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The Student Union traditionally hands out roses to a few in the Åbo Akademi Univeristy’s staff that have a high standard on their education or have otherwise inspired and motivated the students in their studies.

Please, nominate the person that you think deserves a rose! The deadline is 31 March. To nominate you simply fill in the form in the link.

The Student Union of ÅAU (ÅAS) has given their view on ÅAU’s proposed property regulation plan

ÅAS especially highlights the following

  • Students want to be physically on campus, flexibility in the studies does not mean that everything is done remotely.
  • Club facilities and association spaces are vital for the student community.
  • The communication about facilities and their accessibility must improve, all students should feel welcomed at campus.
  • The planning of new facilities needs to be done with students’ needs and opinions in mind.
  • The association spaces in the Geologicum building are appreciated, but do not replace the need for student spaces close to where students study, where they can take breaks during the day.
  • It is highly important to have student restaurants on campus, with enough capacity to meet the demand.

The statement on the proposed property regulation plan can be read in full in Swedish here [.pdf]. ÅAS continues the advocacy work regarding facilities alongside student representatives in ÅAU’s administration and student associations.

The Campus Chapel (Rehtorinpellonkatu 4, Åbo) is open for all students and personnel of Åbo universities and universities of applied sciences this week and next week. University Chaplain Mia or Tiina will be there every day for you. They are ready to talk with you or to just be silently supportive if you’d rather study or work there than for example at your flat. There’s also coffee or tea available for all.

Opening hours

  • Thurs 3 March from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Fri 4 March from noon to 3 p.m.
  • Tue 8 March from 9 a.m. to noon
  • Wed 9 March from 9 a.m. to noon
  • Thurs 10 March from 9 a.m. to noon

Get Together Evening for international students Sunday 6 March

You are most welcome to the Campus Chapel (Kampuskappeli) on Sunday 6 March from 5.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. University Chaplain Mia will bring some snacks and make coffee and tea. You are welcome to bring your own snacks, too.

The chapel has three rather comfortable sofas, plenty of chairs and some less comfortable bean bags, and is a cozy space to spend an evening talking and just hanging around. Mia will bring some board games with her, too. The point of the evening is to get to know each other and to be of support to one another.

The address of Campus Chapel is Rehtorinpellonkatu 4 and it is the low building between Student Houses B and C on the other side of the street from the Turku School of Economics.

Contact

If you have any questions you can contact

Mia Pusa
University Chaplain
mia.pusa@evl.fi
tel. 040 341 7296

Instagram: @turun_oppilaitospapit (link) and @studentprastmia (link)

Facebook: Turunoppilaitospapit (link)

Since last week we have read shocking news from Ukraine. The Student Union of ÅAU strongly condemns Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

The Student Union discusses with Åbo Akademi University and National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) about the situation and is considering possible forms of support for students affected by the crisis. We are looking into the possibility within our university to start a Student at risk-scholarship program, to enable further studies for the students fleeing war and persecution.

In the midst of a crisis that affects us all, we must remember that the conflict does not justify Russophobia. The Student Union of ÅAU does not accept any kind of racism in the university community and especially now in the midst of the crisis we should focus on strengthening our community instead of allowing hatred.

It is normal for the current world situation to cause concern and anxiety. However, you don’t have to be left alone with these feelings. The Student Union of ÅAU has compiled a blog post with links to various support services.

The war between Russia and Ukraine can raise concerns, anxiety and fear. If you feel you need to talk to someone, you can contact:

MIELI rf’s Crisis Helpline

09 2525 0113 and on WhatsApp on 040 195 8202

The Crisis Helpline allows you to discuss your thoughts, feelings and situation in life with a crisis worker or a trained volunteer. You can make the call anonymously and confidentially. If the line is busy, we recommend calling again after a few minutes. Your phone operator will charge a fee based on your telephone subscription (local network rate or mobile charge). MIELI does not charge for the call.

The Helpline is open

Mon and Tues 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Wed 1 p.m.–4 p.m. and 5 p.m.–9 p.m.
Thurs 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Fri 9 a.m.–1 p.m. on 09 2525 0112

MIELI rf’s SOS Crisis Centre

SOS Crisis Centre offers short term crisis counselling and guidance in crisis situations for anyone living in Finland. The counselling is cost free and anonymous if needed. No referral is needed to book an appointment, your own experience of crisis is enough.

Booking and inquiries
Call: 09 4135 0510
Open on Mon–Thurs 9 a.m. – noon and 1 p.m.–3 p.m.,
Fridays 9 a.m. – noon
sos-keskus@mieli.fi

Other channels to get help

The traditional Shrove Tuesday event Fastlaskiainen is an event where student associations show off the sleds they have built. This year’s Fastlaskiainen in Åbo happens 1 March at 4 p.m. and in Vasa 8 March at 4 p.m. via Zoom.

The associations have built their incredible sleds and filmed their sled rides. It is then up to the audience to help decide this year’s greatest sled! During the event, we will hold a quiz with amazing prizes, you do not want to miss this!

Register for the event in Åbo or in Vasa and you will get the Zoom link to your e-mail closer to the event. If you are a Facebook member the information and the registration links can be found in the Facebook events

The Facebook event for Fastlaskiainen in Åbo.

The Facebook-event for Fastlaskiainen in Vasa.

The Student Union of ÅAU celebrated its 103rd birthday

The annuall ball of the Student Union of ÅAU will be held in online and hopefully in the autumn 2022 we will have the opporturnity to finally organise a big annuall ball where we can celebrate together! On 18 February, on Count Per Brahe’s birthday, the Student Union’s Chair of the Board Veera Granroth and Secretary General Jasmin Öberg gave the Count Student Union’s greetings at his statue in Åbo.

Non scholae, sed vitae discimus – ”We do not learn for school, but for life”

In her speech to Per Brahe, the Chair of the Board Granroth talked about the student life and traditions which the new students haven’t been able to experience in two years. She concluded her speech by thanking the student associations who have done their best in trying to keep the student life and traditions alive with their creativeness in organising events.

Scholarships and awards

Senator Julius Nummelin’s political science award for the best master’s thesis of the Faculty of Political Science

This year the Senator Julius Nummelin’s political science award was given to the following people:

Anna Lillkung for their master’s thesis Men’s parties in gender equal havens – The gender-representation gap in the Nordic populist radical right parties

Jenna Hoffrén for their master’s thesis Påverkar politiskt förtroende attityderna till invandring? Empirisk analys av finländska data från European Social Study

Michelle Sand for their master’s thesis New Public Management inom säkerhetspolitiken: En studie om ansvarstagande i privatisering av fred

Minna Hellström for their master’s thesis Den lokala kontextens inverkan på kommunala folkomröstningars vara eller icke vara. En tvärsnittsstudie av 2000-talets kommunreformer i Finland och Norge

Award of Companionship

The committee decided to give the Jaeger-Captain Paul Wallenius’ Award of Companionship to Malena Frankenhaeuser (Vasa) and Joakim Stewen (Åbo).

Styrelsenål award pin

128. Sandra Häggkvist
129. Emma Andersson
130. Esther Djupsund
131. Rudolf Tommos
132. Jonatan Wikström
133. Laura-Eliisa Leino
134. Axel Pakarinen
135. Rebecca Bergholm
136. Erik Östman
137. Adam Lahtinen
138. Lina Sjöskog
139. Johnny Nykvist
140. Rasmus Kupi

Styrelselyra award pin

203. Veera Granroth

Brahevingarna award pin

593. Susanna Häyry
594. Oscar Nyman
595. Jasmin Öberg
596. Niklas Grönholm
597. Tobias Ahlbäck
598. Joonas Karlsson

Brahevingarna med lyra award pin

133. Ulf Långbacka

Student Union of Åbo Akademi University
Press release 16 February 2022
For immediate release

The Student Union of ÅAU’s Council has on its meeting on 15 February chosen Veera Julin (Master of Science in Economics) as substitute Secretary General for the period 21 February 2022 – 15 March 2023. Julin has i.a. worked for The Finnish Society for Nature and Environment (FSNE) and for Swedish Youth of Finland (Svensk Ungdom, SU).

The appointed recruiting group concluded, that from all applicants, Julin was the one to best meet the requirements of the position. When choosing the substitute Secretary General, the emphasis was on the ability to take responsibility, effective working procedures, and experience about working in an organisation that has both employees and elected student representatives. Julin has previous background in the Student Union and her knowledge of the student culture and organising events was seen as especially valuable after two years of pandemic restrictions.

Julin convinced the recruiting group by her enthusiasm in developing the Student Union of ÅAU, and the group believes she will handle the position as the substitute Secretary General well.

When asked how she feels about her new position as a substitute Secretary General at the Student Union, Veera Julin replies cheerfully:
– I’m excited! I look forward to working with the student representatives and academic affairs.

The students are also very important for her and she is especially concerned about the student culture that has suffered a lot during the past years because of the Corona pandemic. Julin wishes that she can, together with the Student Union’s Board and employees, find solutions to revive the student culture in both Åbo and in Vasa where the Student Union’s members are mostly located.

– I am hopeful that we will be able to organise all the events that have been missed during the last few years, such as the May Day celebrations, the Student Union’s annual ball and different kinds of fairs.

Julin has a Master’s degree in Economics and has majored in National Economy. She graduated from Åbo Akademi University in 2021.

Veera Julin will start working as substitute Secretary General at the Student Union on 21 February 2022.

Questions can be directed to the Chair of the Student Union of ÅAU
Veera Granroth
so@studentkaren.fi
+358 50 401 3524

Photo: The Student Union of ÅAU’s image gallery

On Friday the government finally gave good news for students. By 2023 students’ income limits will permanently be increased by 50%. This means that students that get a study grant for 9 months can earn 18 000 euros without the study grant being changed. Even the Finnish Student Health Service gets increased funding for mental health services by one million euros per year during a four-year period.

The Student Union of ÅAU has worked a lot for these questions already for a long time. For example, The Student Union of ÅAU made a motion together with The Student Union of Hanken School of Economics about increasing the income limits to National Union of University Students in Finland’s General Assembly 2020.

Every year, the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University is celebrating its annual ball on the weekend closest to February 18th, which is the birthday of the university’s founder Per Brahe. The annual ball of 2022 will be celebrated on 24 September in Åbo because of the pandemic.

The coordinator for the annual ball leads the work of the committee which is started in the spring of 2022. The coordinator works closely with the office of the Student Union to coordinate the preparations for the annual ball.

The Board of the Student Union has announced the position of coordinator as vacant. Furthermore, the Board has determined a remuneration of 500 euros for the elected coordinator. The coordinator will be elected by the Board on 24 February.

The Board has on its meeting on 24 February decided to extend the application period for the coordinator. The new date for when the Board chooses coordinator is on 10 March.

If you became interested, please send your application to Board Member Esther Djupsund, esther@studentkaren.fi.

The deadline for applications is 9 March at 23.59.