the research data was collected with semi-structured benchmarking interviews. The inductive approach was chosen and the thematic applied analysis was used. The results are valid for the Hidden Gems -project, so this thesis does not aim at generalisation.
The research showed that the spouse services should include three service themes; relocation, career and social support. The guidance should be personalized and coaching and self-empowering methods in supporting the integration should be used. Networking is important for the successful professional integration. Cooperation with other integration service providers, especially in the relocation and social support is beneficial but the university employer should always be the first point of contact in order to form the perception of a caring and valuing employer. Managing the expectations of the employees and spouses should be the foundation of the available services. Targeting the integration services to the spouses of the academic staff has a significant impact on the success of the recruitments and thus the employer image.
The research results introduce a firm information foundation for the formulation of the spouse services in Tampere University. The regional collaboration is of significant advantage for all parties involved in the integration services and it is exemplified by the spouse integration ecosystem map of Tampere presented in this thesis.
The theoretical framework included the adjustment factors of spouses, integration support services and the role and motivational factors of the employers in organizing the spouse integration services. The chosen research method was qualitative and the research data was collected with semi-structured benchmarking interviews. The inductive approach was chosen and the thematic applied analysis was used. The results are valid for the Hidden Gems -project, so this thesis does not aim at generalisation.
The research showed that the spouse services should include three service themes; relocation, career and social support. The guidance should be personalized and coaching and self-empowering methods in supporting the integration should be used. Networking is important for the successful professional integration. Cooperation with other integration service providers, especially in the relocation and social support is beneficial but the university employer should always be the first point of contact in order to form the perception of a caring and valuing employer. Managing the expectations of the employees and spouses should be the foundation of the available services. Targeting the integration services to the spouses of the academic staff has a significant impact on the success of the recruitments and thus the employer image.
The research results introduce a firm information foundation for the formulation of the spouse services in Tampere University. The regional collaboration is of significant advantage for all parties involved in the integration services and it is exemplified by the spouse integration ecosystem map of Tampere presented in this thesis.