Happy Tuesday!

The ISYY offices are open with extended opening hours on both campuses, so come by if you need to visit the office for any reason, we are here to help you! After this week we will revert back to our regular opening hours.

Our extended opening hours this week:

• Mon, Tue, Thu 10-15, Wed 12-16
• Friday 12 September at 10-14

Continuing students, remember that the deadline for registering as a present student for autumn semester and the academic year is 15 September! All students whose studies aim at a degree must register annually. Bachelor’s, master’s, licentiate and doctoral students are obligated to register for each academic year as being present or absent. You can find instructions for the registration from UEF Kamu. Also degree students, remember to pay the Finnish Student Health Service fee to KELA. More information about the payment is on KELA's website.

Kind regards,

Joona Rantala | Coordinator of International Affairs, Joensuu Campus

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

Join the YUFE Student Forum and bring your perspective in the implementation of the YUFE vision. We are seeking specifically one bachelor’s degree student and one PhD researcher. Student-centredness, equality, openness, diversity and inclusivity are at the core of the YUFE identity. Students with all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

As a YUFE Student Representative for UEF you'll:
● co-operate with your fellow student-colleagues and UEF’s YUFE Team
● form a part of the international YUFE Student Forum, ensuring that UEF students’ input is also included
● actively participate in one or more of the YUFE working groups

This is a voluntary non-paid opportunity. However, all expenses due to YUFE (e.g., travel costs) will be covered by your university.

Read more and send your application on 23 September at the latest!

JEIS - ISYY's international club

JEIS - Joensuu's Exchange and International Students is the international club of the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY). JEIS is for anyone and everyone who lives in Joensuu and likes to hang out with people from around the world - both Finnish and international students are all very welcome to join us! If you are a member of ISYY, you are automatically also a member of JEIS.

The most important task of JEIS is to introduce Finnish culture and lifestyle to international students and to give Finnish students an opportunity to gain international experiences in Joensuu by arranging diverse events and activities.
 

How do I join JEIS? 

All ISYY members are automatically members of JEIS and very welcome to all of our events! You can prove your JEIS and ISYY membership with a student card (Frank or Slice). 

If you would like to help out with planning and creating the events, you can either sign up as an active member and help out whenever you can, or become a board member to have a little more responsibility.

 If you would like to apply for the board or sign up as an active member, you can come to JEIS General Meeting on 16th September at 4 pm at Aurora, in class AU102!

Join ISYY’s Language Café activities!

Do you want to learn a new language, brush up on your old skills and meet new people or teach your native language? We have the perfect opportunity for you via ISYY’s Language Cafés!

When participating in Language Café activities, you can also earn ECTS credits by attending (1 ECTS) and/or organising a Language Café (2 ECTS) and by submitting a few small assignments to Moodle.

Join the Language Café info session on Wednesday 17 September at 9 am on Google Meet to find out more! You can find the link to the meeting on ISYY’s website.

ISYY offices have extended opening hours in September

ISYY offices have extended opening hours until 12 September. ISYY offices are open:

1 September - 12 September:

• Mon, Tue, Thu 10-15, Wed 12-16
• Friday 12 September at 10-14

15 September onwards ISYY office will return to the regular opening hours:

• Mon, Tue, Thu 10-12 and 13-15
• Wednesday 12-16
• Friday: closed

Play ISYY's Freshman Bingo and get a free overall patch!

ISYY's Freshman Bingo kick-starts the academic year for our new students. Your interest has been huge, and we are saddly out of this year's ISYY FUKSI overall patches, but don't worry: we are now giving away last year's overall patches which are also very cute. By finishing at least bingo row you can take part in the Freshman Bingo Raffle until 30 October 3 pm.

Start a new hobby or find new friends with ISYY's Hobby Buddy service

The service is intended for all students of the University of Eastern Finland who want to make new friends through common hobbies and interests. The process works as follows: a student looking for a Hobby Buddy fills out a form available on ISYY's website, and we will get in touch when a matching buddy is found. You can search for a Hobby Buddy for one or multiple hobbies.

If you are looking for a friend to exercise with, please check out the Sports Buddy Service of SYKETTÄ.

ISYY's breakfasts will start in September 2025

ISYY’s breakfasts are relaxed and communal events open to all UEF students. Enjoy a nutritious start to your day and meet fellow students! Breakfasts are held monthly on both campuses with two seatings (Kuopio: Snellmania, Joensuu: Aura).

Dates and details on ISYY’s website.

Loan Sports and Hobby Equipment!

Did you know that ISYY has a miscellaneous selection of different equipment to loan for sports and hobby activities? Whether you are going to play badminton, or Finnish yard game Mölkky with you friends, we have the equipment for you.

Come to the ISYY office, explore our assortment, and maybe try something completely new. The choice is yours!

What? A large selection of equipment for sports and hobby activities. We have e.g. snowshoes, badminton rackets and discs for frisbee golf. The complete list of available equipment and board games can be found on our website.

Who can loan? All ISYY/JEIS (Joensuu's Exchange and International Students) members, SYKETTÄ users with valid stickers

Price? Borrowing is free!

How long can I keep the equipment? The loan time is one (1) week. Return the equipment to the ISYY office.

How can I borrow? Come to the ISYY Joensuu or Kuopio office, choose the equipment you want to borrow, and fill in the electronic loan form by reading the QR code at the customer service desk.

ISYY Club Meetings

All currently listed club meetings are held weekly in ISYY's club room at ISYY's office located near the city centre (Suvantokatu 6, 80100 Joensuu). The club meeting list will be updated as new club meeting times and locations are confirmed by the clubs.

More information and a full list of ISYY's clubs in Joensuu can be found on ISYY's webpage:

• MtG (Magic: the Gathering) Guild Mon 3 pm - 8 pm
• LUOMIO! (Literary Arts Club) Tue 6 pm - 8 pm
• JOOJAKU (Japanese Culture Club) Wed 4 pm - 8 pm
• Joensuu Board Gamers meeting Thu 3 pm - 8 pm
• Chess Club Fri 4 pm - 8 pm

Kick off Autumn with football 

The all star student teams of the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) and Karelia University of Applied Sciences (Karelia UAS) face each other for the third time in El Clásico at the heart of Joensuu at Central sports field (Mehtimäenaukio 2, Joensuu) in Mehtimäki Sports Park. Which team is going to be the football champion of North Karelia? 

Be present on Wednesday 17.9. at 5pm to cheer for your team to victory. The student event is an alcohol-free event!

El Clásico is organized by: the Sports club of the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), the Student Union POKA of Karelia University of Applied Sciences and SYKETTÄ Joensuu University Sports. 

Free trial period

At the start of the semesters, you have a chance to try out SYKETTÄ sports services without a valid SYKETTÄ membership. This autumn, the free trial period is held 1.-14.9.2025.

During the free trial period, you can participate in the events available on the sports calendar without a valid membership. However, users must enroll on each class beforehand. New users must register before they can use the services.

• Read more
• SYKETTÄ ABC

SYKETTÄ Appro

Complete sports events and get to know SYKETTÄ sports services!

SYKETTÄ Appro is held in the beginning of the autumn semester as part of the free trial period 1.-14.9.2025. The idea is to collect markings on an appro pass by participating in sports events in SYKETTÄ sports calendar. Each sports event is rewarded with one marking. Participants who return their appro pass will be rewarded with an overall badge based on the number of markings. We will also have extra classes!

You can collect your overall patch ownards from 15th of September.

How should the Kamu website be improved to better serve you as a student?

UEF, in collaboration with Exove, is running a planning and conceptualization project for the development of Kamu this autumn. To improve Kamu, we need your feedback and ideas! Please, respond to the survey, which is open from September 8 to 21, 2025.

The survey is anonymous and takes about 10 minutes to complete. Three € 50 gift cards for the UEF online store will be raffled off among those who respond to the survey. Taking part in the raffle is optional.

The Great Overalls Badge Hunt of the UEF Library

The Great Overalls Badge Hunt of the UEF Library is back! This year the badges will be hunted at the campus libraries from 8 to 12 September 2025.  

We will publish clues about the hiding places daily on our Instagram stories. Follow us on Instagram @ueflibrary.

NORDIC BUSINESS FORUM livestream comes to Joensuu!

This is a unique and free opportunity to hear inspiring talks while networking with local professionals and organizations.

September 24–25, 2025 – you can join either day or both

•  September 24: Joensuu Science Park
•  September 25: University of Eastern Finland

Organizers: Business Joensuu Oy / ICT Hub Joensuu, University of Eastern Finland, Karelia University of Applied Sciences, and Riveria. The regional HR network is also involved in the event.

Celebrating Languages in the Workplace – Event on September 26, 2025 Support and Tools for Language Learning

We invite you to get inspired and explore how language awareness can strengthen communication, inclusion, and learning in the workplace.

This event is free of charge and held in a hybrid format, both on-site and online. The event offers practical tips for supporting language learning at work and showcases best practices for operating in multilingual environments. The event also introduces opportunities offered by the Open University to develop your language skills.

This event is inspired by the European Day of Languages, which celebrates linguistic diversity and encourages the learning of new languages.

Join us in celebrating language, learning, and community!

Date & Time: September 26, 9:00–11:00
Location: Kuopio and Joensuu, at the premises of the University of Eastern Finland’s Centre for Continuous Learning, and online.

Registration is open until September 19. Register now: Kielten juhlaa työyhteisöissä – tukea ja työkaluja kielen oppimiseen | Itä-Suomen yliopisto

The Language Centre offers a new minor subject in Finnish as a Second Language!

Want to learn more about the Finnish language and culture? The main focus is on language use situations related to the student's everyday life and in contemporary Finnish society. The minor subject module is suitable for both beginners and those who have already studied some Finnish.

The minor subject consists of language studies and thematic studies. The minor is 25 credits. The minor subject consists of courses offered by the Language Centre and other departments. See the structure and studies in Peppi: Study Guide.

There is no need to apply for the right to study in the minor subject and there is no limit to the number of participants, but the student must register for the minor subject module.

We in Joensuu want all our new residents who have moved from abroad to feel welcome and belonging to the community.

The city is currently preparing a new integration program for the years 2026–2029. You can now influence the content of the integration program by participating in an open workshop!

The workshop will be held on Thursday, September 18th, from 9 AM to 12 PM at Tiedepuisto. Welcome to join us in the workshop!

Interested in singing?

The representative choir of the University of Eastern Finland, Joy, will organize an audition on September 15th between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., in the classroom AT100!

If you've ever dreamed of singing in a choir, we now offer a great opportunity to audition! You do not need previous singing experience to participate.

If you are unable to audition on the 15th, or you have any questions, please contact us via our e-mail: uefkuorojoy@gmail.com

Book your audition time

New student, Welcome to Joensuu!

In honor of the autumn and the start of studies, Joensuu Region Public Transport, or JOJO, will give away a free 30-day season ticket for 50 students starting their studies.

New students studying full-time at Karelia University of Applied Sciences, or the University of Eastern Finland can participate in the competition. The value of the prize depends on the number of zones to travel.

The competition period is September 3 — September 30, 2025.

Global Friday

Joensuun Setlementti organises Global Friday, a multicultural and international meeting place activity. At Global Friday you can get to know new people and cultures, express your own culture in the way you want or just enjoy being together.

Global Friday is a place open to everyone and free of charge, which takes place every Friday from 5 to 8pm in the Tupa space of Joensuun Setlementti.

Autumn dates for Global Friday are as follows:

• 12.9. (Welcome back), 19.9. (Gaming Friday)
• 24.10. (Halloween)
• 7.11. (Culture Day)
• 5.12. (Autumn's last)

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.