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Education Gateway Project – XAMK

My first real design challenge – bridging education and working life through digital tools.

Overview


XAMK (South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences) partnered with local businesses and municipalities to create a digital platform that connects students, educators, and employers.


The goal of the Education Gateway Project was to strengthen collaboration between education and working life through digital tools.


As part of my Bachelor’s thesis in Service Design, I led the design research and concept development, focusing on how technology can support lifelong learning and cross-sector cooperation.


Challenge


Many regional education initiatives in Finland faced the same problem: information about study opportunities, internships, and professional development existed, but was fragmented across platforms and organizations.


The challenge was to design a digital service concept that would:


  • Bridge the gap between students, educators, and employers.

  • Make regional opportunities more visible and accessible.

  • Support meaningful collaboration and learning continuity.


This was not just about creating a platform; it was about designing an ecosystem that encourages connection and mutual value.


Approach



Outcome


  • A validated service concept for a regional digital learning platform connecting students, educators, and companies.

  • A strategic design proposal with a service blueprint, user journey maps, and visual framework to guide implementation.

  • The project received recognition within XAMK as an example of how service design can drive regional development and collaboration.


Impact & Reflection


This project marked a turning point in my career — it showed me how design can bridge systems and create understanding between people.

Working across education, business, and public sectors taught me how to facilitate diverse perspectives and translate them into actionable concepts.


It reinforced my belief that design’s greatest strength lies in connection: between people, ideas, and opportunities.


Link to my thesis (in Finnish): https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021112421493

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