Aalto University Student Union, Student Union of the University of Helsinki, Student Union of Sibelius Academy, Student Union of Hanken

Statement
30 April 2011
Free for publication

Notables in Helsinki concerned about the future of students

Before May Day, the student unions in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area turned to notable people and characters and asked what they think about matters concerning students.

Ståhlberg, the first President of Finland, and the horse statue Äidinrakkaus (Maternal Love), valued by the residents of Helsinki, are concerned about students’ income. “I insist: tie student financial aid to the index!” snarls the old-school statesman Ståhlberg, with a suggestive look towards the Members of Parliament who are pondering the government programme in the Parliament House. “With the parent’s increase, mothers could also afford to study” accompanies the tiny foal in the statue.

The discussion of sacrificing the world’s most equal education system to tuition fees seems to begin again. The stone faces are particularly concerned about the effects of a family’s wealth on the education opportunities of the youth.”Seven Brothers novel would not exist if education opportunities were determined by wealth”, remarks the beloved national author Aleksis Kivi.

The hectic modern life and studies trigger comments from the statues. “Why should we hurry and complete identical degrees?”, ponders Paavo Nurmi, a renowned Finnish runner. It is particularly worrying how young people will cope in the labour market. During their career of almost 80 years, the guys in the Three Smiths Statue have found out the hard way that working your fingers to the bone is not the main thing!”

With these wise words, the Student Unions of Aalto University, the University of Helsinki and Hanken School of Economics wish you relaxed and joyous May Day!

Signatories:

Saara Hyrkkö, Chairperson of the Board
Aalto University Student Union

Leena Pihlajamäki, Chairperson of the Board
Student Union of the University of Helsinki

Tuomas Saloniemi, Chairman of the Executive Board
Student Union of Sibelius Academy

Cecilia Gundersby, Chairperson of the Board
Student Union of Hanken

The campus solution of Aalto University, planned for the summer of 2011, has provoked much debate at the university, in the student union and other interest groups. There are various views of the best campus solution within Aalto’s student community, which can be roughly divided into two: one common campus in Espoo, Otaniemi, or a decentralised campus along the metro line. Both options have both advantages and challenges. The widely accepted common view is, however, that moving both physically between the various units and within different fields of study should be effortless.

In AYY’s opinion, learning and research environments, meeting places, services, public transport and housing provided by the campus solution are more important than the physical location. Aalto University’s campus should be something unique, compelling and outstanding, and it should also be appealing to those outside our academic community. Aalto should also take the role of a forerunner in constructing campus areas according to sustainable development.

Above all, the campus solution should ensure that the preconditions of students and researchers to carry out their own scientific or artistic work do not decline but rather will improve significantly. None of the existing campuses as such provides sufficient preconditions for top-class learning, teaching or research, let alone for new kinds of encounters.

When preparing the campus solution, it is important to acknowledge and respect the significant differences in opinion prevailing within the academic community. It is often the question about the desire to maintain and develop proven solutions, practices and uniqueness within Aalto University, not only about resisting the change. The presented differing views demonstrate the willingness of Aalto members to participate in the construction of the university, and should therefore not be disregarded without constructive discussion.

AYY does not comment on the location of the university campus but it wants to encourage all students to actively participate in the debate during the spring and bring bold, well-reasoned arguments and openings to the discussion, which concern the location but, above all, the content. All in all, AYY hopes that the whole Aalto community will use many voices and actively participate in the building of our common future. We also hope that the Board of Aalto University will make a bold and a forward-looking decision which will support Aalto University’s strategic goals in the best possible way.

Further information:

• Saara Hyrkkö, Chairperson of the AYY Board, tel. 040 719 7604

Background information on the campus discussion:

• Aalto University’s campus vision document (in Finnish)
• Aalto’s vision blog (in Finnish)

17.3.2010

The memo of the working group of the Ministry of Education, led by Anita Lehikoinen, was released today and it includes plenty of good proposals for reform. In the opinion of the student unions of Aalto University, the Universities of Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Tampere and Turku and Tampere University of Technology, the improving of study counselling, summer studies and the well-being of students are very supportable and effective measures to shorten study times.

The study counselling of upper secondary education has been a grievance of the Finnish education system for a long time . The student unions consider that the better resourcing of study counselling in upper secondary education and the making of personal plans for postgraduate studies are effective ways to support the Finnish youth into successful careers. Particularly praiseworthy is how the memo draws attention to the support and well-being of students in higher education – we need study psychologists and better guidance.

The student unions find it problematic that the selection of students is mainly based on the grades of the matriculation certificates. In small quotas, the selection based on the matriculation certificate does not distinguish applicants sufficiently, nor take into account the suitability in the field of arts, for example. A career choice should not depend on one short period of life or, at worst, on the choices of general studies. In addition, the emphasis on the matriculation places the applicants in an unequal position depending on the upper secondary school where they have passed the matriculation examination. Even if the emphasis on the certificate would be moderately increased, the access to university should be possible through entrance examinations also in the future.

After the public debate, the working group has transferred the development proposals concerning free education from the actual memo to a separate attachment. Because of this, it has almost been forgotten in public that the different models of tuition fees are still being discussed as realistic options. This discussion, which is significant for the Finnish society, must take place in public and by taking political responsibility.

Finally, the student unions would like to thank the working group on their support for year-round studies. Particularly during the recession, the need for summer teaching is emphasised and it is neither unnecessary in those years when there are more jobs available. The student unions believe that the report provides a good basis for the development of the education system.

In different parts of southern Finland on 18 March 2010

Katri Korolainen-Virkajärvi
Chairperson of the Board, the Student Union of the University of Helsinki

Johanna Pietiläinen
Chairperson of the Board, the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä

Aleksi Rantala
Chairperson of the Board, the Student Union of the University of Tampere

Jyri Vuorinen
Chairperson of the Board, the Student Union of the Tampere University of Technology

Elias Laitinen
Chairperson of the Board,the Student Union of the University of Turku

Janne Peltola
Board Member, Aalto University Student Union

Statement
Espoo 8.3.2010

AYY: SORA brings the university administration back to the 19th century

The Aalto University Student Union (AYY) states that the conclusions of the working group of the Ministry of Education, which considered solutions for unsuitability, brings the Finnish university institution back to the 19th century when the Rector of the University had the direct judicial and police power, bypassing the normal judicial system.

SORA working group in practice proposes that police power should be returned to universities. In the future, the members of the governing bodies of universities could assess the medical suitability of students to different fields. In addition, the dangerousness of students could be assessed and they could be removed from the university area. This very confusingly extends the power of lecturers to the area which has traditionally been very limited to security officers and the police.

The disciplinary means do not have effect on the cause of students’ possible problems, but instead they aim at excluding a disturbing student outside the university community. The threat of separation and social stigma may also prevent a student from seeking appropriate care. The university exceeds its authority by using its power in other than academic matters.

Over the last century, the complete autonomy of universities has for most parts reduced. It is not desirable that these powers are returned by taking advantage of national tragedies. The presented procedures do not increase actual security much but instead they create a tool which can be used to limit the basic rights of students even more.

Statement
Espoo, 18 February 2010

AYY: Why are the tuition fees in the education export strategy?

The Aalto University Student Union (AYY) demands a clarification of how the tuition fees of higher education have ended up in the draft of the education export strategy by the Ministry of Education. Education export does not require the compromising of free higher education, and not a single party has publically admitted to promote tuition fees.

The strategy aims at accelerating the extension of tuition fees in education even though the experiment of tuition fees for students from outside the EU/ETA countries has not even began. “Premature conclusions have been drawn from the results of the experiment when compiling the strategy. The evaluation of the experiment must be based on results, not on groundless presuppositions”, comments Chairperson of the Board Jussi Valtonen.

The presentation states that the most important market for the Finnish education export is outside the EU/ETA countries. This market is already achievable within the current legislation. The strategy also highlights the availability and scope of higher education as the strengths of the Finnish higher education. The general introduction of tuition fees would significantly whittle these specific strengths away.

According to AYY’s vision, the Finnish society is based on the equality of opportunities which is best implemented through free education. Everyone’s equal right for education is the cornerstone of our society, which should not be sacrificed in the name of education export.

The Aalto University Student Union demands transparency to the preparations and requires open discussion about tuition fees in the future so that it is possible to participate in the discussion.

Jussi Valtonen
Chairperson of the Board

Teemu Halme
Secretary General

Further Information:

• AYY’s Secretary for Social Affairs Jenni Kuusivuori, 050 520 9445, jenni.kuusivuori@ayy.fi
• AYY’s Board Member (academic affairs) Janne Peltola, 040 515 3974, janne.peltola@ayy.fi