LAB University of Applied Sciences receives FINEEC quality label

The LAB University of Applied Sciences has received the FINEEC quality label, which is valid for six years. The quality audit was conducted last spring, and the results were released on Friday 8 November 2024. The audit team especially praised LAB’s strategic goals for the impact of its RDI activities and support for demanding innovation projects. The quality audit was the first one for LAB, a higher education institution focusing on innovation and the working world, during its less than five years of operation.

“The audit reinforces our own view of LAB's strengths and development needs. It offers excellent insights from external experts who dug deep into the core of our activity. We will utilise the audit report extensively in the management of our institution,” assesses Turo Kilpeläinen, president of LAB.

Quality management system in support of strategic targets

The LAB University of Applied Sciences makes an impact on society through its strategic targets, such as the growth and internationalisation of businesses. The audit team saw strategic development, goal-oriented RDI, and support for demanding innovation projects as LAB’s strengths. Also, LAB’s range of studies addresses the needs of companies and the world of work, and stakeholders actively contribute to the planning and implementation of education at LAB.

The audit team stated that LAB’s RDI activities have a significant impact in South Karelia and Päijät-Häme, where regional collaboration is close and reciprocal. The audit team recommended that LAB further develop its quality indicators for assessing and monitoring the quality of education and ensure sufficient resources for teaching.

“Based on the development recommendations, we will examine the quality of teaching and clarify our quality management system, because we want our quality management to lay the foundation for work and studies in our higher education community. With sufficiently consistent teaching methods, we will be better able to provide experts and expertise for the future needs of the working world,” Kilpeläinen says.

The quality label now awarded will be in force until 2030. A successfully passed audit indicates that LAB’s activity and quality management system meet both national and European criteria for quality assurance in higher education.

Read more:

→ FINEEC release 8 November 2024

→ FINEEC audit report