Systematically strengthening study skills – Åbo Akademi University’s experiences with UniHow
How does UniHow connect student feedback with quality management at Åbo Akademi? Discover the benefits the solution has delivered.
Students’ study skills, well-being, and the smooth progress of their studies have a direct impact on the quality and effectiveness of higher education. At Åbo Akademi University, student feedback practices were developed to genuinely support students’ everyday learning while also contributing to the systematic development of education. UniHow introduced a structured approach to feedback that combines a research-based framework, personal student feedback and the comprehensive overview needed by university management.
Student feedback as a strategic foundation
At Åbo Akademi University, student feedback is seen as a key component of the university’s quality system. The goal was to ensure that feedback does not remain at the level of reporting but instead provides concrete support for both student learning and the development of education.
Mika Wulff, Director of Human Resources at Åbo Akademi University, emphasises the importance of feedback for the entire organisation. According to him, student feedback is not an isolated metric but an integral part of quality management.
“Student feedback as a whole is a very important part of our quality system, and the quality of education is crucial for both our operations and our students,” says Wulff.
Developing study skills means engaging in conscious and continuous reflection on one’s own learning. When students recognise their strengths and areas for development early enough, the impact is reflected in their academic progress, motivation and well-being.
A research-based tool for development
At Åbo Akademi University, UniHow’s key strengths lie in its research foundation and its two-way perspective. The system simultaneously provides personal feedback to students and aggregated information to support the development of degree programs.
According to Wulff, it is precisely this combination that makes the solution effective. “Students get a tool that enables them to develop their own study skills, while the university gains a tool to improve its educational activities as a whole.”
Klara Schaumann-Ahlberg, Study Psychologist at Åbo Akademi University, emphasises that UniHow is not a single survey but part of a broader entity in which several surveys form a coherent product family. It is also essential that students receive feedback immediately after responding.
“UniHow adds value on many levels. We don’t have to interpret the results or transfer them into different tables – everything happens simultaneously. This saves staff resources,” Schaumann-Ahlberg explains.
From reflection to action
From the student’s perspective, UniHow is part of a broader learning process rather than a separate administrative survey. The immediacy of the feedback makes the experience personal and timely. Reflection does not get postponed but takes place when the learning experience is still fresh.
According to student Iza Forsbom, responding to the survey helps students pause and reflect on their own study habits. “It’s good that when you fill out the survey, you can reflect on your own habits and then receive feedback on them. You can also see how the rest of the group has responded,” says Forsbom.
The opportunity to return to the feedback later and make use of, for example, links to the study psychologists’ webpages supports students, especially when their studies feel challenging.
According to Schaumann-Ahlberg, students have responded positively to UniHow. Feedback has been particularly favorable because the survey is perceived as easy to use and the feedback meaningful. Immediate feedback has emerged as a key value.
Guidance for other institutions
Based on Åbo Akademi University’s experience, developing study skills is not a separate initiative but part of continuous quality management. When feedback is research-based and provides both individual- and organisational-level insights, it supports strategic decision-making and long-term development.
Wulff recommends UniHow to other higher education institutions for this very reason. The solution combines students’ personal development with the development work of the entire university in a way that makes feedback genuinely impactful.
Experiences in practice
Åbo Akademi University’s experiences show that strengthening study skills requires both a clear structure and a shared culture of development. When reflection, research-based feedback, and strategic development are interconnected, strengthening study skills becomes part of everyday practice.
Watch the video to learn more about Åbo Akademi University’s experiences with UniHow. (English subtitles are available in the video settings on YouTube.)