Do you know everything about the EU or do you feel that you neither know nor care? Regardless of your level of knowledge you may know that the EU-election is happening this year.
In the EU-election we elect 15 representatives to the European Parliament, often called MEPs (=Member of the European Parliament), to represent the interests of citizens in the EU legaslative process and to make sure that other EU institutions function democratically. In short, the EU parliament is one of the EU’s two legislative bodies and together with representatives from the member countries, the EU-parliament is responsible for adopting EU legislation. The EU parliament is also responsible for approving the EU budget.
The EU Parliament therefore holds an important position within the EU, and the election is your chance to influence by electing Finnish representatives. In the EU election the entire country functions as one election area and those elected therefore represent all of Finland and you can vote for whomever you want.
Voting
To vote in the EU election you only need to be a Finnish citizen and be 18 years of age, by the election day at the latest. You can vote in Finland and abroad without having to register in advance. If you are not a Finnish citizen but a citizen of another EU country, and have a legal residence i Finland you can also vote.
Advance voting in Finland begins on 29 May 2024 and ends on 4 June 2024. On election day 9 June 2024, voters may cast their votes only at their own polling station. The polling station is stated in the voting register and on the card sent to them before the elections. The polling stations are open between 9.00 and 20.00 on election day.
You can also vote in advance if you are abroad. Advance voting abroad begins on 29 May 2024 and ends on 1 June 2024. You can find the list on polling stations abroad here.
You may also send in your vote by post by ordering the postal voting documents. More information can be found on vaalit.fi website.
Why vote?
The number of people who vote in the EU elections in Finland is typically rather low, but the EU election is your chance to make an impact on the future of Europe. The EU election will affect you to a high degree and you have several good reasons to cast your vote. About 40 % of the legislation that is done in Finland has its basis in decisions made by the EU. Since the EU parliament is one of the two legislative bodies in the EU, you have the ability to affect also the legislation in Finland by voting in the EU election.
Topics that will be of high importance in the coming five years are climate, security, and technology. If these are important topics to you, you therefore have all the more reason to cast your vote. The future of Europe and Finland will be shaped by the decisions made, use your vote or others will decide for you.
Election compass
If you want to check which candidate is of the same opinion as you on different topics, you can fill out an election compass, for example the one made by YLE or another one. You can find the election compass made by YLE here.
Dear active and former Student Union members, and all who embrace the spirit of May Day,
The traditional May Day festivities are upon us! It’s time to put on your overall, get out your graduation cap and prepare to celebrate with joy and fellowship. May Day is a celebration that for many marks the end of the spring semester. It is a time when we often reflect on all the wonderful memories we have shared throughout the academic year.
I would like to take this opportunity to praise you, students. Studying comes with its challenges, from financial issues to demanding study projects. Take a moment to acknowledge the dedication you’ve poured into this academic year, soon drawing to a close.
I also want to give a big thank you to all ÅAS’s student associations that work hard to plan events and activities and provide opportunities for other students to come together and have fun. Your commitment is invaluable in creating a vibrant and inclusive study environment.
May Day, Walpurgis Night and everyone’s loved Wappen. A beloved child has many names indeed! Every year, on the same day, the last of April, it’s time again for the same fussing about. Where to go for dinner, where or with whom to go for the after-party, and which queue to join afterwards? The air is filled with the spirit of festivity. The weeks before have been filled with fun events, there’s been something for everyone. A big thank you to the associations that keep our student culture inclusive, memorable, and alive.
But now the champagne is finally uncorked, the fancy shirts are on, and the student cap is close at hand on the way up the hill to Vårdbergsparken! Once up on Vårberget, Florakören and Brahe Djäknar await to sing in the spring while the association flags and the traditional May Day parade arrive behind them. The crowd in place is filled with anticipation but quickly falls silent when addressed with the words “Students, spring is here, put on your caps.” The thousands of caps that have been waiting at the ready are now put on, all at once, with joy and eagerness, the first day of spring is here!
There’s a song about the first day of spring, unsurprisingly called “The First Day of Spring” by Laleh. This song also happens to say everything I want to convey with this blog post, so here it goes (translated from the original lyrics in Swedish to English):
The first day of spring And I want to be there And I want to be so there So that I can see That I am a part of it all
The great day of spring And I want to be there Let me live longer Now that I can see
Come spring, come laughter Come tears in the night Let me be, let me be a little longer I am, I am not ready to go yet Let me exist, let me exist a little more
We all get to be there, to be a part of it all, we also see that we are, through the spring and the night, the tears but above all the laughter. Every year, on the same day, the last of April, we welcome the first day of spring.
If a student needs to see a gynecologist, how is the appointment booked?
That depends on what type of help or treatment you need, how old you are, if you are an exchange student or a degree student, and in what municipality you are registered.
The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) is available for all degree students (i.e. not exchange students). The FSHS does not employ specialist doctors like gynecologists but via them you get a referral to see the type of specialist you need.
The FSHS booking of appointments is done via an assessment of the need for treatment. You contact a healthcare provider who asks you questions via phone or chat. More info here.
The assessment of the need for treatment can lead to you getting an appointment with a general practitioner if your symptoms or need for help doesn’t require a specialist. You always have the right to see a female doctor if you are not comfortable getting treatment from a male doctor.
A referral to a gynecologist means that you get an appointment at the Wellbeing Services for the County (Varha in Åbo and the Wellbeing Services County of Ostrobotnia in Vasa). The queue for gynecologist appointments is generally not longer than 2-3 months.
Sometimes the FSHS has long queues, but it is your right as a degree student to get service there. We encourage you to be in contact as soon as you experience a need for treatment.
If you need help regarding contraception, are under 25 years old and are registered as living in Vasa or Åbo, the municipality will offer you free contraceptives via the municipality’s contraception counselling service.
If you are registered as living in another city, check the local information. In Åbo the contraception services are also free if you are under 25 or it’s under two years since you had a baby.
Exchange students get health care via the County Wellbeing Services and your local Health Station.
This text is an attempt to describe the services and your right to treatment as simply as possible. If you have more questions, or have experienced that this does not work, please be in contact with our employee Students’ Rights Expert Petra Lindblad, at petra@studentkaren.fi
April is getting closer; the sun is shining over the student city. April is getting closer; the birds sing louder and the electric kickboards are flying faster by. April is getting closer and so is the reduction of the housing allowance.
The economic situation for students is becoming tougher when Orpo’s government has taken the decision to cut down Finland’s budget. The decision the government made, will have a big impact on the students’ economy. According to statistics published by the National Union Of University Students in Finland (SYL), an average student will have €76 less money after the cut. At the same time, the government wants to see more people graduate at a faster pace. The students of today are already in a difficult position economically. Rents that have risen, student allowances that have not been index adjusted and electricity prices that have flung around. How are the students going to make ends meet? More loans? Part-time jobs? Full-time jobs?
The fact is that not everyone can work at the same time as you’re studying. I for example have during my years as a student had such courses that have required so much time and effort, that a big part of my free time have been sacrificed for schoolwork. There is no chance that I’d been working at the same time. Now however, I and many other students might have to rethink. Finding a job is not that easy as well. I would then also have to slow down the pace.
Not only does this change bring economic difficulties, but also mental difficulties. The pandemic’s been “over” for a while and people have been allowed to meet each other freely during a few years already, but that doesn’t have to mean people are feeling well again. Our big neighbor in the east has been warmongering for a few years and the queues to mental health services haven’t become shorter. What’s going to happen now that students aren’t doing that well mentally and at the same time, we’re given less money? What do you do when you don’t have enough money to pay rent, food, and other necessities? More loans again?
The state puts the burden on students to balance the state budget. Instead of giving students higher housing allowance and student aid, students might soon have to strongly consider taking the student loan which was formerly called the “free loan”. Many of the people graduating will struggle paying off the now elevated debt as well as the incredibly high interest rates.
All this can in the long run lead to the government fighting against their own program. How are you supposed to graduate fast from uni if you are working while studying?
So dear government, cut somewhere else, you’ll otherwise have people sleeping on streets. Dear fellow students, take care of each other and count every penny.
The Orpo government is at it again. This time, it is the universities’ funding model that is reviewed and possibly changed.
Universities in Finland have autonomy over their operations and finances, but money is always something that universities need. Some of the funding comes from external factors, such as donations or corporate cooperation, but most of the funding by far, comes from the state. Funding from the state is also the easiest for universities to predict and rely on in the annual budget. Small changes to the funding model can therefore have a major impact, and tens of millions of euros are paid to the country’s universities. Funding is therefore the strongest policy instrument the state can use to influence the activities of universities.
The Ministry of Education and Culture has asked for comments on its proposal to change the way universities receive funding from the state, and the Student Union has issued a statement. I would like to highlight two of the most important changes proposed, as well as our comments.
More money for a degree completed within the target time.
Currently, if you as a student complete your degree within the target time, the university will receive €17,096, which is 1.5 times more than if your degree is completed 12 months after the target time deadline. The Ministry for Education and Culture proposes that the coefficient for a degree completed within the set time limit would be raised from 1.5 to 1.8.
The Student Union opposes an increase in the coefficient for a degree completed within the target time. The Government’s reforms so far have already made students’ everyday lives more difficult, and more and more people are forced to work alongside their studies as other sources of income are tightened. In addition to being forced to work while studying full-time, there is also greater pressure on you to graduate on time. Not all students are able to complete their studies on time due to family situations, learning difficulties or disabilities, for example.
Raising the coefficient would also put more pressure on universities to get students to complete their studies on time. This, in turn, tightens the already limited resources universities have to support their students. Instead of the state providing more money for on-time graduations, could it be invested in supporting students?
More money for admitted first-time applicants
At present, the university does not receive money for first-time applicants who are admitted. The proposal here is to introduce a proportion of money that would go to universities based on how many first-time applicants are admitted. ÅAS strongly opposes this proposal as well.
This would mean that universities would have to increase their quotas for first-time applicants, and if you at some point in your life have accepted a study place, it would be more difficult to continue your education or to change your studies to another subject. Quite simply, it means that universities are penalized financially by admitting students who have already at some point accepted a study place.
Another change related to this, is the proposal to lower the coefficient of a second degree from 0.7 to 0.5. This means that if you have another bachelor’s degree, universities would receive more than € 10,000 less compared to a first-time applicant who graduates on time. This change would also penalize universities and lead to poor incentives for admissions.
Especially now that universities are suffering from major financial problems and the state is proposing changes to the funding model, it is important to look at and debate what effects the changes may lead to. The picture we see from the changes is that the students’ everyday lives are under additional pressure to finish on time, and that the university management is forced to think about how this puzzle can even be put together.
Niko Sandberg
Member of the Executive Board, Higher Education Policy
The Orpo government is proposing increased tuition fees for students coming from countries outside of the EU and EEA, reintroduce an application fee, and that students who are working alongside their studies no longer be eligable to obtain a residence permit for work, but must be registered as students. All to attract more international students.
For a long time, education in Finland has been considered to be of high quality, and Finland has been praised by the rest of the world for investing in education. What is the reason for this or what is Finland doing right? Admittedly, there are many reasons, but one of the main ones is that we have invested in making education accessible and, above all, free of charge. Everyone should have access to education, it is a right not a privilege. However, this is not the reality for everyone.
The Orpo government has recently presented a proposal proposing amendments to the Universities Act and the Universities of Applied Sciences Act. The essence of the proposal is that it intends to increase tuition fees for students coming from outside the EU and EEA countries, to reintroduce an application fee, and to “prevent evasion of tuition fees” by ensuring that students who work alongside their studies cannot obtain a residence permit for work but must be registered as students.
The reasoning behind this is that the key economic policy objective of the Government Programme is to achieve sustainable growth. The purpose of the increase in tuition fees is to secure the finances of universities and to secure the financing of studies of Finnish students in higher education institutions. Tuition fees will be increased to cover all costs arising from students from outside the EU and EEA. The Government Programme also aims to increase the number of international students in Finnish higher education institutions, and to increase the number of international students in higher education institutions further, the incentives to stay in Finland after graduation will be increased.
This raises a lot of questions; How will these changes achieve the objectives of the Government Programme? How can higher tuition fees lead to more international students? How will the change in residence permits make working in Finland after graduation attractive? What does “tuition fees covering all costs of students from outside EU and EEA countries” mean? Above all, it raises the question: Which of these changes will increase the incentive to come to Finland to study and then want to stay and work after graduation?
Finland’s main way of attracting international students has been its reputation as a country with high-quality education. This is still an important attraction factor, but how long can we live on a reputation alone? Reality quickly sets in, and reputation is no longer enough. We know that living in Finland is becoming more and more expensive, while at the same time benefits are being cut. We also know that not everyone feels welcome or safe in Finland, something the government could perhaps consider in its proposal. Given how phrases such as “prevent evasion of tuition fees” do not give the most welcoming impression, for example. When considering the discussions that took place in the summer of 2023, it does not get a better tone either. If we neither can afford nor want to take on international students, why do we?
Higher education in Finland must be genuinely free of charge, financially accessible to all, and opportunities for education must not depend on a person’s socio-economic background. Tuition fees that contribute to inequality in education must not occur and, if tuition fees exist, they should be kept to a minimum. Admissions should be fair, not differentiate between different groups, and all parts of the admissions process should be free of charge. Higher education must be possible at all stages of life, even if you are working at the same time. We should encourage contact with working life and work experience already during studies.
Funding for universities must be predictable and adequate. Central government funding to higher education institutions should not be dependent on income from tuition fees, open university course fees or contract education fees. National special tasks must also be considered in the funding of universities, and funding systems must support university autonomy and the long-term development of education and research. Adequate funding for universities is important to ensure sufficient resources for teaching and research.
If the Orpo Government really wants to implement the objectives of the Government Programme, it should rethink and realise that there are more effective ways. If we want educated people with high levels of skills, increase the number of international university students, attract labour to Finland and balance the state budget, what is proposed is downright counterproductive.
The application for the Student Union of ÅAU’s (ÅAS) Board of 2024 is now open and we have put together a small annual clock to give you an oversight of what the Board’s work entails and what we do during a year at ÅAS. What we have listed below is an overview of major events from the various areas of responsibility within the Board.
January
The new Board gathers in Åbo for the Board training and to get to know each other and the staff. The Board meets with deans, rectors and other members of staff at ÅAU, as well as try to be visible on campus so that students also get to know the new Board members. The Board will also arrange training for the student associations at ÅAU.
February
The Student Union traditionally organizes Shrove Tuesday, meaning Fastlaskiainen in both Vasa and Åbo, the Student Union’s Annual Ball and the Associations’ Fair at both locations. In addition, the Board participates in the seminar days, organized by the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) for all the Student Unions in Finland.
March
The Board allocates association and project funds. The Board prepares for and trains tutors for the upcoming academic year, and starts planning the search for sponsors for the next Student Union Calendar for the academic year, “Kårkalender”.
April
The Board hands out roses to a few chosen ones within the ÅAU faculties who have done an excellent job. In April it is also time for one of the spring’s major events in Åbo, the May Day eve celebration at Vårdberget on 30 April. In Vasa, students meet for the traditional event where the Topelius statue receives its graduation cap on May Day eve.
May
The Board eventually begins to wrap up the spring semester and starts to plan the upcoming fall events. While most of the Board goes on summer vacation halfway through the month, the Chair of the Board stays a couple of weeks to continue planning for the autumn together with the Student Union’s staff.
June/July
Summer vacation (or summer job)
August
The autumn starts with the Board getting together for a week to make plans for the autumn semester with the staff. In addition, the Board meets tutors, exchange students and freshers, while at the same time planning for the incoming semester.
September
The Board participates in various events for freshers in both Åbo and Vasa. In Vasa the sitz for exchange students is organized in cooperation with other universities. The Lilla Wappen-sitz takes place in Åbo the last Saturday in September, and in both locations Freshers’ Fair is arranged – this is a fair aimed to all new (and old) students where associations and companies can introduce themselves to students and sell merchandise and memberships. The Board also participates in the SYL autumn seminar.
October
In October, you barely have time to take a breather after a wonderful start to the semester before it is time for the rest of autumn’s events. This month a lot is going on in Vasa, the Board organizes a trip for exchange students and international master students together with ÅAU Sports, the pyjama-sitz for freshers together with SSHV from Hanken School of Economics, and of course Halloween Run together with other universities in Vasa. What about Åbo? There the Board arranges blood donations at Kåren where all the associations can participate and try to win the “Droppen”-cup.
November
The Board can relax a little bit, but only every other year, because in November (every odd year) the Student Union Council Election takes place. SYL also organizes General Assembly in November, where delegates from all the student unions in Finland elect a new SYL Board for the upcoming year. The Board also prepares the election for a new Board of our own as well as training for the spring’s tutors for the incoming exchange students.
December
The finish line is in sight for the Board, and the new Board will be elected in December. However, there is still a few events before the year is all wrapped up. On Independence Day, the traditional flag processions are held in both Åbo and Vasa. The Board also plans training for the new student association boards for January, and the annual Christmas party at Kåren to celebrate the year with the staff one last time before it is time for the old Board to step down from ÅAS.
Advocacy work and student associations are an important part of the Board’s work
In addition to all the things above, we still want to mention some important things that the Board does. Every month we have meetings with both the principals and the deans to raise attention to current matters. We sit in various work groups within and without ÅAU and are invited to events where people want to hear students’ thoughts and opinions. We also meet with politicians to raise our voice on national level and lastly; once a month, we meet with the Student Union Council, which decides what the Board should work on.
During our year on the Board, we have continual contact with our associations to discuss current matters, organize events, and to hear if they have ideas to improve ÅAU. Finally, we represent ÅAS at a lot of annual balls organized by our associations and other Student Unions around the country.
A year in the Board is much more than just a job
When we now summarize a year, this can perhaps feel intense, and it is. But a Board year at ÅAS is so much more than just a job. It is a community within the Board, opportunities to sit with people in rooms you would otherwise never have access to, and create unforgettable memories for both yourself, your Board, the staff and of course, for all the students at ÅAU.
Banners and candidate posters decorate both campuses and posts on various social media tell us of what is to come: the Student Union Council Elections are approaching, and I hope no one has missed it!
During my second year of studies, I was contacted by an older student from the same study programme, and was asked if I was interested in running for the Student Union Council Election. At the time I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I signed up after all with the idea that at best it would be a good experience and at worst a funny story for the future. The whole thing resulted in a substitute seat in the Student Union Council.
Since then, I have gone from a substitute to regular member and am now also a member of the Student Union Council Election Committee, which gives me the honor of being involved in organizing the Council Election this year. Thanks to these experiences, I can finally say that I understand what the Student Union Council is and why it is important. Better late than never, you might say.
When I talk to my friends, I notice that they have just as good a knowledge as I did two years ago. Unfortunately, most students do not have a good knowledge of what the Student Union Council is and what their vote means practically. That’s why I thought I’d quickly go over what the Student Union Council Election is and why it’s important to vote.
What is the Student Union Council Election?
The Student Union Council Election is organized every two years. The Student Union Council is the highest decision-making body within the Student Union and can make decisions about, for example, guidelines and budget, as well as annually appointing an Executive Board and monitoring its work.
Why should I vote?
”If you don’t vote, you shouldn’t complain” is a phrase that, despite its negative tone, is very true. By voting in the Student Union Council Election, you have the opportunity to vote for a candidate that works for the things you think are important. This might relate to improve study rooms, extend the length of the lunch break or work for a greener Student Union.
Unfortunately, the voting percentage has often been low in the Student Union Council Election. The record for voter turnout was set in 2017 when 32.04 % of the Student Union members voted. In 2021, only 21.35 % voted. This means that merely a fifth of those entitled to vote made the decision for the rest of the Student Union members. Coronavirus can be partly seen as the culprit in the drama, but this does not change the fact that the record meant that only a third of those eligible to vote voted.
The dream would of course be that more than 50 % would vote in the Student Union Council Election in the future, but maybe we could reach 30 % this year?
Use your vote in the Student Union Council Election to promote what you think is important!
– Tanja Holmlund The Student Union Council Election Committee
Gender minorities are exposed to a lot of uncertainty and discrimination in many aspects of their everyday life, and the student registers are no exception to this rule.
Trans students are at risk of being misgendered or outed because of the information that is available in our student register Peppi. For example: your chosen name can only be picked between your legal names, which means that a trans person who has not done a legal name change can be forced to use an email address and username that uses their deadname, meaning their birth name. While it is understandable that the information in Peppi must reflect the information in the Population Information System, it is also unfortunate that students at our university can be misgendered or deadnamed because of a register that is meant to be a helpful tool.
The Student Union signed a statement against the student register’s discrimination of gender minorities during this past summer. The initiative came from the Student Union of Aalto University and was signed along with the Student Unions from the University of Helsinki, Hanken School of Economics, the University of Oulu and the University of Lapland, as well as the National Union of University Students in Finland.
The problem with Peppi is that the information is bound to the Population Information System, which takes information about gender from the social security number. This system is binary, but it explains the categories that Peppi has for gender – man, woman, and unknown. This system only reflects the gender one is assigned at birth or if that information is not available, for example an exchange student who does not have a complete Finnish social security number. This system is unfortunate, it is outdated, and it needs lobbying on a national level towards the Personal Information System.
The Student service desk is on the side of trans students
The Student Union has discussed with the Student service desk at ÅAU, which is the closest contact for trans students who might want to correct or change information about themselves in the register. There is a lot that cannot be done because of limitations from Peppi as a program and the Population Information System, but the situation is not helpless. The staff at the Student service desk want students to feel safe enough to ask for help and support when there are discrepancies in Peppi, and to help with this, a page for trans students specifically has been posted to the ÅAU intranet. It is not yet available in English but can be read in Swedish here.
The Student Union has also worked to get this issue into the National Union of University Student’s policy papers for the upcoming year to aid in the lobbying efforts.
The Student Union advocates for equality on campus and in the social sphere of ÅAU, and this means the consideration and inclusion of gender minorities and a strengthening of everyone’s right to be accepted and safe on campus. Many of us take our identities for granted in these registers, but it is no sure thing.
