Before the AMK reform in 1993, the schools were usually called
opisto and were considered vocational institutes, and were not considered universities. Their role was to give training for roles that need both practical skills and management work, such as a foreman in construction. In engineering, the degree was referred to as
opistoinsinööri or
teknikko. In construction, there was
rakennusinsinööri,
rakennusarkkitehti and
rakennusmestari. Until recently, the UAS were granting only tertiary degrees (3–4 years) that are specialized to particular vocations (e.g.
insinööri, translated into English as
Bachelor of Engineering); they are different from, but in their level comparable to, academic
bachelor's degrees which are awarded by universities. In 2005, "higher AMK" degrees (which are translated into English as
master's degrees) have been introduced for holders of a UAS degree or a similar degree, like a bachelor's degree from a university, to continue studies while also working. The UAS do not grant the higher degrees of
licentiate and
Ph.D. granted by universities, and a holder of an UAS higher degree might need specific studies bridging the gap between the two orientations (academic and vocational) in order to be eligible for doctoral studies in universities. This is, however, not always the case. In recent years, UAS have been a major driver of internationalisation of higher education in Finland. Most English-taught Bachelor programmes are offered by universitied of applied sciences, and UAS attract more international students than universities. ==Overview==