Summer School social programme and events
Get to know your coursemates and Finland through engaging extracurricular activities and social events organised by the Summer School team.
Happiness Science from Finland
This course is designed for anyone curious about the science behind well-being, happiness, and work-life balance. Discover practical ways to improve your own life while exploring the unique perspectives of Nordic and Finnish approaches to happiness.
Teaching period:
-
Application period:
31.1.2025 鈥 8.6.2025
Course format:
Campus
Duration:
2 weeks
part-time
Course level:
Undergraduate
Field of study:
Business and Economics
Credits:
2 ECTS
Organiser:
Aalto University
Tuition fees:
1170鈧
Note! The payment deadline for this course is 18 June 2025.
Finland is consistently ranked as the happiest country in the world by the World Happiness Report.
The key factors that contribute to the happiness and well-being of Finns seem to be the constant closeness to nature, a slower way of living, work-life balance, low hierarchies and trust in society.
This course introduces participants to the science of happiness and well-being, with a focus on Finnish and Nordic insights. During the two weeks, you will explore what research says about happiness, discuss these findings, and, most importantly, put these findings into practice in your own life.
The course combines theoretical frameworks and practical applications to provide students with actionable strategies for improving well-being in their personal and professional lives. As a scientific community, we have gained valuable insights into what contributes to happiness and how to use that knowledge to improve our lives and inform policies that promote well-being for ourselves and those around us.
Through lectures, discussions, and independent group work, participants will explore key antecedents of well-being and evidence-based interventions to improve well-being.
Summer School Teacher Interview: 鈥楳y dream is for participants to leave the course happier than when they started鈥
Ashish Thapliyal teaches the brand new summer course by Aalto University Summer School; Happiness Science from Finland. We had a chat with Ashish to find out whether happiness can truly be taught.
4 August 鈥 15 August 2025: Lecture weeks on-site at Aalto University campus
- Daily lectures Monday-Friday between 9-12
- Group work and individual tasks
- Optional social program in the evenings
| WEEK 1 | Monday 4 August | Tuesday 5 August | Wednesday 6 August | Thursday 7 August | Friday 8 August |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning (9-12) | What is Well-being? | Foundations of Well-being | Relationships | Autonomy | Mind, Body&Nature |
| Afternoon (13-16) |
| WEEK 2 | Monday 11 August | Tuesday 12 August | Wednesday 13 August | Thursday 14 August | Friday 15 August |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning (9-12) | Life Experiences | Designing for Happiness | Challenges to Happiness | Nordic Insights | Reflection |
| Afternoon (13-16) |
*Note that this is a preliminary schedule subject to change
Alongside the lectures, students have independent work, either in groups or individually. Students can coordinate with their teammates to complete these assignments outside of teaching hours.
The total workload of the course includes both contact lectures and the estimated amount of independent work. Some of the courses also have pre- or post-assignments included in the independent working hours.
-> Find the total course workload below
After completing the course you will be able to:
- Understand key frameworks and concepts of happiness and well-being.
- Identify and apply evidence-based strategies to enhance well-being in personal and professional contexts.
- Create a personalized well-being plan based on reflection and self-assessment.
- Analyze challenges and future directions for well-being research and application.
The course employs interactive teaching methods to ensure active student participation and engagement.
鈥 Morning Lectures: Theoretical concepts, empirical evidence, and practical strategies. Each lecture begins with a 鈥漜heck-in鈥 discussion where students reflect on independent work and group challenges.
鈥 Independent Group Work: Students work in small groups to apply course concepts and develop collaborative deliverables.
鈥 Learning Diary: Students maintain a daily learning diary to reflect on daily lessons, activities, and group work challenges, which they submit at the end of the course.
Course workload
Pre-assignment 5h
Contact sessions (lectures, workshops) 30h
Group work (independent, unsupervised) 9h
Personal reflection/learning diary (independent) 10h
Total 54h (2 ECTS)
The course is graded as pass/fail.
This course does not require previous experience in the topic.
Participants must have completed a high school or vocational degree or equivalent by the time the course starts. However, they do not have to be a degree student at a university to participate in our courses.
Additionally, all summer school course students must be 18 years or older, as it is the legal age in Finland.
Please include a motivation letter or video in your application. In your motivation letter or video, describe your motivation for taking this course. The recommended length for the motivation letter is 150-250 words and 1-2 minutes for the video.
Tuition fees for Summer School courses
One course: 1170鈧 (incl. VAT 25,5%)
- The course fee includes academic course sessions and assignments, an official digital Aalto University certificate and support from the Summer School team. The fee does not cover accommodation, daily meals, or transportation during the course
- Unfortunately, Aalto University Summer School does not offer scholarships for participants.
Social program fee
If you need a visa, we recommend applying by April 15th 2025.
- This is to ensure that we have enough time to process your application and that you have time to make the tuition fee payment, book a visa appointment and wait for the application to be processed.
- You can apply and be accepted to the courses after April 15th. In that case, we recommend that you pay at your earliest convenience so that we can deliver your invitation letter to you promptly.
- According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, the processing time for a visa application is 15 days. However, the processing time may be longer if a more detailed application examination is required.
Learn about the Aalto University Summer School cancellation terms. You will receive the full terms before making the payment and confirming the course participation.
Teacher Information
Ashish Thapliyal is a doctoral researcher at Aalto University, specializing in happiness and well-being in the context of future work trends. His research focuses on the impact of flexible working practices on employee happiness. Ashish holds three MSc degrees: Communication Engineering (Aalto University), Strategy (Aalto University), and Behavioral Science (LSE). He has 19 years of industry experience and brings a rich, interdisciplinary perspective to well-being research.
Summer School Team
Information for Summer School Applicants
Get to know the application guidelines and tuition fees.
Aalto University Summer School
Everything you need to know about Summer School! Make this summer unforgettable and experience the best of Aalto University and Finland under the Nordic summer sun.
Travel arrangements for Summer and Winter School students
Learn about the guidelines for visa application and budgeting for your stay during the summer course.