Happy Tuesday!

Today 12 May is a flag day in Finland because of the philosopher, writer and statesman Johan Vilhelm Snellman (1806-1881). He had a big influence on Finnish language, Finnish culture and even on the use of our old currency, markka. You can read more about Snellman on This is Finland's website. The 12th of May is  Snellman's birthday and the day is known nowadays as the "Day of Finnish Identity" or the "Finnish Heritage Day".

Have a nice week!

Kind regards,
Joona Rantala | Coordinator of International Affairs

ISYY office opening hours during the spring

• The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY) offices in Joensuu and Kuopio campus are exceptionally closed this Thursday 14.5. because of Ascension Day.
• During the first weeks of June ISYY offices are open only by prior appointment. Please book an appointment by taking contact to the office via phone or email.
• ISYY offices will be closed 11.6.–2.8. and the offices will open again on Monday 3 August.

North Karelia Pride Parade and Park Picnic 23 May

ISYY will once again take part in the Pride parade and, together with Pohjois-Karjala Seta ry, will organise a park picnic on Saturday 23 May in Joensuu!

Equality and transparency are important values for ISYY. ISYY encourages all its members to take part in the Pride parade’s ISYY block and the park picnic, as well as to wear student overalls to form a rainbow.

The parade starts at 1 pm at the Suvantosilta from the town center side of the river. The parade arrives to Ilosaari around 2pm. In the picnic-area you can find a family café, together-zone, sales stands, ISYY’s glitter make-up station and of course great company! At the ISYY Glitter make-up station you can decorate yourself with glitter for the evening's Pride party.

The first 150 students at the ISYY’s station will be given ISYY's Pride-Hemmo overall patch as a memory.

Photo: Henri Jumppanen

Blog: Green travel - you won't regret a single muddy step

ISYY Board member Bharath Kannan (International Affairs & Environment and Development Coordination) wrote a blog post about his experiences from a trip to Belgium as a part of his Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) course CaseRiver 21.

In the blog Bharath touches upon choosing green travel instead of flying and his experiences meeting with international students from multiple universities across Europe.

“Flying to Antwerp would have taken a few hours. I chose the long way instead — and it shaped everything about how I arrived. By the time I reached Belgium, I hadn't just moved geographically. I had travelled through eight countries, heard different languages spill out of café windows, eaten food I couldn't name, and watched the landscape shift from the Baltic coastline to the French countryside. I arrived with context. With stories already forming.”

Photo: Bharath Kannan

ISYY is still looking for new representatives for the YUFE Student Forum!

If you communicate well in English, are interested in student-centeredness, equality, diversity and inclusivity in the core of making an impact, and you have at least one year left of studies before you graduate, YUFE might be just the right place for you!

As a YUFE Student Representative for UEF you'll:

• get to co-operate and network with other students and staff members across Europe
• strengthen your language skills and intercultural skills
• gain deeper understanding of Europe as an operational environment
• take part in creating something new and making regional educational history
• get a specific certificate of your activities (= a good addition to your CV)
• be eligible to apply for travel grants from UEF to participate in YUFE meetings.

Are you ready to take part in making history and changing the educational landscape of Europe? Read more from ISYY website, and send your application by Tuesday 19 May 2026 5 pm!

ISYY Clubs in Joensuu

ISYY Clubs are open for all of our members. ISYY's club room is located at our office near the city centre (Suvantokatu 6, 80100 Joensuu). ISYY club meetings at Suvantokatu go on until the end of May.

ISYY Club meetings at Suvantokatu

Monday  4 pm - 9 pm: Magic The Gathering Guild

Tuesday 6 pm - 8 pm: LUOMIO! Literary Arts Club

Wednesday 4 pm - 8 pm: JOOJAKU Japanese Culture Club (last meeting on 20 May)

Thursday 4 pm - 9 pm: Joensuu Board Gamers

Friday 4 pm - 8 pm: ISYY Chess Club

Bike Service Point at UEF today from 3 to 5 PM.

To celebrate National Cycling Week, SYKETTÄ will organize a bike service point at the UEF Carelia campus on May 12 from 3–5 PM.

At the service point, you can pump your tires, oil your chain, and get help with small adjustments.

Come and get your bike ready for summer!

SYKETTÄ in Summer 2026

SYKETTÄ keeps you moving throughout the summer! All summer sports services and updates can be found on our website, which will be updated as activities are confirmed. Registration for all summer classes and sessions takes place through the sports calendar. Both the group exercise sticker and the ball sports sticker give access to all summer activities.

This summer’s schedule includes guided stair workouts with physical activity counsellor Anni, JoenVoLi summer classes, and individual outdoor exercise guidance. In addition, Mehtimäki Hall offers ball sports sessions and open dance sessions throughout the summer. Portti54 and Aurora gyms are open all summer.

Please note that the Tikkarinne gym is closed from June 15 to August 9, 2026. The Joensuu Areena gym is open according to the venue’s opening hours.

Digital student health care services that are easy to use

You can now find all student healthcare services in one place. YTHSDigi is the easy way to contact us whenever it’s convenient for you – no phone calls needed.

Download the app from App Store and Google Play! 

SYL: The overall reform of student financial aid is a total bust

Orpo’s government has outlined measures for the overall reform of student financial aid in its spending limits discussion. In line with the Government Programme, the primary objective of the reform of student financial aid was to enable full-time studies, but the proposed solution is completely half-baked.

“The reform is a disappointment. It’s made up of small, fragmented fixes that don’t solve the key problem, which is that the aid is not enough. Studying full-time continues to be a distant dream for many people”, emphasises Laura Heino, member of the board responsible for social policy.

Hi student, respond to the survey on students’ housing preferences!

Finnish Associations of Student Housing Organisations (SOA) and the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) are conducting a survey on higher education students’ housing preferences. The survey examines students’ housing preferences and needs as well as their order of importance when students choose their housing. 

The results of the survey will be used in decisions concerning the future of student housing and in advocacy work on behalf of higher education students. Your answers are valuable and important! A prize draw of S Group gift cards worth €50 is organised for the respondents. 

The survey is open until May 17!

What changes are planned for the campuses? Welcome to the campus development webinars on 19 May and 1 June!

The year-long project planning phase for campus development is coming to an end. A large number of staff members and students have taken part in the workshops concerning UEF’s buildings.

The plans developed as a result of the workshops and other extensive expert work will be presented in campus-specific webinars. All members of the UEF community are welcome to attend and join the discussion!

Joensuu campus: Tue 19 May at 8:00–9:30 Join the webinar here

Free Joensuun Maila home game for students on Friday at Ilosaarirock Stadium

Students are welcome to attend Finnish baseball match for free with a valid student card: Joensuun Maila vs. Imatran Pallo-Veikot on 15 May at 6:00 PM at Ilosaarirock Stadium.

Joensuu's Exchange and International Students Farewell Party on 15 May!

As the spring semester comes to a beautiful close, it’s time to gather one last time and celebrate the memories we’ve made together… and say goodbye to some amazing JEIS members. It’s never easy to say farewell, but let’s make it special! Expect a cozy night filled with familiar faces, laughter, little activities, snacks, and heartfelt moments to share and remember.

• The event is free, but you must grab a ticket from Kide.app to attend!
• Ticket sale is from 6th May, 02:00 pm to 14th May, 11:59 pm

We continue the vibes at the afterparty at Bepop Joensuu. Keep the energy going as we head into the night together. Before 12:00 am, entry is 5€ if you show your JEIS overall patch, and after 12:00 am, entry is 10€ as there will be a gig happening.

WHERE: Educa, E200
WHEN: 15.5
TIME: 06:00 pm–11.00 pm
TICKETS: Kide.app (6th May, 02:00 pm to 14th May, 11:59 pm)

Public Viewing at the Market Square for Kataja Basket Games

The City of Joensuu, Kataja Basket, and Joensuun Virta Oy are organizing public viewing events at the Joensuu Market Square for Kataja Basket’s away games during the Korisliiga final series. Kataja Basket will play against Salon Vilpas at Salohalli on Saturday, May 9, and possibly also on Thursday, May 14, and Tuesday, May 19.

International House Joensuu "non-stop" Finnish language courses in summer 2026 

Learn Finnish in a fun and interactive way through listening, speaking, and hands-on activities. The courses are free, and no textbook is required. Registration for courses only via email: registration.internationalhouse@joensuu.fi

Weekly Feed is the English language newsletter of the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY). You are receiving this letter on your email because you are a member of ISYY and are studying at Joensuu campus or because you have joined the mailing list yourself. 

Weekly Feed provides you with current information on matters related to the Student Union, UEF or other organisations close to students, such as FSHS. In addition, the newsletter provides you with information on events taking place at campus or the campus city.

Weekly Feed is published on Tuesdays during the academic year, with the exception of holidays and a few other days. If you do not want to receive the newsletter anymore, you can unsubscribe the letter via the unsubscription link  located on the top of the letter. 

You will find more information on ISYY's newsletters  and data protection on ISYY's website.