STUDY COMPARISION for Foreign graduate.

[sammy]

Dear Sir or Madman,

Universities can only give you academic recognition (if you e.g. wish to continue your studies)

Professional recognition of qualifications -> http://www.oph.fi/info/recognition

ENIC/NARIC Finland
Finnish National Board of Education
P.O. Box 380
FIN-00531 Helsinki
tel. +358 9 774 775
fax +358 9 7747 7869
recognition@oph.fi

...in your case, since we're talking about a health-related occupation, it might be a question of contacting TEO (The National Authority for Medicolegal Affairs) http://www.teo.fi

Yours fitfully,

Deaf, Dumb & Blind

[sammy]

Thank you once again soo much. (hope you dont work in stadia or laurea )

No, no But honestly I was not aware that TEO would refer their customers to the educational institutions, rather than sorting the recognition out themselves So, I'm sorry if my advice was not 'relevant' in that sense (I erroneously assumed that you only had contacted the institutions...). Have you let TEO (or the OPH recognition unit) know that things aren't really working for you? If I were you I'd call the said recognition unit and ask what might be done about the situation.

[mCowboy]

Well I could be wronge too some times, but I never had this sort of problem in US or Canada, and the frustration is that I can stay here only 3 months (even being US citizen) and my 2 months are gone, I will call them tomorrow as you suggest,
Thank You very much.

live and learn (in Finland). Finland operates in its own way and is very bureaucratic. Don't expect things to happen like they do in the US. However, once you get the ball rollin' it should be a smooth ride.

"no expectations, no disappointments..."

[sammy]

However, once you get the ball rollin' it should be a smooth ride.

Ah, but surely you meant to write

However, once you get the proper ball rollin' forms filled in and officially stamped - it should be a smooth ride.

[mCowboy]

However, once you get the ball rollin' it should be a smooth ride.

Ah, but surely you meant to write

However, once you get the proper ball rollin' forms filled in and officially stamped - it should be a smooth ride.

I included the latter with the rollin' part...

"Things everyone knows, but no one tells you" - Hank W

[mCowboy]

???

[mCowboy]

That is the 2 emails I got from OPH telling me to contact TEO and then the email from TEO asking me to contact Stadia...

So contact Stadia. Go to the office and make an appointment with the student counselor or the principal.

[sammy]

That is the 2 emails I got from OPH telling me to contact TEO and then the email from TEO asking me to contact Stadia...

Erm... one more thing, are you sure you made it explicitly clear that the degree recognition was not for STUDY purposes but for professional/vocational qualification purposes (ie that you'd need to have your qualifications recognised since you wish to WORK in Finland)... just guessing, stabs in the dark... I'm surprised by the TEO reaction of referring you to Stadia, but then again, I haven't got first-hand experience of TEO's recognition processes.

[Hank W.]

Well it says on teh TEO places that the "institution in Finland" gives an opinion of the validity/scope of the studies done in XYZlandia as compared to what the students have to perform here.

What I think is that they get 1001 emails from all kind of silly fruitbats, so I'd send a (signed for) letter with a cover letter and copies of the certificates asking for the opinion and then if they have questions the contact details.

[Hank W.]

Yes in email. What if they got blocked by spam filters? Written letter on paper, they need to acknowledge it somehow.

[interleukin]

Rule nr. 1 in Finland: No one answers your emails or gives you any meaningful answers if you call them.

You need to GO there in person, stand there and wait and make the person who should be fixing things uncomfortable until they sort things out. This is how it works in Finland.

Good luck!

/interleukin

[raamv]

"Things everyone knows, but no one tells you"

dont steal my line!!

[raamv]

Rule nr. 1 in Finland: No one answers your emails or gives you any meaningful answers if you call them.

or you can follow rule no 1 as Finns follow: Find out everything in advance how things work, by asking another person, googling, Calling a person who can help in those matter ( after finding out who it could be) etc.. and then make an appt with them.. Take a number from the lobby and wait..