Joensuu is situated in the Eastern region of Finland. It is a municipality in North Karelia with a population of over 70,000 people. It is home to the University of Joensuu.

Sustainable development is a type of economic development that involves planning for business growth while taking care to preserve natural resources. A primary goal of those studying the field is to learn how to meet today’s economic demands without compromising the availability of resources moving forward.

The formal higher education system of Finland is the 7-3-2-2 pattern. The university takes two years in vocational or technical education and finally two-year pre-tertiary education. Finland also has several public as well as private universities that have enabled accessibility of higher education to students.

A bachelor's degree is given to students who fulfill the necessary requirements given by the college or university they are attending. The requirements include three to seven years of focus on a subject, typically referred to as a major or concentration.