Vaasan ammattikorkeakoulu, also known as Vaasan University of Applied Sciences, Finland's top public higher technical institute, is an international, multidisciplinary, research-oriented university, its predecessor was founded in 1849 as the Vaasan School of Practical Technology, with the Faculty of Business Economics and The College of Business, Economics and Tourism, the College of Health Care and Social Services, the College of Technology and Communications, the three faculties, the language of instruction in Finnish, Swedish and English. The language of instruction is Finnish, Swedish and English;