Reading recommendations: Professional journeys of international talents in Finland
We are proud to share the experiences of international talents gaining working life experience in Finland. Below are the stories of two individuals whose professional journeys have been shaped by the CUDIS project.
Ghadeer Hamed participated in the Draft Program
Doctoral Researcher Ghadeer Hamed participated in the Draft Program and is now working in a team to develop a platform for teachers to build AR-lessons. The Draft Program provides entrepreneurship coaching and funding for aspiring entrepreneurs.
A research team is developing a browser-based platform that enables teachers from primary school to universities to create augmented-reality lessons without writing code. The platform could be a great asset for teachers in teaching abstract concepts and practical skills, without having to know much about technology.
Ghadeer shares that the inspiration for the project came from her PhD work and CUDIS project’s training. The training question is the Self-Employment Now and the Future training that ran from October 2024 to January 2025. The Draft Program was introduced in the training by Heikki Immonen.
Read more about Ghadeer’s experiences and the future of her project.
Reza Saberi on gaining real-world experience
MA Student Reza Saberi has actively attended various CUDIS events both as a participant and a speaker. For Reza, gaining hands-on experience and building professional networks have been the highlights.
Through participating in the CUDIS project’s Digital and International Competence Development Service (2024) Reza was able to connect with Arbonaut Ltd. In his blog post Reza shares that during his time at Arbonaut he managed to expand his professional network as well as gain insights into the job market and Finnish business environment.
After completing the development service, Reza has continued working with us by speaking about his experiences at our events. In March 2025, he attended the first meeting of the second iteration of the development service to encourage and guide the new participants in their journey.
Read more about Reza’s experiences.
Written by Project Secretary Oona Järvinen.
Sources:
Hamed, G. & Immonen, H. (2025) Doctoral researcher Ghadeer envisions a tool that lets teachers build immersive AR-lessons. Draft Program. Last accessed 22.5.2025:
https://draftprogram.com/en/2025/05/02/doctoral-researcher-ghadeer-envisions-a-tool-that-lets-teachers-build-immersive-ar-lessons/
Saberi, R. (2025) Gaining Real-World Experience: My Journey in the Digital and International Skills Development Service. University of Eastern Finland. Last accessed 22.5.2025: https://blogs.uef.fi/on-the-move/2025/04/28/gaining-real-world-experience-my-journey-in-the-digital-and-international-skills-development-service/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaez6J56FE1qoDsOy8mD3Cjg7decKQW8bdYmgwkLnohPXrKv8xbBWv82zu5U9g_aem_-u_W2JIQE1wVG89UcEXBhA