How to become a global talent?

Develop your employability skills and global competence while studying, and become a Global Talent. Build your competence by choosing global elements into your study path and obtain a digital Global Talent Open Badge:

  • Complete a part of your studies in a foreign language
  • Study new languages
  • Learn about intercultural competence
  • Choose professional courses with a global angle
  • Spend a semester abroad

Global Talent Open Badge is issued by many institutes of higher education in Finland.

With Global Talent Open Badge you can easily demonstrate the talent and skills you have developed to the employers.

As a global talent you have:

  • gained exceptional global competence during studies
  • persistence, curiosity and courage
  • adaptability to new environments
  • problem-solving skills
  • multicultural team-working skills
  • interest in global issues
  • joined international networks
  • a can-do attitude

Criteria in a nutshell

In order to receive the badge you need to meet all the requirements below:

Language and communication skills

You have:

  • professional level communication skills in English. You have e.g. completed the professional level English course of your degree.
  • an ability to use English or another foreign language in a professional setting by completing min. 25 ECTS credits of academic course work in English. This can include courses completed abroad.
  • an ability to use additional language(s) in everyday life.
  • developed your presentation skills by sharing the international experience to other students in events or social media.

As a fluent international communicator you have professional language and communication skills in English and an ability to use one or several other languages, to operate in an international environment.  

Intercultural competence

You have:

  • completed a minimum of 3 ECTS credits of academic courses in intercultural competence.
  • taken a minimum of 5 ECTS credits of professional courses with a global perspective within your own field.

Having intercultural competence means that you are able to pay attention to key cultural factors & can explain what is needed to operate appropriately and efficiently with people from different cultural backgrounds.

International experience abroad

You have:

  • completed a minimum of 2 month student exchange or work placement abroad (applicable from the academic year 2021-2022 onwards).
  • international students: you can count your study in Finland.

Having international experience abroad demonstrates that you have curiosity and courage and that you are able to operate effectively in another culture by succeeding in the agreed goals of the study or work placement.

How to apply?

  1. Collect the documents showcasing that you have the skills listed above (e.g. with transcripts, certificates of study abroad periods, language certificates, work certificates or a video clip on your additional language skills).
  2. Fill in the Global Talent Open Badge application form of your home university. To get the link, contact your home university International Relations contact person:
    Centria University of Applied Science
    Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
    Aalto University
  3. Once the badge has been awarded, you will receive an email including the badge and the instructions on how to use it. You can then link it e.g. to your LinkedIn profile or online CV.