Manisha, a doctor originally from Nepal, got married in 2021 and moved to Finland with her husband. Despite knowing little about the country, Oulu quickly felt like home. After the busy streets of Kathmandu and the quiet of the Maldives, Manisha says that Oulu’s balance brought her peace.
Oulu is competing with Braga (Portugal) and Linz (Austria) for the title of most innovative European city in the category of cities with less than 250,000 inhabitants. The winner of the competition will be announced on 13 November in Lisbon, the Innovation Capital 2023.
The third Oulu2026 mural has been completed in Myllyoja, Oulu! The artwork was executed by Italian artist Fabio Petani. Oulu2026 murals are executed annually in different parts of Oulu as part of the journey towards Oulu’s European Capital of Culture year 2026.
Autumn is an excellent time to visit the stunning nature destinations of the Oulu region. Are you more of an independent adventurer, or one to enjoy an easy trip to a close-by nature site? Don’t worry – Oulu has it all.
The City of Oulu has presented to the Government its initiative to seek a NATO Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Oulu. Oulu already hosts the accelerator and test centre for NATO’s DIANA programme and leads an ecosystem of 5G and 6G research and industry in Europe.
According to the annual ranking conducted by the Institute for Quality of Life, Oulu is now the 13th happiest city in the world. The factors analyzed in the Happy City Index comparison include, for example, educational system, productivity, and citizen participation.
American-Finnish Timo Green, who grew up in the United States and later also lived in Italy, was waiting for the right moment to move to his second home country, Finland. After being accepted to study at the University of Oulu, he knew that moment had finally arrived.
The international Fab Lab conference “STEAMing Creativity” will take place in Oulu in August 2027. STEAM pedagogy and creativity are important themes of the Oulu conference. The City of Oulu will act as the responsible organiser and the University of Oulu as a partner.
Once again, Oulu filled up with an unforgettable atmosphere and air guitarists, fans, and media representatives from all over the world, when the Air Guitar World Championships 2024 were held in the city from the 21st to 23rd of August. The event culminated on Friday with the final, where Zachary “Ichabod Fame” Knowles from Canada was declared the winner.
Meet Ladislav, the current Head of Operations in Bloom Oulu, who moved to Oulu last year in pursuit of a life that is more aligned with his values. In this piece, he shares his thoughts about his new hometown.
Four big events, including Oulu Arts’ Night, Korttelihaipakka, Oulu International Grand Markets, and Literary Art Festival Muusajuhlat, were all organized in Oulu on Thursday, August 15. Lots of people came to the city center to enjoy the warm summer evening and the so called “Super Thursday” of events.
In a recent comparison conducted by Rahalaitos, Oulu was found to be the most affordable university city in Finland for students in terms of living expenses. The difference in total living expenses between Oulu and Helsinki, which was the most expensive city, was about 200 euros per month.
With excellent road trip opportunities and a summer calendar bursting with events, there’s something for everyone, including family-friendly attractions such as a children’s amusement park, water park, and the scenic Turkansaari island in Oulu.
Max’s journey from a small town near London to settling down in Oulu is nothing short of inspiring! From unexpected twists in his career to finding a sense of belonging in a new country, Max shares his amazing experience.
Julius Idian and Jayson Rillo came to Oulu from the Philippines. They like their workplace’s culture in Puistola restaurant. It is friendly, generous, and supportive. “Love the way they have trust for Filipinos, even if we don’t speak Finnish”, they say.
Beatriz Rocha, 25, moved to Oulu in the fall of 2021, when she started her master’s degree. We were curious to know what brought her here and ultimately made her stay.
This expansion marks a significant step for the region’s tourism and business sectors, providing more connections to the heart of Central Europe and beyond.
International House Oulu celebrated one year anniversary with a memorable event that highlighted its achievements and contributions over the past year.
Introducing Tomas Slesar, a Slovakian native who’s called Oulu home for 14 years. From navigating the contrasts of Finnish seasons to fully embracing the warmth of Finnish culture.
Are you harbouring a tech business idea but not quite ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship? Startup Program Manager Viera Karam presents five steps to becoming a startup entrepreneur.
The Winter Swimming World Championships will return to its roots in Oulu in 2026. The Winter Swimming World Championships will be one of the international high points of the European Capital of Culture year 2026.
Oulu’s own, original Arctic startup event Polar Bear Pitching made a live comeback after four years. A big crowd at Oulu Market Square and online around the world watched as ten startups one after another jumped into the Avanto (Finnish for ice hole) to impress the panel of judges with their business ideas.
A German educational travel group visited Oulu. The collaboration with the city of Oulu provided the group of teachers with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the Finnish school system.
Breaking news! Another wonderful example of Oulu’s visibility in international media due to our winter cycling culture and cycling infrastructure.
The University of Oulu is recruiting 98 doctoral researchers as part of the new doctoral education pilot funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.
Eduardo Acosta, originally from Colombia, is researching circular economy at the University of Oulu. He is also an International House Oulu Ambassador.
German airline Lufthansa is set to continue its direct flights between Munich and Oulu for the upcoming summer season. Additionally, winter flights will extend into the next winter, establishing this historic route as a year-round connection.
Students are very interested in Oulu’s general development and want Oulu to continue developing. The city of Oulu collected students’ views on developing a better city.
Oulu University’s adjunct professor and senior researcher Guido Giunti, the leader of the Digital Therapeutics (DTx) research group, has been awarded with the Global Patient Innovator Award,
Beatriz Rocha, 25, came here to do her master’s degree in Learning, Education and Technology. Currently, she works as a Marketing Trainee at BusinessOulu.
Medical student Jerry Nguyen has been awarded University of Oulu’s Student of the Year 2023. Nguyen supports the student community with study tips and cheers up the student community by being spontaneous and initiative.
The MegaMatchmaking, a premier recruitment fair where recruiters and jobseekers have an opportunity to interact, was held on the 14th of September at Tullisalli in Oulu. One of the major highlights of the event was the panel discussion.
International House Oulu is a place at BusinessAsema that collects different guidance services for international newcomers, immigrants and companies that recruit international people under the same roof. Welcome to visit!
International House Oulu brings together guidance and counselling services for international customers on a single-window basis under one roof, says Coordinator Rikupekka Leinonen.
Shefat Islam is originally from Bahrain. Currently, she is a communications intern and studies MSc. in Marketing at the University of Oulu.
Are you looking for work? Plenty of jobs can be found in Oulu and nearby region for metal industry professionals. Be the next to get a job in the metal industry!
Oulu is the first location in Europe where Silicon Valley startup Alif Semiconductor has established a presence. Why did the firm decide to come to Oulu after setting up two offices in California, one in Singapore and one in Bangalore, India?