Apply to the Executive Board of 2025

The Student Union of Åbo Akademi University is looking for a new Board for 2025, which exercises the administrative and executive powers of the Student Union, and the new Board will be elected by the Student Council on 28.11.2024.

Have you thought about how you can work for a better student life? Would you like to organize events, create new student traditions, and maintain old ones? Do you want to influence what teaching will look like in the future, both within Åbo Akademi University and nationally? Do you have a graphic eye and are interested in creating content for social media? Or maybe you want to be involved in creating contacts with business and working life? But above all, do you want to have an extremely fun and educational year?

Then the union board is definitely something for you! The assignment provides a monthly renumeration of €750 for the Chairperson of the Board and €650 for Board members. The Board is expected to be able to work during office hours and occasionally participate in evening and weekend events. The board works in close cooperation with ÅAS staff.

Please note that ÅAS uses Swedish as the working language. Applicants should have good knowledge of Swedish and other language skills are considered a merit.

Do something new and different – apply for the ÅAS Executive Board 2025!

Composition of the Executive Board for 2025

A Chairperson and eight members (one of whom also serves as Vice Chairperson)

Five Board Members in Åbo with the following positions and responsibilities:

Higher education policy

• National higher education policy matters (National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL), Ministry of Education and Culture (Ministry of Education and Culture))
• Study-related matters within Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) Åbo (Advocacy regarding studies, campus development, Student representatives)

Social policy

• National social policy matters (Student finances)
• Sustainability in ÅAS and student life
• Well-being of students (Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS))
• Equality between students

International affairs

• International affairs at ÅAU, Åbo&Vasa (Challenge-driven Accessible Research-Based and Mobile European University Alliance (CHARM-EU), International study programmes, International students, Exchange studies)
• International higher education policy affairs (University Alliances, European Union (EU))

Communication

• Communication (Coordinate the board’s communication)
• Business cooperation (Cooperation agreements and non-contractual cooperation)
• City Relations, Åbo (Contact to City of Turku, Study in Turku)

Student culture

• Development and safeguarding of student life (Education for students and associations, Project funding)
• Events in Åbo
• Special associations (Special association funds)
• Inclusion (Safer Space Principles, Action Plan for a Safer Study Culture, Guidelines for Contact Persons)

Three Board Members in Vasa with the following positions and responsibilities

Advocacy

• Study-related matters within Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) Vasa (Advocacy regarding studies, campus development, Student representatives)
• Local social policy matters (Student finances in Vasa, Well-being of students in Vasa, Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS))

Communication

• Communication (Coordinate the board’s communication)
• Business cooperation (Cooperation agreements and non-contractual cooperation)
• Urban relations (Contact to the City of Vasa, Cooperation with other student unions in Vasa)

Student culture Vasa

• Development and safeguarding of student life (Education for students and associations, Project funding)
• Events in Vasa
• Special associations (Special association funds)
• Inclusion (Safer Space Principles, Action Plan for a Safer Study Culture, Guidelines for Contact Persons)

The Board divides the various areas of responsibility internally at its inaugural meeting.

Information for candidates

Send a free-form expression of interest by email to Jan (hopo-vasa@studentkaren.fi) or Amanda (samarbete@studentkaren.fi). All applications received by Monday 25.11 will be published on our website on Tuesday 26.11. You can submit an expression of interest after 25.11, but then it will not be published on the website. In order to participate in the interview, your application must be submitted by 27.11. However, you can still stand until the start of the autumn meeting on 28.11. 

Your expression of interest should preferably include:

• Name
• Image
• Brief description of yourself
• Why you’re running
• Which areas of responsibility you are interested in

How does the board election work?

The Student Council will elect the Student Union Executive Board 2025 at its meeting on 28.11.

All candidates will be interviewed at the council’s evening school on 27.11.

During the interviews, the candidates for the chairperson will answer seven questions. We will publish five of the questions online in advance on 26.11.

The candidates for the Board Members will answer six questions, four of which will also be published in advance on our website on 26.11.

Questions? Please contact us

We are happy to answer questions and we hope to see your application in our inboxes! You are also free to visit our office in Havtornen and Kåren.

Contact person in Vasa

Jan Welroos, hopo-vasa@studentkaren.fi 

Contact person in Åbo

Amanda Byskata, samarbete@studentkaren.fi