Students Study Paper Science Abroad

An increasing number of college students are expressing interest in having some type of study experience in another country. NC State PSE students are no exception. In recent years, we have worked with foreign universities to establish programs that help our students study abroad in a simple, cost-effective way.

One program that is up and running successfully is a student exchange program with the Technical University of Helsinki (TKK) in Finland. NC State and TKK have reviewed each other's paper-related courses, and they have agreed to accept certain courses as equivalent between the two institutions. With this arrangement, students can study abroad without getting seriously behind in their progress toward graduation. The courses at TKK are taught in English, so there is no language barrier. Under the reflexive study abroad agreement, students pay tuition at their home institution while studying at the foreign institution. Scholarships are available to help students pay for travel and accommodation costs.

The first student from TKK came to NC State in Fall 2008, followed by another in Spring 2009. Doug Mehlenbacher (photo left), a junior in the PSE program, was the first student to study at TKK in Spring 2009. Despite having to adjust to the different climate (cold and dark!) and the different approach to academics (no homework or tests...only a final exam), Doug was able to make new friends and experience a very different culture. He reports, "You think you've lived the college life, done some parties, stayed up late? Go to Finland. There's nothing like an intense "social gathering" followed by a hot sauna and a fresh dip in a frozen lake. Try doing that with a company rep coming in for interviews!"

An exciting new program that is being finalized is TAPS (Trans-Atlantic Paper Science Degree). This exciting proposal establishes a dual degree program between two US paper schools (NC State and Stevens Point) and three European paper schools (Tampere and Jyvaskyla in Finland, Munich in Germany). In the proposed arrangement, students would spend on year abroad, studying for one semester at each of two of the participating schools. Extensive course equivalencies established between the schools would then do something unprecedented -- it would allow the student to receive B.S. degrees from both their home university and from one of the foreign universities!

A generous grant from the US Department of Education has made the setup of the program possible, as well as providing scholarships that make a year abroad much more affordable for students.

It is hoped that the first students will be exchanged in TAPS in Fall 2010.