Release
AYY and Tieto Ltd
25 Sept 2013
For immediate release

Aalto University Student Union (AYY) and the largest Nordic IT services company Tieto
have initiated cooperation. AYY’s rooftop sauna located in Otaranta will now be known as Tieto sauna. Branding the facilities as Tieto sauna is part of broader cooperation, the purpose of which is to bring the Finnish and international IT industries closer to AYY’s members. Tieto will provide information on employment and work in the IT field in Aino magazine, Tieto sauna and AYY’s blog, among other things.

”We aim to get the top Finnish operators from different sectors as our partners. In the IT sector, Tieto was an obvious choice. I look forward to the beginning of extensive cooperation,” says Tino Kantola, Chair of AYY’s Corporate Relations Section.

”Aalto University Student Union is a natural partner to Tieto. We are constantly looking for new, young talents and Aalto University students are an important target group for us. We believe that cooperation brings us good contacts and we can implement interesting projects. As a company, we want to become familiar to Aalto students. We develop society and businesses through IT and we offer plenty of interesting services for various industries. Therefore career prospects at Tieto are extensive,” says Tieto Ltd’s HR Specialist Viktoria Petrell.

Aalto University Student Union AYY is a service and advocacy organisation for approximately 15,000 Aalto University students. AYY represents the interests of its members particularly in academic and social affairs.

Tieto is the largest Nordic IT services company providing full life-cycle services for both private and public sectors. The company has global presence through its product development business and the delivery centers. With approximately 15,000 experts, the company operates in over 20 countries.

Subscribe to Tieto newsletter and read more about current events and recruitment campaigns http://tieto-oyj.mailpv.net/

Further information:

AYY Board Member, Corporate Relations, Tuisku Suomala, tuisku.suomala@ayy.fi
Chair of AYY’s Corporate Relations Section Aura Tino Kantola, tino.kantola@ayy.fi

URGENT MESSAGE
SYL, SAMOK & VR
10.9.2013

During September 2013, new students of Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and Saimaa University of Applied Sciences, who have ordered their student card through the student service Frank (at myfrank.com), but have not yet received it, will temporarily be given access to VR student discount by showing the official certificate of attendance and a valid ID card. Please remember to bring along your certificate of attendance and your ID card also when boarding a train in case of ticket inspection.

The ordering system for the brand new Frank student cards was changed during the summer and the new system was taken into use just this autumn. The launch of any new system tends to have its bumps and minor bugs, but after a couple of initial problems and issues that caused the delay, we can now say that the process of printing new student cards is up and running. The printing machines are running at full capacity, meaning that the new student cards are on their way.

The problem only applies to new students, which means that students with the previous student card only need to get a new academic year sticker as usual. All new students are free to use the new Frank student card on VR trains from the moment they receive it.

Commercial Director Lassi Rönkkönen, lassi.ronkkonen@vr.fi, 040 862 1083, VR

Secretary General Juha Töyrylä, juha.toyryla@syl.fi, 041 515 2229, National Union of University Students in Finland SYL

Secretary General Jani Hyppänen, jani.hyppanen@samok.fi, 050 389 1010, Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences – SAMOK

The Finnish tuition fee experiment will come to end in the end of 2014. The reason is that the decree that has allowed the tuition fee trial will expire on 31 December 2014. At the same time, the tuition fee trial will end at Aalto University. Students who will be selected to masters’ programs in spring 2014 will no longer take part in the tuition fee trial, and they will not be charged fees, because the decree concerning the trial ends already in the end of the same year.

The decision does not affect the fees or scholarships of current Aalto students in any way. They will continue and finish their studies with the current conditions. Master’s students starting in the autumn of 2013 will pay tuition fees and receive scholarships until the end of the year of 2014, after which their last academic term is free and scholarships are not allocated. Students starting in the autumn of 2014 do not pay fees nor receive scholarships.

Aalto University’s Vice President Martti Raevaara emphasises that this does not mean that Aalto has decided to permanently discontinue fees for students coming from outside the EU and EEA area. ”The future of tuition fees in Finland is still open. If the fees are made possible at the legislative level also after the year of 2014, we will re-evaluate whether it is appropriate to introduce fees in some programmes” says Vice Rector Raevaara.

Aalto University Student Union AYY is satisfied with the decision to suspend the trial. ”We should now pause for a moment. Fee collection costs are higher than the income. In addition, fees deter international students from Aalto University. Tuition fee experiences of our neighbouring countries are not good and Finland has no reason to make the same mistakes”, says President of the Student Union Piia Kuosmanen.

Further information:

Martti Raevaara, Vice President of Aalto University, tel. 050 301 8692, martti.raevaara@aalto.fi

Hanna Sauli, Specialist, International Affairs, Aalto University Student Union, tel. 050 520 9446, hanna.sauli@ayy.fi

Aalto University Student Union
Release
16 Apr 2013
For immediate release

The Representative Council of Aalto University Studen Union has elected Janne Koskenniemi as AYY’s new Secretary General at its meeting on 16 Apr.

Previously, Koskenniemi has acted as AYY’s Administrative Manager. He has also gained experience from the boards of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) and the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä (JYY).

”A damn incredible feeling!” says Koskenniemi right after the election. Koskenniemi will begin his work with the orientation during the spring and summer, and his term of office will expire in August 2016.

Aalto University Student Union AYY is a service and advocacy organisation of approximately 15,000 Aalto University students. AYY represents the interests of its members particularly in academic and study social affairs. The Secretary General is the head of non-profit activities and acts as a link between different operators in the Student Union. The Secretary General participates in AYY’s financial administration and the meetings and activities of the Board, Representative Council and Financial Committee. The Secretary General’s key duties also include work with interest groups and the representation of the Student Union.

Further information:

Current Secretary General Teemu Halme, teemu.halme@ayy.fi, tel. 050 520 9415
New Secretary General Janne Koskenniemi, janne.koskenniemi@ayy.fi, tel. 050 520 9434

Press release 28.2.2013
National Union of University Students in Finland
Free for publication

The national student organisations are uniting their forces to create a whole new payment card and benefit service for students. The new service will include some 350 000 students in Finnish universities, universities of applied sciences, upper secondary schools and vocational schools.

On this date, the National Union of University Students in Finland, the Union of Vocational Students of Finland SAKKI, the Union of Finnish Upper Secondary School Students SLL, HYY Ltd. and Oy Suomen Lyyra Ab have made an asset deal. The activity and personnel were acquired by SPV Services Finland Oy, a company founded by the student organisations. According to the contract all current business and personnel from the student service Lyyra will transfer to SPV Services Finland Oy.

Additionally, the Executive Committee of the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences – SAMOK will submit a proposal to the Union’s Extraordinary General Assembly on 16 April, in which the Executive Committee proposes that SAMOK participate in the business arrangement. The Lyyra-name and the corresponding web service will be maintained for the time being.

SPV Services Finland Oy will offer nation-wide benefits for students and grant its business partners effective ways to reach the student members. The company will give particular focus on electronic services, including a service which enables electronic verification of a person’s student status. Beginning from next autumn, SPV Services Finland will begin co-operating with Finnish telecom company Elisa and start to offer a student card with a MasterCard-feature. The keeping of the student register, one of Lyyra’s core activities, will be transferred to a specific department which is to be established in connection with the student organisations, while SPV Services Finland concentrates on commercial activity.

”This is a historical day for the Finnish student movement – we are most likely to be the first to complete similar co-operation over educational boundaries in these proportions. The extent of the activity is also a good starting point for good business conditions. We believe that we are able to do profitable business and, at the same time, offer high quality services to our members,” says SYLPresident Marina Lampinen, SAKKI Chairman Aleksej Fedotov, SLLPresident Daniel Sazonov and SAMOK Chairperson MikkoValtonen.

”This is a good situation for the student organisations to acquire the activities of Lyyra. Last year, Lyyra turned a profit, and the extensive co-operation contract with Elisa secures a great start for our future business. HYY Ltd. will remain a minority shareholder with a 20 % ownership and help and consult the new business. We both aim to find a new partner in the near future,” says Oy Suomen Lyyra Ab Committee Chairman and HYY Ltd. CEO Mauri Laurila.

More information:

SPV Services Finland, Committee Chairman Matti Parpala, 041 515 2225

In questions relating to HYY Ltd. and the Lyyra asset deal, please contact: HYY Ltd. CEO Mauri Laurila, 040 502 1479

The Student Union’s administrative and executive power is exercised by the Board appointed by the Representatve Council. The term of office is a calendar year. The Board takes care of the Student Union’s routine matters and is responsible for the implementation of the action plan. The Board represents the Student Union, oversees the administration of the Student Union, as well as uses the general executive power within the limits of the student union rules and the decisions of the Representative Council. In all operations, the Board is liable for the Representative Council. Each board member has one or several sectors for the operations of which they are in charge of.

AYY’s Board 2013 was organised at its first meeting on 9 Jan as follows:

• Piia Näränen Chair

• Jori Jämsä Vice Chair
• Perttu Karjalainen Educational policy, academic affairs and national advocacy, finances
• Henna Hietanen Culture and volunteers
• Jani Laamanen Housing
• Ilmi Salminen Educational policy, Aalto University, campus affairs
• Tuukka Pykäläinen Communications and organisational affairs
• Mariko Landström International affairs
• Tuisku Suomala Corporate relations
• Laura Euro Social policy and sports

You can contact the board members via e-mail, for example. Addresses are in the form firstname.surname@ayy.fi.