Summer course Multilingual and Intercultural Communication Competence (MICC) for International Projects
This page contains important information on the summer course Multilingual and Intercultural Communication Competence (MICC) for International Projects (3 ECTS). It lists information about the course content and timeline, how to apply for the course, practicalities on participation and information regarding arriving to and living in Jyväskylä.
Course description and timeline
The Summer course Multilingual and Intercultural Communication Competence (MICC) for International Projects (3 ECTS) is a course engaging students in an international project and the course offers tools for analyzing and enhancing intercultural communication competence in different contexts and situations. The course is suitable all for all study fields and study levels.
Link to the more detailed course description in the Sisu study system: Sisu student tools (jyu.fi)
The course is organised together by
- Centre for Multilingual Academic Communication - Movi at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland
- University of Burgundy, France
- Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria
- Chiba University, Japan
The course is arranged as a blended intensive course, which comprises of meeting on-line and a live intensive week in Jyväskylä
- First on-line meeting on 29 April 2024 at 8:30 - 10.00 CET, Central Europe = 9:30 - 11:00 EET, Finland = 15.30 - 17.00 Japan in Zoom: https://jyufi.zoom.us/j/5664769301
- Second on-line meeting on 13 May 2024 at 10.15 - 11.45 CET Central Europe = 11.15 - 12.45 EET, Finland = 17.15 - 18.45 Japan in Zoom: https://jyufi.zoom.us/j/5664769301
- Live contact teaching week in Jyväskylä 27-31 May 2024 (exact times and locations announced later)
Students must participate in all the on-line meetings and the live contact teaching week in Jyväskylä. During the week in Jyväskylä, the social programme ensures that you will get the most out of your experience by getting to know Jyväskylä and Finland and by creating unforgettable memories with your fellow students.
The course and the social programme are free of charge for the participating students. Students must pay for their travel expenses, accommodation and meals, etc. Students from Europe should check with their home universities for possible Erasmus BIP-funding and /or BIP-status.
How and when to apply
How you apply depends on your home university.
If you are currently enrolled at the University of Jyväskylä as a degree or exchange student, you must apply and enroll in the Sisu-system: Sisu opiskelijan työkalut (jyu.fi)
Students from Johannes Kepler University must apply by filling in the application form by 12 April 2024.
Students from Johannes Kepler University (JKU, Linz, Austria) can participate in this BIP, if they are enrolled in “Virtual Collaboration in a Global Context” (247.035) course, and they complete the whole course starting at 4th of March.
“Multilingual and Intercultural Communication Competence (MICC) for International Projects” BIP is an embedded section of “Virtual Collaboration in a Global Context” course. Part of the course will be taught only in Linz (the first six sessions including simulations) and there will be a teamwork and connected assignments only for students from JKU (Linz, Austria). Starting from 29thof April online session, JKU students are expected to participate in the course in the same way as students from the other partner universities, including virtual collaboration teamwork with students from Finland, Japan, and from France.
All students are expected to participate in person in the sessions in Jyväskylä (Finland) between Monday, May 27 and Friday, May 31, 2024.
More information: Prof. Henriett Primecz (henriett.primecz@jku.at)
Students from Johannes Kepler University Linz must have BIP-status from their home university, either with or without BIP-grant. Check and ensure from your home university that they can send you to the course with BIP-status, either with or without BIP-grant
Students from University of Burgundy and Chiba University must apply by filling in the application form by 12 April 2024.
Students from University of Burgundy must have BIP-status from their home university, either with or without BIP-grant. Check and ensure from your home university that they can send you to the course with BIP-status, either with or without BIP-grant
Students from Erasmus-partners of the University of Jyväskylä must apply by filling in the application form by 12 April 2024.
Priority is given to students who have a BIP-status from their home university, either with or without BIP-grant. Check and ensure from your home university that they can send you to the course with BIP-status, either with or without BIP-grant
Students will be informed of their acceptance by e-mail. First priority is given to students from the organizing partners (Burgundy, Johannes Kepler and Chiba) and then to JYU Erasmus partner students who have a BIP-status from their home university, either with or without BIP-grant. Check and ensure from your home university that they can send you to the course with BIP-status, either with or without BIP-grant. A few seats are also reserved for JYU students.
Practicalities after acceptance and contact information
All accepted students will be informed by e-mail of their acceptance by 16 April 2024. Students must confirm their participation on the course by 22 April.
More information regarding the on-line sessions and the contact teaching in Jyväskylä will be provided to accepted students later. Also information on how to acquire JYU credentials to enter the JYU study systems will be sent separately to all students later.
European students with BIP-status must inform their home university of the acceptance and ensure that their home university has marked them into their Erasmus systems as a BIP-student. BIP code for the course is 2022-1-FI01-KA131-HED-000067581-2.
Requests for Learning Agreement approvals and other Erasmus-bureaucracy requiring host university approval either through Erasmus Dashboard or by email to: juhani.ya.moisio(at)jyu.fi The course information is XYHX1002 Multilingual and Intercultural Communication Competence (MICC) for International Projects 3 ECTS. Discuss course recognition and transfer detail at your home university.
Contact information:
Questions regarding the course content, teaching and academics to Senior lecturer Lotta Kokkonen: lotta.o.kokkonen(at)jyu.fi
Questions regarding practicalities and administrative processes to Project manager Juhani Moisio: juhani.ya.moisio(at)jyu.fi
Organisers reserve the right to cancel and make changes to the course if not enough participants. These possible changes will be communicated to participants promptly.
Below you will find more information on how to book accommodation, how to arrive to Jyväskylä and living in Jyväskylä.
Accommodation
A limited number of rooms will be reserved for the course students in Time to Stay. More information and reservation instructions with a reservation code will be sent to the admitted students later.
Rooms are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, but please wait for the acceptance e-mail before making any reservations. Please note that the accommodation provider has their own reservation deadline and making a reservation within the summer course quota is only possible for the course period.
If you prefer to stay somewhere else during the course other than the option above or all the reserved rooms are booked, you should arrange the accommodation yourself. Hotels are located mainly in the city centre within a 15-30 minute walking distance from the campuses or you can look for an Airbnb accommodation on your own.
Accommodation options in Jyväskylä
Please note that you are responsible for making an accommodation reservation for yourself. Please reserve your room by contacting the accommodation provider directly.
Students from the EU (European Union) and EEA (European Economic Area) countries do not need a visa to enter the country. Citizens of non-EU and non-EEA countries must apply for an entry visa at the nearest Finnish Embassy or Consulate unless their home country is listed as a visa-free country. You can check from the website of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland if you need a visa to enter Finland. If you need to apply for a visa, please do so as soon as you receive the acceptance letter to the summer course.
The University of Jyväskylä does not insure summer course participants. Medical insurance is recommended for all participants and it is the responsibility of the student. You should therefore acquire your own adequate health, accident, travel and liability insurance before coming to Finland. It is absolutely vital for students coming from non-EU or non-EEA countries to obtain private medical insurance to cover unexpected emergencies. Citizens of EU and EEA countries should bring a European Health Insurance Card with them which entitles the holder to all necessary medical care during one's stay in another EU or EEA country. The European Health Insurance Card can be obtained from the local social security office in your home country.
The city of Jyväskylä is located in Central Finland, some 270 km north of Helsinki. The connections are relatively frequent and the journey from Helsinki to Jyväskylä takes 3,5 - 4 hours by train. Please note that trains and buses are more convenient and environmentally friendly ways to reach Jyväskylä than plane.
When traveling by train, take the P train from Helsinki Airport to Tikkurila and change trains there. The journey from the airport to Tikkurila railway station takes about 8 minutes and trains leave every 10 minutes. There are direct train connections from Tikkurila to Jyväskylä, but in some cases you will have to change trains in Tampere.
If you wish to go the Helsinki city centre first and catch a train from there, take the I or P train or the local bus number 615 to the Helsinki Central Railway Station and continue your journey from there. It will take 30—40 minutes to get to the Helsinki Central Railway Station. The online journey planner Reittiopas is a very handy tool for finding your way in Helsinki. You can also download the HSL application to your mobile device. The app allows you to find tickets and routes easily in the Helsinki region.
The journey from Helsinki to Jyväskylä takes approximately 3.5—4 hours. Please check the train connections and purchase tickets on the VR (Finnish Railways) website.
If you arrive at Tampere-Pirkkala Airport, take a bus or a taxi to the centre of Tampere. You can continue your journey to Jyväskylä by train or bus. For more information, please see the Finavia website.
There is a direct bus connection from Helsinki Airport to Jyväskylä. The trip takes 3,5 - 5 hours. When purchasing your ticket, make sure to check if you need to change buses. The buses leave next to the Terminal 2 at the airport. You can check timetables and purchase tickets on the websites of Matkahuolto or Onnibus.
Map of the airport
Matkahuolto tickets and timetables
Onnibus tickets and timetables
Both Onnibus and Matkahuolto buses leave from the Helsinki Vantaa Airport, and also from Helsinki city centre. Onnibus coaches operate also from the Kamppi Bus Station in Helsinki city centre, a short walk from the Helsinki Central Railway Station. You can take the I or P train or the local bus number 615 from the Airport to the Helsinki Central Railway Station. Onnibus tickets can be purchased by credit card in advance and depending on seat availability also from the driver, but at a higher price than online. It is recommended to purchase Onnibus tickets in advance as tickets are often sold out.
Most of the flights to Finland arrive at Helsinki Airport (about 20 km from the centre of Helsinki). From Helsinki Airport you may continue by plane to Jyväskylä. Please book the connecting flight in advance. The flight time to Jyväskylä is approximately 45 minutes. The Jyväskylä (Tikkakoski) Airport is located about 23 km from the centre of Jyväskylä. Please note that there is no bus service from the airport to the centre of Jyväskylä. You can take a taxi from the airport to the centre of Jyväskylä, the journey takes around 20 min and costs approximately 50€. It is recommended to book a taxi in advance by calling +358 100 6900 as there may not be any taxis available at the airport upon your arrival, especially if you arrive late at night or early in the morning. You can also use the free telephone inside the terminal building to call for a taxi. You may also use the JYTAKSI APP to order a taxi (download from App Store or Google Play Store) free of charge. If you do not book the taxi in advance, be prepared to wait for it for a little while.
Finavia website
There are frequent ferry connections to Helsinki via Stockholm or Tallinn, and also from Travemünde and Rostock. Please see the ferry timetables on the websites of the cruise lines.
International summer course students are unfortunately not entitled to student discounts in trains or long distance buses. However, the earlier you purchase the train or bus tickets, the lower the price you may be able to get them. For example, there are sometimes very inexpensive tickets available for Onnibus buses, and trains. It is recommended to purchase the tickets beforehand online.
While in Jyväskylä
Public transportation
Linkki -buses provide local transport. The price for a single ticket is 3,50 € and the price goes up to 4,50 € after 11pm when purchased from the driver in cash (euros). Tickets can also be paid for by contactless payment (Visa, Visa Electron, Master Card, Eurocard, or Google Pay/Apple Pay) for 2,30 € per fare. Mobile tickets can be purchased with a smart phone app for 3 € per fare. Note that contactless payment tickets and mobile tickets are a little bit cheaper than single tickets purchased by cash. Also season tickets are available, e.g. a 30-day-ticket for 57 € for adults and 40 € for students. You can download the Linkki application from the app store to your mobile device to find tickets and routes easily in the Jyväskylä region.
Cycling
A practical way to move around is by bike. When riding a bike you should use the bicycle paths marked with a sign (white figures on a blue background). In places where there is no special bicycle path, please use the right side of the roadway, not the sidewalk. You should then follow the same traffic rules as motorists. Also, remember to use lights on the bicycle when driving in the dark. Furthermore, we strongly recommend that you wear a helmet.
Public first-aid services are provided by municipal health centres and the hospital. If you become ill and need urgent medical attention, you should contact
- Monday - Thursday at 08-16 and Friday at 09-16: Municipal Health Centre Kyllö (address Keskussairaalantie 20, tel. +358 14 266 2011) or Nova Health Centre (address Hoitajantie 3, tel. +358 14 266 0120)
- In the evenings and nights at 16-08 and during weekends: Hospital Nova of Central Finland (Keski-Suomen Sairaala Nova, address Hoitajantie 3). Call the Medical Helpline 116 117 (free of charge) before you go to the hospital!
- In urgent cases, dial 112 (general emergency number for ambulance, fire station, police. Free of charge)
Health centres charge an initial fee of approx. 21 € and the Central Hospital a fee of approx. 42 €. There may also be additional service fees, depending on the treatment. Please note that all non-permanent citizens, apart from the EU and EEA citizens, must pay for all treatments themselves and claim for a refund from their insurance company. The hospital fees may run high if you are not a citizen of the EU or EEA. Thus, if you come from a country outside the EU or EEA it is absolutely vital that you obtain private medical insurance to cover unexpected emergencies.
While studying in another member state, EU and EEA countries are entitled to the same benefits in case of an emergency (medical care required by the state of health, accident, sudden illness etc.) as the local population. The European Health Insurance Card certifies that you are entitled to these benefits. The card is standardized throughout the European Union and can be obtained from the social security institutions of the country where you are insured. Remember to obtain the card before your travel and present it when visiting the hospital or the health centre.
Pharmacies are usually open until 17.00 or 18.00. The University Pharmacy (Yliopiston apteekki) at Kauppakatu 39 (tel. +358 300 20200) is an exception - it is open every day 7.00-22.00.
In May and in the beginning of June the weather can be a little unpredictable in Finland. Typically the temperature is in low 20s Celsius degrees, but it can also be a little cooler especially in the evenings.
5-day weather forecast
In the beginning of June the sun sets around 11 PM and rises around 3.30 AM in Finland, so if you are a light sleeper it might be smart to bring a sleeping mask. We recommend you to take something warm (a pullover/cardigan) to put under your regular summer jacket.
During weekdays you may have your lunch and coffee/tea in student cafeterias on campus. The lunch at a university cafeteria includes a hot meal, a drink, salad and bread. Participants of the summer course are entitled to the postgraduate-priced meal (5,50 or 5,70 euros) at the campus student cafeterias. To get the discount, you must verify your summer course student status by showing your Certificate of Student Status at the cash register. To get the certificate, you need to login to Sisu student register with your JYU username and password.
Library
Summer course participants may use the Jyväskylä University Library where they will also have access to computers. You can borrow books from the Main Library (Seminaarinmäki Campus, building B Lähde) and the department libraries after you have collected a library card from the Main Library.
Computers
Once you have been admitted to the summer course and strongly identified, you have received University of Jyväskylä user account and access to the JYU systems and services. With your username and password, you are also able to log in to computers all over the campus areas. Your account is valid during the summer course.
Computers can be found in every building on campus. If you have a laptop, you can use the WLAN network at the University. To access the University WLAN network, please choose jyu-student-network and enter your JYU username and password.
Computer labs at campus
University of Jyväskylä is a part of the eduroam (education roaming) network. The configuration instructions are specific for your institution. If your device is not yet configured, please visit the eduroam website or contact your institution's IT staff.
The University Sports is a great and affordable option if you want to do sports during your stay. In order to use the University Sports services you need the electronic receipt of payment on your email that you can show on your phone when prompted, or a physical summer sports sticker attached to your student certificate. The summer season costs 20 euros, which includes includes group fitness, ball games, access to Monitoimitalo gym and to Yogobe online service. If you want to use the Monitoimitalo gym, you need to buy a wristband. The wristband costs 8 euros and you have to buy it once. You can buy the wristband from the janitors at Monitoimitalo gym.
You can buy the sports sticker from the university webshop. In order to purchase the sticker, you need to login with your JYU credentials.
The University Sports website