International affairs at ÅAS

As we are now looking for a new board for 2027, this year’s board members will be writing short blog posts about their areas of responsibility and sharing what board work looks like in practice. Read more and submit your application here.

Please note that ÅAS uses Swedish as its working language! Applicants should have a good knowledge of Swedish. Other language skills will be seen as a strength.

My name is Karin Holmberg, and this year I have been responsible for higher educational policy and international affairs. Next year, the board member responsible for International Affairs will only have that responsibility, and I would now like to tell you a little bit more about what the position entails and what it is like to be responsible for this area within the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University.

Why is the position important? 

Åbo Akademi University is getting more and more international students, and the Student Union needs to make a corresponding effort to ensure that everyone’s needs are taken into consideration. Åbo Akademi University has set a goal for 2030 that 60% of its students should be Swedish-speaking Finns, 20% should have Finnish as their native language, and 20% should be of a nationality other than Finnish. In order to achieve this goal, continued efforts are needed to ensure that the growing number of international students feel welcome and have a positive experience at Åbo Akademi University. 

What does the position involve? 

The responsibilities of the International Affairs Officer extend beyond the inclusion of international students, even though this remains the core focus of the position. Åbo Akademi University is part of several university alliances, including CHARM-EU. As responsible for International Affairs, you are also responsible for representing the Student Union in the alliance’s Student Council. Åbo Akademi is very active within the alliance and takes on significant responsibilities, making it important that students are equally well represented and heard. The alliance is relatively new, and following its work while maintaining contact with students from all the member universities has been very interesting and has definitely been one of the more enjoyable aspects of the position.

The alliance organises an annual conference, which the Student Council usually attends. This year, it was held in Åbo, and it was exciting to see all the universities in the alliance gathered in one place. In addition to the annual conference, a student conference is also being organised this year. The Student Council has played a big part in organising it, and it will take place in Barcelona. In other words, being responsible for international affairs can involve a bit of travelling. In addition to the alliance, it is good to build a strong connection with the staff members at Åbo Akademi Univeristy who are responsible for international affairs.

When international students arrive at Åbo Akademi University, the first people they meet are their tutors. Taking an active role in tutor arrangements is therefore beneficial, as it allows you to support the tutors, assist Åbo Akademi University and ensure that new students have the best possible start to their studies. This year, we have had several discussions about tutoring system, and this is something that should continue to develop. We have also made an effort to bridge the gap between international students and our student associations, as international students often find it difficult to discover these associations and become part of them.

In short, the day-to-day responsibilities of the position revolve around looking after everyone’s interests, with a particular focus on ensuring that international students are taken into consideration in all aspects of the Student Union’s activities

Something extra on the side 

For several years, the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University has participated in the Europe Forum, which is held in Åbo every August. Planning a theme, putting together a panel and organising a programme for the forum have also been part of the responsibilities of the person in charge of international affairs. The Europe Forum is an nice opportunity that allows you to take on something a little bit different. In previous years, we have collaborated with organisations such as TYY (the Student Union of the University of Turku). It is a chance to do something besides the everyday work of the Student Union Board. I would highly recommend taking on this opportunity, even though, based on my own experience, the days leading up to the event might be quite hectic.

A position with great potential

To sum up, this is a very versatile position. In addition to the everyday work and collaboration with the other members of the Student Union Board, you also get to work on your own projects. The guidelines are not particularly strict, and your own initiatives and ideas are very welcome. Having held a position that combined two areas of responsibility, I am particularly excited to see International Affairs become a separate position once again. I believe it has great potential.

I have learned a great deal during my year, both about how Åbo Akademi University operates as a university, how a board works together, and how to collaborate with the staff. The Student Union is an important part in the larger machinery that makes up Åbo Akademi University, and it has been a valuable learning experience to have the opportunity to be a part of that.

Karin Holmberg 
Higher educational policy and international affaris
The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University