Development of a new Master´S Degree Program Based on Work Life Requirements

Abstract

Lapland University of Applied Sciences (Lapland UAS) started developing a new master´s degree program titled “Master of Renewing Industry” on topics related specially to twin transition and modern manufacturing technologies in spring 2021. Planning of the curriculum was based on the requirements of companies in the Northern Finland area as the contents and learning outcomes were derived from the demands of work life. The topics were constructed around modern manufacturing technologies used in the workplace taking digitalization, sustainability, and carbon neutrality into account. One major component in the curriculum is the master´s thesis where students select a development task from their work based on the themes of the degree program. Besides the professional element, the support of writing skills and written communication is continuous in the thesis process and plays an important role in student´s professional development as it increases their research abilities. As an example, from the study contents, a course titled “Industrial Production and Operations” is presented, which started in the beginning of the program in early 2022. Every study course has a designated teacher who plans, organizes, and is responsible for the successful delivery of the course, including the use of visiting lecturers and experts. Some of these visiting lectures are given by experts in the industry as the key point of all the courses is to strengthen work life orientation. This master's degree program supports lifelong learning of technical personnel in the workplace and enhances their potential to adopt the best principles of sustainability and twin transition.