RPKK – Raahen Porvari- ja Kauppakoulu – Raahe Business College

In the 1860’s a foundation was established on the basis of the will given by the brothers Johan and Baltzar Fellman, who were shipowners. When the bequeathed funds amounted to one million Finnish marks, high level business education could be started. The inauguration of Raahen Porvari-ja Kauppakoulu took place in 1882. At that time the school had seven students. Raahen Porvari- ja Kauppakoulu was the first in Finland to start college level commercial training. The section for secondary level programmes started in 1922, the section for upper secondary level in 1962 and the section for adult education in 1982. The college is private, and it is owned by the Raahen Porvari- ja Kauppakoulu Foundation. Today there are approximately 450 students, 15 teachers and 10 other members of staff. Premises and facilities The old main building with its traditional ambience and the two new buildings representing the architecture of the 70′s and the 90′s provide suitable facilities for lectures in auditoriums, classroom teaching, team work and individual studying. The spacious cafeteria is a place for the daily lunch and coffee breaks. The gymnasium and the fitness centre offer a place for physical exercises. Naturally, a genuine Finnish sauna is available. More than 200 workstations give access to a great variety of application programmes, databases and the Internet. A multimedia room with 25 workstations is used both for language learning and professional studies. The well-equipped studio is available particularly for those interested in video editing. There is a cosy, although admittedly coldish outdoor corner for smokers in the courtyard, and of course an ample parking place with electric plugs for warming up car engines in winter.