Oulu University of Applied Sciences
Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk) is a Finnish public higher education institution offering Bachelor's, Master's, and professional teacher education, plus continuous learning, serving roughly 2,500 new students annually across fields such as IT, Business, Engineering, Health Care, and Arts in the Oulu region.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersOulu, Finland
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Oulu University of Applied Sciences does
Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk) is a Finnish public higher education institution operating as a private limited company (Oulun Ammattikorkeakoulu Oy, Business ID 2509747-8) under the Universities of Applied Sciences Act (932/2014). Founded as a trial institution in 1991 and made permanent on 1 August 1996, Oamk delivers Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes, professional teacher education, and continuous learning across fields including Information Technology, Business, Engineering, Health Care, Social Services, Natural Resources, and Culture/Arts. It operates from two main campuses in Oulu — Linnanmaa (shared with the University of Oulu) and Kontinkangas — and serves approximately 2,500 new students each autumn semester, alongside lifelong learners, corporate clients, and international/immigrant cohorts. The institution maintains a substantial art collection of approximately 550 works and operates specialised facilities including STARTS Lab Oulu (a creative-tech test environment) and the Oamk Sound Dome (a 24-speaker ambisonic audio facility).
Oamk's product portfolio spans degree education, continuing professional development (Oamk Boost), professional teacher training, and an array of practice schools (Johtosävel music school, Oamk Dance) used as pedagogical training grounds. RDI (Research, Development and Innovation) activity is anchored in focus areas, development platforms, and externally funded projects such as the EU-co-funded Hybrid Event Producer 2026 programme and the Destia sustainability study module. The institution is an official partner of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture year, with particular involvement in the Lumo Art&Tech Festival, and collaborates with the University of Oulu, City of Oulu, Oulu Cultural Foundation, ELIA, and ViaDia Oulu ry across cultural, social, and creative-tech initiatives.
The business model is characteristic of Finnish UAS institutions: government appropriations form the core funding base, degree tuition is free for Finnish/EU students, and supplementary revenue comes from continuing and contract education (including customised corporate modules), EU and ESR+ project grants, and services to regional companies. Pricing is not publicly disclosed for most fee-bearing programmes, reflecting the negotiated nature of contract education and the absence of commercial pricing pressure typical of consumer markets. Distribution is direct — on-campus instruction at Oulu campuses, the Open University of Applied Sciences (Avoin AMK) channel, online/distance learning options, and bespoke corporate training engagements. The 501–1,000 employee band, combined with 30 years of permanent operating history, positions Oamk as a mid-sized, regionally anchored UAS with a deliberately diversified public-finance-plus-project-revenue model rather than a commercially monetised platform.
Oulu University of Applied Sciences firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Oulu University of Applied Sciences
- Legal name
- Oulun Ammattikorkeakoulu Oy
- Website
- https://oamk.fi
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk) is a Finnish public higher education institution offering Bachelor's, Master's, and professional teacher education, plus continuous learning, serving roughly 2,500 new students annually across fields such as IT, Business, Engineering, Health Care, and Arts in the Oulu region.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Oulu University of Applied Sciences industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)
Keywords
Where Oulu University of Applied Sciences is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oulu
- HQ country
- Finland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Oulu University of Applied Sciences business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Oulu University of Applied Sciences product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk) is a Finnish University of Applied Sciences providing higher education degree programmes (Bachelor's and Master's levels), professional teacher education, applied Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) services for companies, and continuous learning/lifelong education. It also operates music and dance schools, specialized training programmes (e.g., Hybrid Event Producer 2026), and test environments like STARTS Lab Oulu for cultural and creative sector experimentation.
Product overview
Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk) is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services. The core offering consists of degree education programs (Bachelor's and Master's levels) across fields including Information Technology, Business, Engineering, Health Care, Social Services, and Arts. Supporting offerings include Oamk Boost for continuous professional learning, Professional Teacher Education programs, and specialized music and dance schools (Johtosävel and Oamk Dance). The institution maintains a substantial art collection (~550 works) with virtual exhibition capabilities, operates research infrastructure including STARTS Lab Oulu test environment and the 24-speaker Oamk Sound Dome for ambisonic sound. Cultural products include the Hybrid Event Producer 2026 training program and AVARA Art&Tech events, all aligned with the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture partnership. Oamk also publishes through Oamk Journal and maintains a podcast.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Oamk Boost: Continuing education and lifelong learning programmes offered by Oulu University of Applied Sciences
- Oamk Highway
- Oamk Dancen
- Johtosävel
- STARTS Lab Oulu
- Oamk Sound Dome
- Arctic Food Lab
Products and services
- Degree Education (Tutkintoon johtava koulutus)
- Oamk Boost - Continuous Learning
- Professional Teacher Education (Ammatillinen opettajankoulutus)
- Open University of Applied Sciences (Avoin AMK)
- Johtosävel Music School
- Oamk Dance School
- STARTS Lab Oulu
- Hybrid Event Producer 2026 Training Programme
- Corporate Training and RDI Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Co-developed sustainability study module for infrastructure sector with Destia (Finland's largest infrastructure service company) covering environmental, social responsibility, and governance topics across 14 sections (1-5 ECTS credits)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Oulu University of Applied Sciences
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Oulu University of Applied Sciences technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Oulu University of Applied Sciences partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DestiacoreDestia (Finland's largest infrastructure service company, part of international Colas Group) and Oamk jointly developed an online sustainability study module for infrastructure sector students and professionals. The module covers environmental responsibility, social responsibility, and good governance across 14 sections (1-5 ECTS credits). Available since autumn 2024 for Destia employees and from January 2026 publicly through Oamk/Open University. Turnover approximately €630 million (2024).
- Oulu Cultural FoundationcoreOulu Cultural Foundation collaborates with Oamk on the Hybrid Event Producer 2026 project (Hybridituottaja 2026), co-financed by European Union with funding from Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment of Northern Ostrobothnia. Foundation also supports AVARA Art&Tech initiative.
- Oulu2026 FoundationcoreOamk is an official partner of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture year, with particular focus on the Lumo Art&Tech Festival. Partnership provides opportunities for student projects, production partnerships, workshops, and new event content. Oamk also supports Kulttuurikaverit (CulturalCompanion) volunteer initiative.
- ViaDia Oulu ryminorViaDia Oulu ry cooperates with Oamk on the 'From Streets to Encounters' (Kaduilta kohtaamisiin) project funded by European Social Fund Plus. ViaDia handles street-level outreach work while Oamk coordinates the project.
- ELIA (European League of Institutes of the Arts)minorOamk is a member of ELIA, Europe's leading multidisciplinary network in higher arts education and research. Through ELIA's UAx Abakanowicz Fellowship and Mentoring Programme, Oamk connected with Kyiv-based artist Karyna Sofit for comic exhibition.
- University of OulucoreJoint campus operations with shared facilities at Linnanmaa Campus. Collaborative guidelines for sustainable campus development (2026-2028). Both institutions maintain extensive art collections displayed across shared campus area.
- City of OuluminorCity of Oulu provides funding for Oamk projects and is a co-funder of Hybrid Event Producer 2026. Oamk's STARTS Lab supports development of City's Experience Space VISIO.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Oulu University of Applied Sciences competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- JAMK University of Applied Sciences: Finnish UAS (Jyväskylä region) offering degree programs, RDI, and continuous learning under the same legal regime. Comparable institutional structure and scale to Oamk.
- Laurea University of Applied Sciences: Finnish UAS (Espoo/Helsinki metropolitan area) operating under same statutory framework, with notable RDI collaboration with corporate partners. Direct peer in scope and operating model.
- LAB University of Applied Sciences: Finnish UAS (Lahti and Lappeenranta) operating under the same Act, with degree programmes, RDI, and continuous learning — comparable institutional scale and scope to Oamk.
- Turku University of Applied Sciences: Finnish UAS with the same legal structure, degree programs, RDI activities, and continuous learning mandate as Oamk. Direct institutional peer under shared national UAS framework.
- Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences: Finnish UAS (Helsinki region) operating under the same Act, with strong business and IT programs. Comparable institutional structure, scale, and public-private governance model.
- Savonia University of Applied Sciences: Finnish UAS (Kuopio region) operating under the same statutory framework, providing applied degrees, RDI, and continuous learning. Direct institutional peer.
- Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK): Finnish UAS operating under identical statutory framework, offering degree programmes, RDI, and continuous learning in the Tampere region. Same scale, scope, and regulatory environment as Oamk.
- Metropolia University of Applied Sciences: Largest Finnish UAS (Helsinki region) operating under the same Universities of Applied Sciences Act (932/2014), offering Bachelor's/Master's degrees and RDI. Direct institutional peer to Oamk with similar mandate and legal framework.
Broad incumbents
- University of Oulu: Co-located research university sharing Linnanmaa campus with Oamk; broader academic scope (including doctoral programs and basic research), with overlapping RDI and student recruitment markets in Oulu region.
Regional players
- Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (KAMK): Finnish UAS (Kainuu region) operating under identical statutory framework, providing degree programmes and RDI with a regional focus similar to Oamk's Northern Finland positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Oulu University of Applied Sciences social profiles
Digital presenceOulu University of Applied Sciences compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Oulu University of Applied Sciences financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Oulu University of Applied Sciences leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Oulu University of Applied Sciences funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Oulu University of Applied Sciences M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Oulu University of Applied Sciences
What does Oulu University of Applied Sciences do?
Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk) is a Finnish University of Applied Sciences providing higher education degree programmes (Bachelor's and Master's levels), professional teacher education, applied Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) services for companies, and continuous learning/lifelong education. It also operates music and dance schools, specialized training programmes (e.g., Hybrid Event Producer 2026), and test environments like STARTS Lab Oulu for cultural and creative sector experimentation.
Is Oulu University of Applied Sciences a public or private company?
Oulu University of Applied Sciences is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Oulu University of Applied Sciences founded?
Oulu University of Applied Sciences was founded in 1991. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Oulu University of Applied Sciences based?
Oulu University of Applied Sciences is headquartered in Oulu, Finland, in the Europe region.
Who are Oulu University of Applied Sciences's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are JAMK University of Applied Sciences, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, LAB University of Applied Sciences, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. University of Oulu is listed as a broad incumbent. Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (KAMK) is listed as a regional player.
Does Oulu University of Applied Sciences have an API?
No public API is recorded for Oulu University of Applied Sciences.
What industry is Oulu University of Applied Sciences in?
Oulu University of Applied Sciences's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAB, Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities. Its NAICS code is 611310 and its SIC code is 8200.