Introduction Vesa Nuorva

My name is Vesa Nuorva and I work as Principal Lecturer and Head of the Department of Humanities and Education at Centria since the year 2004. I have done my PhD in Theology and before coming to Centria I have worked as pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, including ten years in Turku Cathedral, the most famous church builing of Finland. After coming to Centria I have done the degree of M. Soc. Sc.
Our degree program is called community educator because our students will be mostly work as youth workers in the church, municipalities and in NGO's. We emphasize the meaning of internationalization, globalization and multiculturalism in our education. Many students at our degree program like to go to internships abroad but we have also possibilities to study-exchange in Spain, South-Korea and Japan.
During my studies in 1970's I had not possibilities to go to exchange or internships. When I was 29 years I got a scholarship of cultural exchange between Spain and Finland. I was half a year in Salamanca in order to collect material for my PhD. It was a great experience. During my period in Centria I have been in teacher-exchange in Italy, Nepal and Vietnam.