Jutut kategoriassa In English - Page 12 of 30

Hi, 5 reasons to stay optimistic about your life after the University

Student life is not always easy, you can sometimes feel disillusioned with your university life or perhaps you feel anxious about leaving university for fear of the real world. However, there are good reasons to remain optimistic about the future.

In English

TEKSTI Marcelo Goldmann

It’s temporary

A Spanish proverb says: “There is no evil that lasts 100 years”. University is quite the opposite of evil, but it does end. So enjoy it for what it is: a fleeting experience which serves as a training ground for the world, after which you will possess tools to start building your bright future.

The best is yet to come

The years in the university are the most fun, no doubt about it. You meet a lot of people and frequent social events like never before. However, the years after the university are the most satisfying. Not only will you still be very young, strong, and beautiful, but you will also have a very good idea of who you really are and what you really want. At that point, you will be free to pursue your life goals.

Your true friends will remain close

Let’s face it: most people you meet won’t be your friends forever. Some relationships will last longer than others, but most will be lost to time. However, those few deep connections you made along the way will last a lifetime. Your true friends will remain in your heart and you in theirs no matter the time or place.

A job is very fulfilling

Feelings of confusion or lack of purpose can occur during your studies. It’s easy to lose sight of the things that matter. However, this, too, will pass. Once you’re finished, whether you choose a company job or entrepreneurship, entering the working life will give you a sense of purpose and vast satisfaction. At the very least, getting paid after years of student financial aid (opintotuki) will feel wonderful.

You are not alone

It’s surprisingly easy to feel alone and isolated, even when surrounded by classmates, colleagues, friends, and even family. However, remember that everybody is also struggling to find their place in life and be happy. We are all on the same boat, doing our best.

Julkaistu 7.11.20191.2.2023

Marcelo Goldmann

A Doctor of Chemical Engineering from the University of Oulu. "Life is like a rubber duckie, you gotta keep it afloat to see its splendor." Instagram: @marcelogman

Lue lisää:

Is there life after graduation?

Two university students are talking about their plans and dreams for life after graduation. Curious what two seniors have to say? Read on.

In English

TEKSTI Anca M. Catana

KUVAT Anca M. Catana

Meet Pablo Santur who moved to Finland from Peru 14 months ago and is currently following master’s studies in Learning, Education and Technology at the Faculty of Education.

Besides studies, he took part in different courses and projects, like Demola Project or EduHack. He did an internship at the Oulu Mining School and has been a facilitator in Self-Hack, the life-designing event organized for the University’s freshmen this year. Moreover, he is now coaching two TEDxOulu speakers for January.

In his spare time, Pablo enjoys watching movies and TV series, scrolling Facebook and Instagram, reading and playing mobile games occasionally. However, nowadays he doesn’t have that much time for these hobbies since he is on thesis-writing mode.

Our second senior is Irisa Keahey. She moved to Finland about eight years ago from California. Her hobbies are couchsurfing, international pen-palling and different types of art, like sculpting and painting. Irisa’s major is Intercultural Teacher Education, but she is studying Special Needs Education and World View Education, also known as Ethics, as her minor studies.

In her spare time she really likes getting involved with the communities, for example youth centers, and working with families from immigrant backgrounds. She enjoys helping and being useful, particularly for people moving to Finland, guiding them in finding services and integrating, so they won’t be overwhelmed by the difficulties they might face while adjusting.

She also founded the International Family Group of Lahti as part of these community services together with her friends about 8 year ago. It has since become a wider community group which organizes cultural events and a great opportunity for immigrants to create social networks.

1. How did you end up studying at the University of Oulu?

Pablo Santur: “Since I have a bachelor’s degree in Audiovisual Communication, I worked as a TV script writer and producer in different projects. After working in Buenos Aires for a while, I returned to Peru and my professional path changed from multimedia to university teaching. So one thing leads to another and, well, here I am.”

Irisa Keahey: “I originally came to Finland because I was couchsurfing and I met with some of my pen pals. When I arrived, I found the place really exotic and different from California. On top of that, I also heard many good things about the education in Finland and being previously a teacher myself, I decided that it is a good place to live.

I came to study education at the University of Oulu because I have been a teacher before in the United States and I had difficulties with my previous qualifications being recognized here in Finland. They have not been accepted as I understood they are going to be accepted prior to my moving. Eventually, the principal of the school where I was substituting in Lahti suggested me the Intercultural Teacher Education (ITE) program in Oulu because it was the only one in Finland conducted in English and it will offer me full qualification. “

2. Talking about your past, what were you dreaming of becoming when you grow up?

Pablo: “When I was 15, I wanted to become a software developer. Around 17, an entrepreneur. In fact, I enrolled in the Business Management program at first. Two years later, I changed to Advertisement and finally to Audiovisual Communication.

Irisa: “When I was young, I actually never wanted to be a teacher. My mother used to be a teacher and I considered that it cannot be an interesting or rewarding job at all. I was dreaming of becoming a professional artist and even attended an arts school in L.A.

At some point I realized it was not for me. During my arts studies, I took a side job which consisted of teaching ceramics to children. I found that I enjoy working with the kids more than with the art. “

3. Did your dreams change?

Pablo: “As I explained previously, they did. A lot. I believe we are always changing, so I had to adapt. However, I was always revolving around creativity and human relationships.”

Irisa: “For many years I worked as a ceramics teacher and art teacher with children in need, children from community centers, with families in poverty, with migrant background, or involved in criminal activities. I found that working with those kids has been one of the most important experiences of my life and I am still extremely close to many of them and we keep in touch even if they grew up.”

4. What would be the ideal professional path for you after graduation?

Pablo: “There are many possibilities, aren’t there? At the end, the best one, I think, would be one that integrates creativity and human relationships. In that sense, considering my background, education became an interesting field, since you usually have an audience and the need to engage them to foster their learning. Even though pure engagement doesn’t insure learning as an outcome, no learning can happen without engagement. Actually, my master’s thesis is about engagement, so these days it is quite often in my mind.

Coming back to what we were talking about, I think that in the future I want to explore the links between education, technology, and media. This could happen either in the business or the academic world.”

Irisa: “I would like to do an internship after graduation that would lead to a full time job. I hope it won’t take long until I find a school with friendly staff and that has a welcoming environment and encourages collaboration.”

5. If you would graduate tomorrow, what would be the first thing you would do?

Pablo: “Visit my girlfriend, watch videos, and sleep… In that order (laughs).

Talking seriously, in one of the lectures I attend they recommend us to start planning our next step way before it occurs. So, I am already planning what I am going to do next. Looking for companies, developing relationships, etc.”

Irisa: “If I would graduate tomorrow, or if I won the lottery, I still wanted to work with children. This is what I want to do. I enjoy it so much when I can see how I can guide them in identifying their strengths and finding their path. They have so much joy doing that!”

6. Can you see any obstacles in your path?

Pablo: “At this point of my journey, I would say that the main obstacle is to figure out the best plan that suits me. To start a Phd or not? In Finland or abroad? Finding companies that are attractive for me.“

Irisa: “The only difficulty that I find is that I am very limited in my choices, since there are only a handful of schools where I am employable due to language issues. As a result, I really need to improve my Finnish language skills so I can obtain Level 6 in the National Language Test (YKI) and work on my Swedish studies. After that I will be qualified to teach also in other schools besides the international schools. “

7. How are you planning to overcome the obstacles or failures?

Pablo: “In order to find answers to my questions I am planning on asking people around, experts in the field, research for information and so on.”

Irisa: “I feel that the University of Oulu has lately tried much harder to fulfill the language needs of international students. They are now offering a program specifically for teacher students which offers high level language training and I think that it is really helpful, in spite of the fact that I can’t take part in it, since I am living outside of Oulu and cannot constantly commute at the moment. I hope I will find something similar closer to where I live. Meanwhile, I will study independently as well.

I received good advice from teachers in the language courses and from other foreigners who are teaching. I think a supporting community of professionals is very helpful.”

8. Any final thoughts or suggestions for other students?

Pablo: “Think, enjoy, and embrace every moment. Either brightness or darkness, all energies are part of us.”

Irisa: “My advice to other students is to listen to what people have to say, especially if they study in the same field and plan to follow a similar career. Creating a network is very important, including people who are much older and who can offer wise advice. For international students, learning the language will help you enjoy more independence and integrate better in the community, which in return will make you happier.”

For our printed issue (4/2019), I interviewed two more students about their studies and plans for the future, so grab your issue and check out their stories! You’ll find our newest issue at our magazine stands at Linnanmaa and Kontinkangas campuses, or you can read it online at issuu.com.

Photo design: Irene Dinh.

Julkaistu 6.11.20191.2.2023

Anca M. Catana

Education student, theater enthusiast, nature lover. Curious, spontaneous and ambitious, open for new challenges.

Lue lisää:

Should the membership fee be increased, how should we collaborate with OSAKO? – We posed seven questions to the groups standing in elections

In Finnish It’s time to vote! In the Student Council Elections, you see. In Finland, twelve student unions select representatives in their student councils, who have the highest decision-making power. In Oulu, 37 members and their deputies are selected. Voting started on Friday the 1st of November at 9 a.m., with some troubles, as the […]

In English

TEKSTI Anni Hyypiö

KUVAT Anni Hyypiö

In Finnish

It’s time to vote! In the Student Council Elections, you see.

In Finland, twelve student unions select representatives in their student councils, who have the highest decision-making power.

In Oulu, 37 members and their deputies are selected. Voting started on Friday the 1st of November at 9 a.m., with some troubles, as the voting system at first didn’t show the names of the groups standing in elections. The problem was fixed at around 11 a.m.

In the expiring term, the biggest group in OYY’s Student Council has been Tekniikan ja talouden vaalirengas (TeTa, “The Election Circle of Technology and Economy Students”) with 13 members. Other groups, in order of size, are Humanistien ja kasvatustieteilijöiden vaalirengas (HuKa, ”The Election Circle of Humanities and Pedagogy Students”, 9 members), Kontinkankaan vaaliliitto (KoVa, ”Kontinkangas Alliance”, 5 members), Tieteellisten vaaliliitto (”The Electoral Alliance of Science Students, 5 members), Keskustaopiskelijoiden ja sitoutumattomien vaaliliitto (“The Electoral Alliance of the Centre Party Students and the Independents”, 3 members), Akateemiset perussuomalaiset (Academic Finns Party, 1 member), and Vihreä vaaliliitto (”Green Electoral Alliance”, 1 member).

Oulu Student Magazine asked the groups seven questions about OYY’s current and future actions. We received answers from all groups except Oulun Akateemisten Perussuomalaisten vaaliliitto (“Academic True Finns of Oulu”).

The groups are in alphabetical order. Apart from few corrections in spelling mistakes and clarifying abbrevations, the answers provided by the groups haven’t been edited.

To help you understand the answers, here’s short guide on the abbreviations used.

OYY — the Student Union of the University of Oulu

SYL — National Union of University Students in Finland

SAMOK — the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences

OSAKO — the Student Union of Oulu University of Applied Sciences

FSHS – Finnish Student Health Service

Oulu UAS – Oulu University of Applied Sciences

PSOAS – Pohjois-Suomen opiskelija-asuntosäätiö, Student Housing Foundation of Northern Finland

1. Present your group shortly. Who are you, whose cause do you advocate, how many places you try to get in the elections, and what are your themes for the elections?

2. What do you see as the most important task of the Student Union?

3. What things you want to influence during your upcoming two-year term? Mention at least two concrete goals.

4. What things you think that the Student Union can take a stand on? And what things it cannot take a stand on?

5. Most of the Oulu University of Applied Sciences is moving to Linnanmaa Campus in 2020. In what way should OYY collaborate with the Student Union of Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OSAKO)?

6. Do you think that the membership fee needs to be changed? At the moment it is 57 euros, and 114 euros together with the FSHS fee. Do you think the fee should be raised or lowered, or should it be as it is?

7. OYY’s policy document, which guides the political stance of OYY, states that OYY should prepare for the possible removal of compulsory membership. According to the policy document, there should be a transitional period long enough for the student unions to prepare themselves for the change, and the voluntary membership requires preparations also financially before the transitional period. What kind of actions you think this requires?

Keskustaopiskelijoiden ja sitoutumattomien vaaliliitto (“The Centre Party Students and the Independents”)

1. The Centre Party Students and the Independents (KEXI). We have 17 excellent candidates from different faculties. Our goal is to increase the number of seats and continue sensible supervision of interest in the Student Council. Our themes are related to the comfort and amount of study spaces in the university, mental and physical well-being of students as well as sustainability of OYY’s finances.

2. Supervision of students’ interest.

3. We need to influence the university to develop the Tutor Teaching system. The studies should be more flexible according to student’s situation in life. University sports and mental health services need more resources.
When Oulu UAS moves to Linnanmaa campus, we have to make sure that there are enough comfortable and safe study spaces and that the restaurants function fluently. OYY should also be visible in Kontikangas campus when it comes to both membership services and supervision of interest. Lunch rush should be reduced also in Kontinkangas.

4. The Student Union can take a stand on things that are related to students. In other things the Student Union should refrain from taking a stand on.

5. OYY and OSAKO should remain separate in the future. However, sometimes common events for students and supervision of common interest are justified.

6. The membership fee should be lower. OYY should prepare for removing of the compulsory membership and develop their economy to a direction that is not as dependable on membership fees as it currently is.
We are prepared for a moderate raise on FSHS fee, provided that there will be more resources in student well-being, for example in mental health services.

7. The Student Union’s economy should already be examined critically, and it should become more stable and lighter. The Student Union has capital, such as Uniresta, and investments, and when it comes to these there be bold and strong ownership steering so that the capital would benefit the students as much as possible. The Student Union should start new business activities.
Investing in Business Cooperation Coordinator increases financial possibilities, for example, the events should be profitable, which is made possible by sponsors. Unprofitable events shouldn’t be organized. Collaboration with the City of Oulu should be tightened, and we should try to get financial support from them to different projects.

Lääketieteellinen vaaliliitto (“Medical Alliance”)

1. The Medical Alliance continues in the footsteps of KoVa, Kontinkangas Electoral Alliance, which means that we are advocates for students in Kontinkangas campus and medicine students. Our themes are services in Kontinkangas, responsible finances, and optional student union membership.

2. The most important thing is supervision of students’ interest.

3. In FSHS reform, we want another local FSHS unit in Kontinkangas campus. The optional membership should be lobbied more.

4. Taking stand on things should always be well thought-out because of the compulsory membership. Then again, it is hard to strictly define things that are related to students. In the end, the decision on whether to take a stand on something or not is made by the Student Council.

5. Opening event is a natural start. There are certainly many common spaces in the shared campus as well as shared aims in supervision of interest related to the city structure, and it is useful to promote them together. OYY and OSAKO could also facilitate cooperation between subject societies in the university and UAS.

6. The fee shouldn’t be raised more, but instead the last increase should be cancelled. In long term, the membership fee should be lowered to a level that students are willing to pay for OYY’s services when compulsory membership changes to optional.

7. There are many ways, and none should be left unused. Securing the statutory obligations and supervision of interest are priority, and these should be communicated more extensively to the students. These things could in the future include, for example, priority for PSOAS apartments, more services for Sports Pass, and more local student benefits. Collaboration with companies and selling advertisements should be invested in events and Student Union’s publications. In future, all member services need to be assessed relative to their attractiveness and benefit to members.

Opiskelevat Kokoomusnuoret -vaaliliitto (“The Coalition Party Students”)

1. We are the Coalition Party Students. We seek 4 seats in the elections. Our themes focus on defending students’ diligence and mental health. The Student Union should concentrate on supervision of students’ interests and responsible finances.

2. Supervision of students’ interest.

3. OYY should push for raising the financial aid to students and make it also SYL’s position. OYY should also focus on supervision of interest very precisely. Oulu UAS’s move to Linnanmaa will cause new challenges, and OYY should be alert so that students’ position will not become weaker.

4. We think that OYY should only take stand on things that are relevant to students.

5. We need to investigate the possibilities for cooperation in terms of spaces, events, and employees. The most important thing is to combine forces in matters of supervision of interest.

6. The membership fee should be reduced. It can be done by cutting from, for example, financial support to societies or event costs. When it comes to FSHS-fee, the service quality has to be maintained, which leads to increase in the fee in the future due to inflation.

7. We are happy about OYY’s position on compulsory membership. We think that it’s extremely important to take care of finances in a responsible way, so that financial stability is maintained also during the possible transitional period.

Poikkitieteellinen vaalirengas (“The Interdisciplinary Election Circle”)

1. We are POVA, the Interdisciplinary Election Circle, consisting of people studying varied disciplines such as education, languages, history, biology, population genetics, and marketing. Our causes are as diverse as our fields of study but are all centred around student’s well-being.

2. Ensuring a good life for students, and we consider advocacy as an imminent part of this task.

3. Increasing the grants for student societies, and increasing resources of low-level, ease-of-access mental health help.

4. It can take a stand on different aspects affecting student life, such as housing and transportation, but of course there should be some limitations, especially on matters that can be influenced in other ways and from the posture of general public, such as voting.

5. Since the two institutions are going to share the same space, it would be beneficial for both to collaborate, as long as the terms of collaboration are clearly defined and agreed upon by both parts. One example that has been mentioned is a shared Event Producer, which sounds pretty reasonable if we are going to have a common opening event for the academic year.

6. The membership fee was raised during the last council term, and that balanced the budget of the Student Union nicely, therefore, there is no urgent need to adjust the fee to either direction. Also, the student budget is often tight, so the fee should be kept at a maximum of 114 euros.

7. Students should be more aware of the benefits of membership, as a result OYY should invest more in promoting its work. Of course, even with the compulsory membership, students should feel like they want to belong to the community and feel like they get their money’s worth.
As OYY has rather limited savings and investments, a radical change in the environment would jeopardize our mission. We need alternative sources of income, and various workshops and meetings have been already done regarding those in the past year or so.
It would also raise difficult questions on the matter of who will benefit from these services in case of an optional membership, this is why we support the compulsory membership.

Solidaarinen vaalirengas (“The Solidary Election Circle”)

1. The Solidary Election Circle comprises electoral alliances of Left Alliance students and Green Party students. We are candidates form different fields of study, who are committed to green left values. Themes important to us are student’s well-being, equality, communality, sustainable development in campus, and a functioning campus after Oulu UAS moves to Linnanmaa. Our goal is to get two seats in the elections.

2. According to the Act on Universities, the purpose of OYY, as well as of other student unions, is to be the link between its members and promote their societal, social, and mental aspirations as well as aims related to studying and students’ position in the society. In addition, the Student Union contributes to the university’s educational task by preparing the student for an active, woke, and critical citizenship as well as names the student representatives in the university’s administration. Of these duties, we see the influencing to the society locally, nationally, and globally as the most important to the Student Union.

3. During the next term, the primary themes are related to student’s well-being. This includes all decisions related to students, from students’ financial aid to flexible studies, different ways to complete the courses and mental health services. The student societies within OYY play an important role in promoting student’s well-being and contact in university community. That is why we think it is important that OYY supports the societies both financially and through training. The societies within OYY’s scope benefit both students through well-being and the Student Union by being an active community.

4. OYY can widely take stand on different things in our society, since only few things are not related to students. The Student Union’s every position is a compromise and decided in the democratically elected Student Council. If there is one thing that OYY can’t take a stand on, it’s on things strictly related to universities of applied sciences, because they have their own associations, OSAKO locally and SAMOK nationally.

5. Cooperation can be done in any possible way, whatever the both communities see fit. A common opening event and influencing in campus-related matters, influencing locally on the City of Oulu, and nationally on the parliament.

6. Because of the increase in the general price-level (inflation), also OYY’s expenses are ever increasing. In that sense, there is a constant pressure to raise the membership fee. If it’s not increased at regular intervals, the Student Union needs to cut costs or find other ways to finance its actions. In the past ten years, OYY’s membership has developed moderately even though the number of members has dropped radically after the implementation of the university’s passive register.

7. Student Union’s member services need to be strengthened and improved. The Student Union needs capable employees and members in the Executive Board in the upcoming years in order to improve its member services, training, and events in a way that every student feels like a part of the Student Union. If the compulsory membership ends, the events play a central role in building communality, recruiting members, and being visible to the students. Profitable events also provide financial security for supervision of students’ interests. The societies and the network of student representatives are vital for Student Union’s influence, and that’s why they require systematic development and financial investments. In addition, Student Union’s investment capital should be systematically increased.

Tekniikan ja talouden vaalirengas (“The Election Circle of Technology and Economy Students”)

1. The Election Circle of Technology and Economy Students, TeTa, is politically independent, heterogeneous council group that consists of technology and economy students. By listening to the voice of reason, we build a better functioning Student Union for all students, despite our name or our candidates’ backgrounds. TeTa rarely applies so called group discipline, and our every candidate can freely have their own opinions. We want to maintain our current number of seats (13) in the Student Council, and we think increasing the number with one seat is reasonable.

2. Supervision of interests! Influencing the student’s daily life in campus and in the city.

3. When Oulu UAS moves to Linnanmaa, all the different spaces (restaurants, study spaces, parking places, busses) will be even more crowded than now. OYY needs to influence so that everyone can get to the university, everyone can eat at lunch time, and that there are enough study spaces suitable for independent studying. OYY should also impact on the quality of education and on the lecturers’ pedagogic skills. For instance, the university should organize a couple of courses on pedagogical skills for all lecturers.

4. The questions of supervision of students’ interests and students’ well-being should be kept clearest in mind. It’s not meaningful that OYY would categorically leave out some themes for discussion or taking a stand on, so that we don’t limit ourselves in possibilities to promote different things.
However, while the compulsory membership stands, the positions should be well considered and based on a principle that the explicit majority of the members of the Student Union can support the positions. Subjects that cause strong division between the students should be avoided.

5. Pre-Analia 2020! Combining Vulcanalia and Preludi (under a more appropriate name) as well as other common events between OYY and OSAKO could be a natural way to start working together more closely!
The administrative actions and supervision of interests are also good places for cooperation, if it’s possible despite the organizational differences due to the legislation.

6. When the membership fee has been increased, it’s hard to decrease it again. We can’t make up new expenses every year, funded by increasing the membership fee.
In this situation we can maintain the membership fee on the current level, while preparing for removal of the compulsory membership and decrease of membership revenues.

7. It is essential that every student wants to be a member of the Student Union, even though it was voluntary.
However, every action of OYY should be examined critically and the organizational structures should be changed if necessary. In the new Student Council, we want to define the policies to the following questions, so that the preparations would be consistent:
1. What are the primary duties that OYY should carry out?
2. How big positive revenue we annually want before the compulsory membership is removed? Is there any other cash flow beside the membership fees?
3. What are the duties that we can in the best possible way carry out with this kind of budget?

Tieteellisten vaaliliitto (“Science students”)

1. We are the Science students, a politically independent electoral alliance. We represent students in natural sciences and are primarily their advocates in the Student Council. Our goal is to increase the number of seats from the five we have. Our themes are guaranteeing the supervision of natural science students’ interests as well as equality between students.

2. The Student Union has to take care that the possibilities for studying are of high quality when it comes to basic study requirements, such as spaces and equipment. Well-being of students should be taken care of through efficient supervision of interests, for example, by lobbying for mental health services and making sure that our student representatives in the administration are aware of their duties.

3. We want to make sure that the Student Union influences on the natural sciences education in a way that the quality of education and research are not affected by changes in the university’s financing model. In addition, we want that OYY is there to provide sufficient career guidance for everyone.
One of the relevant themes is also Oulu UAS moving to Linnanmaa and the future collaboration with OSAKO. The goal of the Science students is that the collaboration serves both organizations and their members in the best possible way.

4. OYY can take a stand on things that the Student Council has decided in its policy. The Student Union can especially take a stand on things that are directly related to the good life of students. However, these positions should be well thought-out, so that they don’t label the members either politically or ideologically.

5. We think that an efficient way to collaborate is sharing the personnel resources. For example, a common Event Producer and combining resources in supervision of interests are ways to achieve financial benefits and maintain the quality of services.

6. Instead of making changes to the membership fee, we think it’s more important to focus on efficient and sensible use of money, so that the benefit that the students get from the membership fee would be the best possible.

7. In 2019, OYY has made a financial contingency plan, which includes ways for the Student Union to prepare itself for the optional membership. We think that the Student Union should follow the contingency plan and that way prepare itself for the decreasing amount of members in the future. The Science students support this contingency plan.

Translations by Essi Ranta, apart from Poikkitieteellinen vaalirengas, who provided their own answers in English.

Voting in the Student Council Elections started on Friday 1 Nov at 9 a.m. and ends on 6 Nov at 4 p.m. Every member of OYY who has registered as an attending student by 2 Oct 2019 is eligible to vote. You can find the list of candidates on OYY’s website and the candidate selection engine behind this link. You can vote at vaalit.oyy.fi.

Julkaistu 1.11.20191.2.2023

Anni Hyypiö

Oulun ylioppilaslehden entinen päätoimittaja. Twitter: @AnniHyypio

Lue lisää:

Oulu is a good cycling city for students, but the lighting conditions and the traffic arrangements need improving

Oulu has often been praised as the most bicycle-friendly city in Finland. This year, too, has brought improvements to cyclists’ lives: from the summer onwards, the cycling routes have been marked more clearly, and long-awaited city bikes have finally arrived. But what can the city do even better? Oulu Student Magazine asked opinions from two cycling students.

In English

TEKSTI Helmi Juntunen

KUVAT Elina Korpi

In Finnish

It certainly is a cliché to call Oulu the Cycling City, but it is true.

There is a clear will to uphold the cycling city reputation: the city of Oulu has invested not only in the cycling routes and signs, but also to make cycling more interesting and accessible and to raise cycling awareness. Few examples are the new website for cycling in Oulu area, new road signs, and the long-awaited Sykkeli city bikes. There are Sykkeli stations near both Linnanmaa and Kontinkangas campus.

Cycling students arriving at the Linnanmaa campus on the red paved cycling route can’t help but notice the changes. Oulu Student Magazine interviewed two active cyclists and asked what they think about the changes and whether they see subjects for improvement.

Antti Nurmesmäki, a fifth-year chemistry student, tries to cover all his journeys by bike. He bikes to Linnanmaa campus almost daily.

“During my teaching practice I took a bus because I didn’t want to be sweaty when teaching”, Nurmesjärvi says.

In addition to daily exercise, cycling is also Nurmesjärvi’s hobby: his longest trip so far is cycling to Hailuoto and back in the summer, and he’s already planning a trip to Europe’s long cycling routes.

While getting some incidental exercise, Nurmesjärvi also points out that cycling saves money and refreshes.

“In the mornings I’m much more energetic than I would be if I’d just walked into a bus,” Nurmesjärvi states.

“When I started studying in Linnanmaa campus, there was no clear biking route and it was usual to laugh at how hard it is to find the way from the campus to the city centre. Now there’s a red carpet which is easy to follow.”

Nurmesjärvi finds his daily commute to the university has become faster, thanks to the new cycleways, although the road construction site in Alppila has temporarily slowed the journey. All in all, Nurmesjärvi praises the cycling projects of the city of Oulu, even though he, originating from Oulu, hasn’t personally benefitted from the numbered cycling routes.

He also thinks that the bicycle repair points installed in the city centre last year are really handy.

Like Nurmesjärvi, also Eemeli Bergström, a third-year geosciences student, is active cyclist both in his everyday life and in free time. He, too, is happy with Oulu’s cycleway network, which he thinks is quite extensive.

According to Eemeli Bergström’s experience, attitudes toward cycling are good in Oulu as well as in whole Finland. “In other countries biking is only for kids, here everyone bikes.” Photo: Anni Hyypiö.

In addition to students, also others are pleased.

Pasi Haapakorva, the Chair of Oulun polkupyöräilijät ry (“Oulu Cyclists”, OUPO), states that Oulu is the best cycling city in Finland. In his e-mail response, Haapakorva tells about things that are characteristic to Oulu cycling infrastructure. These include possibility to cycle long distances without crossings as well as the density and extent of cycleways outside the city centre.

“When I started studying in Linnanmaa campus, there was no clear biking route and it was usual to laugh at how hard it is to find the way from the campus to the city centre. Now there’s a red carpet which is easy to follow”, Haapakorva writes.

Cycling culture in Oulu is great — but not perfect

Eemeli Bergström says that the cycling culture in Oulu is generally good. His basis for comparison is small cities in Australia, such as Kalgoorlie, where he has lived. He says that in Australia, drivers don’t take cyclists into account as well as in Oulu, which can be seen in the cycling safety.

According to Bergström, the attitudes toward cycling are good in Oulu and in Finland as a whole.

“In other countries biking is only for kids, here everyone bikes”, Bergström says.

Pasi Haapakorva, too, highlights the way drivers in Oulu are careful and give space to cyclists. He says that it’s understandable, since most likely also drivers cycle from time to time.

Antti Nurmesjärvi thinks that in general it is good to bike in Oulu. He, too, praises drivers’ attitudes towards cyclists, but stresses that there are regional differences in Finland. According to him, people in Oulu are more understanding when it comes to e.g. mistakes in the traffic, but this is not the case in the whole country.

“My friend who lives in Turku told me that if someone bikes on the pavement in the city centre, they might get punched.”

“In other countries biking is only for kids, here everyone bikes.”

Sometimes cyclist’s own behaviour can cause problems. Nurmesjärvi points out that it’s dangerous to hold a phone while biking and to bike in the dark without lights. He himself hasn’t been in dangerous situations because of these examples but finds them nevertheless annoying phenomena.

Still need for bike racks and streetlights

Even though the city of Oulu has significantly improved its cycling circumstances in the past few years, the city continues to invest in cycling infrastructure in the future as well: Oulu applies for state grant to continue the cycleway from Raksila to Mäntylä. This so called “Mäntybaana” is a part of over 60 km long cycleway network that is still in planning.

Also, the amount of Sykkeli city bikes and Sykkeli stations can in future change according to feedback.

Both students have their own suggestions on how to improve cycling in Oulu.

Both Bergström and Nurmesjärvi say that cycling arrangements in Linnanmaa area are adequate. Bergström points out that small amount of bike racks is a problem. But neither Bergström nor Nurmesjärvi finds bigger issues than that in the Linnanmaa campus area.

Instead of Linnanmaa, both students have suggestions on other areas in the city.

Nurmesjärvi hopes that the traffic arrangements for cyclists in the city centre were clearer. He raises Rotuaari as a problem: for cyclists it’s hard to know where biking is allowed and where it isn’t. Bergström, too, thinks that cycleways in the city centre should be clearer.

In addition to the city centre, other areas have problems as well. Bergström, who lives in Toppila, mentions that from his point of view, the most problematic is the lack of street lighting on the way to Linnanmaa. He says that the dark areas do have streetlights, but they are rarely on.

Neither of the students have used the Sykkeli city bikes, but they still see them as a positive thing. During his exchange in Slovenia, Nurmesjärvi got to know the city bike culture there. He sees the city bikes as a valuable addition to public transport here in Oulu as well and is interested in trying Sykkeli.

This autumn, the city bikes have been the cause of harsh criticism because of their difficult interface and technical problems. The procurement and mobilisation of Sykkelis didn’t go as planned: the bikes were planned to be in use in the beginning of the summer but because of reasons unrelated to the city, they were ready for use at the end of August instead. Because the city bike season ends at the end of October, the time for using Sykkelis was brief this year.

The red-surfaced cycleway has also had its problems: in the middle of October, Kaleva wrote about the cycleway’s slipperiness and therefore causing accidents. According to Harri Vaarala, the traffic engineer interviewed in Kaleva’s article, the impression of slipperiness is caused by the fact that new asphalt tends to be more slippery than old asphalt.

Editor’s comment

“As a cyclist I’m quite lazy. My bike has been waiting the day I’d bring it with me for a shamefully long time. In my first year in the university, I covered most of my daily trips by bike, even though I wasn’t as active as the students interviewed in this article. I don’t find cycling itself unpleasant, but everything that comes with it. Maintaining the bike, planning the route, and preparing for the weather started to feel bland. Hopping in the bus is easy, especially if you only go between Linnanmaa and the city centre as I do.

Most of the problems that I had as a cyclist have been solved in the past few years. As a first-year student without any sense of direction I would’ve needed the numbered cycleways that we now have in Oulu. Now, an easy route to south from Linnanmaa and back exists, and the road construction works have eased off.

My excuses have become weaker, and before the city bikes I could make excuses how my bike is old and hard to pedal. Thanks to Sykkeli’s initial problems, the lazy cyclist had another excuse to walk or take a bus.

Now that the Sykkelis are about to go to hibernation, it may be that I, too, will put off starting the cycling until the next spring.”

Translation: Essi Ranta.

Julkaistu 28.10.20191.2.2023

Helmi Juntunen

Oululainen metamoderni antropologi ja mielten välisen etäisyyden avaruuscowgirl.

Lue lisää:

Among the first ones

Matti Kauppi was among the first students in the University of Oulu. When he was a child, he wanted to become plant breeder or biology teacher. And in case he can’t make a living in the university, he would become a gardener. But life didn’t go as planned. When the moment came to leave the university, he decided to study more instead. After all, the university provided him with everything: degree and job, of course, but also wife, most of his friends, and direction for his life.

In English

TEKSTI Anni Hyypiö

KUVAT Anni Hyypiö

In Finnish

On the 3rd of October 1959, a festive atmosphere prevailed in Oulu. On that autumnal Saturday, sun flashed between the clouds and thousands of people were on the streets. Flags were waiving in the poles.

The big change had arrived in the city, and now the entire Oulu celebrated. The act on the University of Oulu was signed on 8 July 1958, and a bit over a year later it was time for the first opening ceremony of the university.

The largest meeting room in the city, YMCA’s tennis hall, was full of festive people. City orchestra sat on a raised platform, and the guests sat side by side on the rows of seats. Among the guests were Speaker of the Parliament Johannes Virolainen, Prime Minister V. J. Sukselainen, Member of Parliament and former Minister of Education Kerttu Saalasti, academicians Martti Haavio and Kustaa Vilkuna, as well as Bishop of the Diocese of Oulu Olavi Heliövaara.

Whether minister or academician, the dress code guided the guests for festive attire: white tie or lounge suit, for women dark short gown without a hat, decorations.

As the opening ceremony began, a parade of academicians, university chancellors and rectors, as well as the university’s temporary council, acting professors and assistant professors. The crowd stood up, the orchestra played Erik Tulindberg’s minuet, and the parade arrived in the hall led by Pentti Kaitera, the first Rector of the University of Oulu. The President Urho Kekkonen and his wife Sylvi Kekkonen, Governors Kalle Määttä and Martti Miettunen with their wives, and adjutants arrived in the hall accompanied by Porilaisten marssi march. After Pentti Kaitera’s opening presentation, the guests heard greetings from Minister of Education Heikki Hosia and professor Edwin Linkomies, the Rector of the University of Helsinki.

YMCA’s hall was completely full, the floor was covered with rows of seats, and those who didn’t get a seat stood in the balconies and stairs leading there.

Matti Kauppi wasn’t one of them. Like many others, he, too, followed the opening ceremony from a TV in the hall of Oulun lyseo, a couple of hundred meters from the actual ceremony.

Unlike many others, he had a different connection to the university: in a couple of days he would begin his studies as one of the first 424 student in the University of Oulu.

Home through the forest

Matti Kauppi, originally from Kempele, heard about the new university in the spring 1959 while he was still serving in the military in Pohja Brigade in Oulu. In August, he attended in the entrance exams for biologists in all three subjects: botany, zoology, and geography. After the exams, Kauppi got the news: welcome to the University of Oulu!

His interest in nature and its wonders manifested already as a schoolboy. While other school kids in Kempele chose the fastest way home along the road, Kauppi and his friend preferred a walk through the forest. Later in life, the friend became gardener while Kauppi became biologist.

When the University of Oulu began its operation sixty years ago, it formed two faculties: philosophical and technical. Oulu Teacher School, established already in 1953, merged to the university, and the medical faculty started in autumn 1960.

Soon after the opening ceremony, Kauppi got to know the student life in Kasarmintie 7, where currently resides the art museum. The top level of Åström’s office building was rented for the botany and zoology departments of the University of Oulu.

Kauppi still owns the study register where all completed exams and lectures were marked by hand. First marks are from the beginning of October in 1959, when professor Lauri Siivonen began the course in animal morphology.

Teaching was in forms of lectures and courses. According to Kauppi, the courses took more time then than nowadays: one course could be three hours in a week and last through the whole winter. The days were full: courses and lectures spanned from the morning to late afternoon with only break for one or two hours. Because the students didn’t have their own restaurant, they either brought their own lunch or cycled to the city centre to the industrial school in Albertinkuja.

The young University of Oulu received much from the earlier universities. Its professors came from Helsinki and Turku, and the old brass Leitz microscopes came from Helsinki. During the first year, the professors brought their own samples for teaching purposes. This had to be done, otherwise the young biologists wouldn’t have anything to study.

The course assistants also collected and preserved the plants also by drying them and preserving them in formalin. Moulds were cultivated on a bread under a glass cover and algal fungi even with fly carcasses.

The study materials had to be prepared for microscopes, which means that the sample had to be processed for study, Kauppi reminisces. For example, when studying plants, the student had to pick up a sample from the preservative liquid and cut very thin pieces of the sample for studying. The most vivid memory from the first courses was the terrible smell of plants and animals preserved in formalin. Then again, Kauppi became a skilled cutter thanks to constant cutting exercises with razor blades.

At the end of the term, a written exam was held at the end of each course. This was then marked with grade in the student’s register. There were no study credits or points to collect, and guidance for theses was quite minimal in the beginning. According to Matti Kauppi, students worked on their theses mostly independently, at times also by banging their heads in the walls when they had done unnecessary work due to the lack of guidance.

The relationship with the professors was very formal, Kauppi recalls.

“Professors were [addressed as] Misters. We students were also Misters and Misses, but professors were to be addressed highly respectfully – but not as Mister Professor.”

Kauppi’s study week was six days long. Monday and Tuesday were reserved for zoology, Wednesday and Thursday for botany, Friday and Saturday for geography.

Was studying in the new university hard? How stressful was studying back then?

According to Matti Kauppi, he did sit in the lectures like everyone else. After all, the lectures were essential. Not because students’ participation would have been closely watched, but because otherwise they wouldn’t know what was talked about during the lecture. There were no separate hand-outs, unless some other student was kind enough to duplicate their notes with tracing paper. Kauppi preferred courses over lectures, since their schedules were loose.

Students back then did work on their studies, but maybe the pace was more leisurely: “We had time!”

Selling Money-Moles

Even though the study week lasted until Saturday, the students also had time for extra-curricular activities in Oulu.

The Student Union played a big role in Matti Kauppi’s student life. According to him, student life in Oulu started to actually develop when the Student Union moved to Kauppurienkatu 2 in the early 1960.

In fact, he has the first membership card of the Student Union of the University of Oulu (OYY). In fact, he got it by chance.

When he lived in the first student house of Oulu, Domus Botnica, Kauppi heard a rumour that the Student Union, whose office was also in the same building, would soon give out membership cards. Kauppi and his roommate Pekka Keränen knocked on the office door exactly at 4 pm and got their cards: Kauppi got number 1 and Keränen number 2.

Later the membership card has proven useful by giving him VIP entrance to the opening ball at student house Rauhala.

“The cannon fired, the rector spoke and got the university’s first key. Fireworks were set off, students had pea soup and beer, and then the cannon fired again.”

On the side of his studies, Matti Kauppi participated also in guild activities. He was one of the founders of Syntaksis, guild for biology students in the University of Oulu, and as elected secretary, he wrote the minutes of the founding meeting. In 1960s, students in Oulu worked hard to ease the student housing shortage: Kauppi, too, collected paper and sold Money-Moles, mole mascots, to fund the construction of Välkkylä student village.

Kauppi participated also in the march from city centre to Kuivasjärvi in November 1966 as a part of big student stunt. On the first of November, more than a thousand students marched long route to dig a hole and fill a field. It was a symbolic act: the location for the future university was a boggy field, and the students wanted to do their share by digging the foundations for the university. The stunt wasn’t a protest but a positive demonstration, whose purpose was to show gratitude on the university’s location.

In the Oulu Student Magazine, the stunt was described as follows: “The cannon fired, the rector spoke and got the university’s first key. Fireworks were set off, students had pea soup and beer, and then the cannon fired again.”

Even before the university, Oulu Teacher School had been active for several years. Pedagogy students launched the “Operation Boulder”, selling ore boulders for raising money for student housing. The Teacher School also had their own student union, who produced a student magazine, organised interest clubs, arranged parties, and organised the first known traditional May Day event in Oulu. Instead of putting a student cap on Frans Mikael Franzén, in 1958 the cap was put on Uno Aro’s bronze statue Kaarnavenepoika (“Bark Boat Boy”). At that time, the students thought that bishop Franzén would be too prestigious to cap, and the head of the statue wasn’t the size of a student cap.

Matti Kauppi looks back and says that he didn’t really meet the pedagogy students. Well, many of them lived in the same building, Domus Botnica in Toivoniemi, and sometimes Kauppi would run into them in student activities. He remembers that the pedagogy students organised rollicking parties, one of which led to burying a radio ceremonially into Merikoski tailrace channel.

“But we were good boys.”

Matti Kauppi retired from his job as an assistant professor in 2000. The University of Oulu provided him with everything: wife, degree, job, most of his friends and acquaintances, direction for his life.

The university wouldn’t let go

Students who started with Matti Kauppi had clear goals: to get the qualifications to teach biology and geography and out to the world!

Kauppi, too, was about to move on from the university towards graduation and teaching. When he reached the point where he was ready to move on to the working life with respect to his studies, Kauppi decided to stay and deepen his knowledge. In 1965 he met his future wife Anneli, who started studying physical chemistry and biochemistry. Matti Kauppi decided to follow her back into the student life.

“When I was supposed to leave the university, I decided to study chemistry and biochemistry instead.”

For many years, they did studies in pedagogy, different field studies, extra courses on computers — everything that is needed to teach in the university. Along the years they wrote also their doctoral theses. Anneli Kauppi studied the structural and functional differences of using stools of broad-leaved trees in coppice forest, whereas Matti Kauppi developed methods for using sensitive lichens as a tool for studying pollution.

“When I was supposed to leave the university, I decided to study chemistry and biochemistry instead.”

Matti Kauppi had worked already on the side of his studies as a course assistant for a professor. After that, his career continued in the University of Oulu in different temporary jobs as teacher, assistant, and garden amanuensis, as well as few times as acting associate professor. Lichens remained his main study interest, and he did cooperation with international researchers. Some publications include also his wife Anneli.

One of Kauppi’s duties was building the University’s Botanical Gardens. They were originally built in Hupisaaret islands, where the city gardens used to be before they were moved to a more spacious area in Peltola. Work on the Botanical Gardens began in the spring 1961. The plants came from Helsinki Botanical Gardens and Raikko Ruotsalo delivered them to Oulu. With the plants came also specific set of instructions on plant placement.

University, too, was first planned to be located in Hupisaaret islands. In the first few years, the university didn’t have one united location but instead it was scattered in different rental spaces. The suggestions for university’s location included Sanginsuu, Virpiniemi and Koskikeskus near the city centre.

Matti Kauppi was instructed to select the trees and bushes in Hupisaaret that were not to be removed when the university comes. Kauppi did as was told, but in the end, the university found its place in Linnanmaa. The Botanical Gardens followed the campus in 1983.

Life, career, friends

Matti Kauppi retired from his job as an assistant professor in 2000. In a way, the University of Oulu provided him everything in life: wife, degree, work, most of his friends and acquaintances, direction for life.

“Contents of life, work and pleasure too,” Matti Kauppi describes the university’s role in his life.

“Its meaning is one-hundred-per-cent important,” Anneli Kauppi adds.

As a child, Matti Kauppi thought to become plant breeder or biology teacher. If there wouldn’t be a vacancy in the university, it would also be nice to work as gardener.

He didn’t become biology teacher, like many others, and like he was originally supposed to. Not a plant breeder or garden director either, although he did work as the latter for a year.

But 81 years of his life Kauppi has been in a good shape, maybe thanks to his gardening hobby.

The university has given him this memory as well:

On the university’s opening day, Matti Kauppi wanted to see the fireworks that he city of Oulu organised over the Koskikeskus. When the view wasn’t satisfying enough from his own balcony, he went up to the fourth-floor balcony in Domus Botnica.

The fireworks had drawn a lot of students to the balcony. Suddenly Kauppi was pushed aside – some important-looking man cleared space in the balcony. The reason was the prestigious guests: governor Kalle Määttä’s spouse Jenni Määttä and president Urho Kekkonen’s spouse Sylvi Kekkonen were also interested in the fireworks.

“I remember that there I was, watching the fireworks over the Mrs Kekkonen’s shoulder.”

In addition to Matti Kauppi’s interview, other sources used in this article are Kauppi’s interviews in the Yliopiston arki project (“Life in the University”, interviewers Tiina Kuokkanen and Tiia Salo) and in Aktuumi volume 2/08, Oulun korkeakouluseura’s (nowadays Oulun yliopistoseura, “University Society of Oulu”) publication on the opening ceremony of the University of Oulu, the history of OYY Uunosta Välkyksi – Oulun yliopiston ylioppilaskunta vuosina 1959–2009 (2009) edited by Anna Nieminen, and an issue of Kaleva published on the 4th of October 1959.

The story translated by Essi Ranta. All quotes have been translated from Finnish to English.

Matti Kauppi

» One of the alumni who started their studies in the University of Oulu autumn 1959.
» Graduated from the University of Oulu as master in 1965, licentiate in 1972, and doctorate in 1980. Subject for master’s thesis was grazing’s effects on the vegetation of seaside meadows in Liminganlahti, subject for licentiate thesis was using lichens as fertilizers and indicators for pollution. The subject for doctoral thesis was using lichens in studying air pollution.
» Started off by working as an assistant in the plant anatomy course in the University of Oulu spring 1962. Worked in different positions in the University of Oulu until 2000.

“A lot has changed in Oulu since the university was founded, and quite many of the changes have happened thanks to the university. I can only be glad that I have been given a chance to tell about this in the pages of Oulu Student Magazine after 60 years. I wish joy and confidence for everyone working and studying in the University of Oulu!”

Julkaistu 9.10.20191.2.2023

Anni Hyypiö

Oulun ylioppilaslehden entinen päätoimittaja. Twitter: @AnniHyypio

Lue lisää:

Frank opened its service for all students, the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences SAMOK prepares for changes

September brought about some changes: Frank Students opened their digital service for all students in Finland. This means that now, if the student wants to get the digital student card, they don’t have to be a member of a student union who has an agreement with Frank. For now, the change applies only to those higher education students whose student union is not Frank’s partner. Armi Murto, Executive Director in the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK), states that possible impacts of the change become clearer later in the autumn. “The change in our operational environment has forced us to do a tremendous work in developing, but no one has given up, we keep the positive spirit up – even though this is a serious matter.”

In English

TEKSTI Anni Hyypiö

KUVAT Anni Hyypiö

In Finnish

The student utility service Frank Students informed on Monday, 16 Sept that they have opened Frank App service for all student in Finland. Every student in upper secondary and higher level can register in the service and make use of student discounts negotiated by Frank.

Opening the service means also that in order to get a digital student identity card, the student doesn’t have to be a member of a student union who has an agreement with Frank. Frank can verify the student status either through partner unions or through My Studyinfo service maintained by the National Board of Education.

Almost all student unions of Finnish universities of applied sciences (UAS) as well as student unions of the universities of Oulu and Vaasa have ended their partnership with Frank. Institutes of higher education also in Tampere have been outside of Frank’s scope. Now, for the first time, Frank can offer their student card for student in Tampere as well.

Digital card initially available for university students

For now, the change in digital student card applies only to students of universities whose student union is not partner with Frank. Therefore, students in upper secondary schools need to belong to either in the Union of Upper Secondary School Students in Finland (SLL) or the National Union of Vocational Students in Finland (SAKKI) in order to get a student card.

Tiia Lehtola, CEO of Frank, gives two reasons for this solution. First of all, there are different things to take into account when it comes to minor customers. Not all of them have the online banking codes that the new way of registering needs. Also, Frank wants to stagger the big change.

“We are now discussing this with the student unions, and we’ll move forward when we’re ready. When the service becomes accessible also for those upper secondary students who are not part of a student union, the next version of membership recruitment integration should also be available in Frank’s service. This way we still support the student unions’ recruitment of members.”

The service opened on the week 37. According to Lehtola, over thousand new students registered Frank’s digital student card during the first week. Most of the new users are students in the biggest universities of applied sciences in Finland, says Lehtola.

She is glad that users are university students from all over Finland – also from those universities that have ended their partnership with Frank.

“We are happy that the students have found Frank. We haven’t informed about it in particular, except for notifying about an application update and posting in our own channels. It seems that the possibility to use Frank has spread quite organically among the students,” Lehtola says.

According to Tiia Lehtola, Frank App has around 80,000 monthly users at the moment. She is pleased with the amount.

“I believe that the average number of active monthly users increases to over 80,000, and I see it’s possible to reach 100,000 users next year at the latest.”

First news came already in 2016

The majority owner of Frank is Kilroy travel agency, and national student unions the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL), the Union of Upper Secondary School Students in Finland (SLL), the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK), and the National Union of Vocational Students in Finland (SAKKI) have minor ownership.

In 2016 was the first time Frank informed about their plans to open the digital student card service. Already back then they told that the service would open first to university and UAS students. This year, on 29 August, Oulu Student Magazine wrote that the service would possibly open this autumn.

In the announcement sent to the student magazines, Frank gives two reasons for the change in Frank App: goal to make every student’s life better and the change in operational environment.

Now that the student status verification is not exclusive to student unions only, the student card market has drastically changed. Student status information of 1.3 million degree students in all 38 Finnish higher education institutions is available in the VIRTA higher education achievement register. In addition to active students, the number also includes students who have already graduated. According to the Central Statistical Office of Finland, in 2018 there were around 153,400 university students and 128,500 UAS students. In vocational training leading to a degree there were around 322,200 students and around 103,400 students in upper secondary school.

At the end of the year 2016, the information about Frank’s decision to open their digital student card service caused worry about student unions’ own member recruitment. According to the current Universities Act, a university student has to be a member of a student union in order to get a degree, but this applies neither to UAS students nor upper secondary students. That’s why offering a student card through the student union has been a strong method for recruiting new members.

When membership in a student union is not necessary to get a student card, what happens to student unions and their member recruitment?

In 2016, Turun Sanomat (12 Dec 2016) and Kaleva (15 Dec 2016), among other papers, wrote about the student unions’ concerns.

In Frank’s announcement sent on September 16, three student unions assured that, in addition to the student card, there are other benefits in joining the union.

“The situation of joining the student union is about to change regardless of Frank, when the student can get the card already before joining the student union. By collaborating with Frank, we can make the it as easy and tempting to join the union as possible. Of course, there are other benefits of being a member in student union than just the card. If the user acquisition goes well, we can tell this message even more effectively than now also to those students that we wouldn’t have been able to reach otherwise,” comment the three Secretary Generals Heikki Luoto (SLL), Hanna Huumonen (SAKKI), and Eero Manninen (SYL).

Change is in the air, but of what kind?

There was one student union with ownership in Frank that didn’t give their comment in the announcement. It is SAMOK, the union that represents the UAS students in Finland. Most of the UAS student unions have terminated their contract with Frank, and SAMOK themself has been about to sell their part of Frank, according to the position adopted in the SAMOK general assembly in autumn 2018.

Armi Murto, Executive Director in SAMOK, stated that the ownership hasn’t been sold yet. Still, it remains the objective, she says.

“We try to take steps towards that. It is the decision that has been made, and I try to implement it to the best of my ability.”

As newly selected Executive Director in SAMOK, Murto deems it regrettable that the cooperation between Frank and the student unions hasn’t been successful.

“We have been aware that some kind of changes are coming to the student card market, and the student unions have prepared for the big changes to the best of their abilities. At the moment, I hope that our objective on selling the ownership is carried out as soon as possible, and that we can conclude our general assembly’s hope.”

Does this change in Frank mean turbulence in the field of student unions?

“At least it has brought changes with it as well as caused worry. The change in our operational environment has forced us to do a tremendous work in developing, no one has given up but keeps the positive spirit up – although this is a serious matter,” Armi Murto formulates.

According to Murto, at this point it is still hard to predict how the opening of services affects the student unions’ actions. The student unions have contemplated whether the change takes away their potential members.

Then again, Murto estimates that the student unions have now focused on developing and expanding their membership activities, communicating about their work in representing students’ interests, and about other important work that they do for UAS students. She thinks it has been great to see the developing work in the student unions.

“They have found different solutions: they have tightened the collaboration among themselves and found different alternatives when it comes to service providers, for example, with the student cards. They have exceptionally prepared for the change in the operational environment by focusing on what they should: developing their own actions. Then again, the concern for member decrease is valid and I understand their concern.”

According to her, the possible effects of the change come clearer later in the autumn: “It is always smart to go through what kind of effects are possible and how to react to them. This autumn, we’re focusing on that the student unions recruit members and with positive attitude. After that we see whether their development work has borne anything, and we can evaluate what to change in the future.”

The union looks forward

At the moment, around half of the 140,000 Finnish UAS students are part of the student unions. According to Armi Murto, the degree of unionization has been on the rise during SAMOK’s history.

“Over the years, there have been some slumps, but they have been turned to rise.”

SAMOK, too, follows the development of student unions’ members amount. According to Murto, the union has just drawn up the budget for 2020, and as a part of it, they have predicted a slump in number of members because of the changes in their environment.

Financial planning is done as realistically as possible, according to Armi Murto, and based on member reports from the student unions.

“Regardless of this, we look forward and hope to offer the best service in student representation and influencing for UAS students.”

Translation: Essi Ranta.

More on changes in the student card: More Choices for a Student Card in Oulu: OYY Terminated Contract with Frank and Made a Deal With Pivo for Electronic Student Card

The illustrations uses Prettycons’s and Good Ware’s icons from flaticon.com.

Edited on the 18th of October, 2019 at 8:57 am: Edited the amount of information in VIRTA service, added information that the 1,3 million includes not only the current university and UAS students but also graduated students. Added the Central Statistical Offices’s information about amount of students in universities and universities of applied sciences as well as in vocational and upper secondary schools.

Julkaistu 8.10.20191.2.2023

Anni Hyypiö

Oulun ylioppilaslehden entinen päätoimittaja. Twitter: @AnniHyypio