The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
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The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
13.02.2026
The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland is dismayed that, despite numerous critical statements, the government led by Petteri Orpo has continued to advance the so-called “one study place rule.” The proposal to amend the Universities Act and the Universities of Applied Sciences Act was submitted to Parliament on 11 December 2025 (Government Proposal 191/2025 vp).
In 2025, only 3% of students held two or more study rights. The regulation allowing only one study place would bring only marginal benefit, while the decision would have real effects both on the future competence of the workforce and on the restriction of individual freedom.
One of the best things about studying is the freedom it provides. This includes the freedom to choose courses that genuinely interest you and to make decisions for your future, decisions whose full consequences, with all their exciting, inspiring and joyful outcomes, may only become clear later. If implemented, the one study right rule would restrict precisely this opportunity to broaden one’s education beyond conservatively defined subject boundaries. At the same time, it would punish talented and hardworking students.
There are study paths whose courses cannot be taken across programmes, even though there may be good reasons to study such courses. ISYY is therefore extremely disappointed that the government’s proposal contains no softer measures to achieve the goals of the higher education vision, such as increasing the quota for first-time students or creating a register of passive study rights.
The one study place rule would restrict individual freedom, which is a value highly respected in Finnish society. The government’s proposal contradicts the principle of individual self-determination. The task of an educated society is to improve the variety of educational options available, enabling a wide range of options for all and expanding the resources available for this purpose. For these reasons, ISYY considers the proposal to be contrary to the spirit of the educational rights referred to in Section 16 of the Constitution.
There is no evidence that denying the possibility of holding multiple study rights for current students would significantly increase the number of first-time applicants entering higher education. ISYY also points out that forcing students to give up their existing study rights will not bring any new students into higher education. It merely cleans up university student registers and introduces administratively burdensome reforms into universities’ daily work. Instead, such a restriction of the right to study paves the way for further decisions that will make student life more difficult, such as cuts in teaching resources.
– Students are the workforce and leaders of the future, which is why limiting their opportunities limits the adaptability and flexibility of the future workforce. Especially leaders are expected to have broad expertise and multidisciplinary skills. Therefore the government’s proposal does not reflect the needs of the future working life, comments Maria Rossi, ISYY’s Board Member responsible for Academic Affairs.
There are strong labour policy and societal reasons to maintain the right to hold multiple study places. ISYY therefore appeals to the Members of Parliament representing the Savo–Karjala constituency not to advance the proposal in its current form. ISYY demands that the Constitutional Law Committee assess the legality of the proposal and whether it unreasonably restricts the educational rights safeguarded by the Constitution.
Emilia Kivikoski, Chair of the Board, The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), puheenjohtaja(at)isyy.fi, tel. +358 44 576 8400
Maria Rossi, Board Member, Academic Affairs, Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), maria.rossi(at)isyy.fi