Happy Tuesday!

The annual food waste week is here again! ISYY did a little research on the amount of food waste in campus restaurants during a normal week. For example, at Tietoteknia, the amount of food waste during week 37 was as much as 114.7 kg, which equals about 655 medium-sized bananas! Pretty wild amount, right? ISYY challenges all students to pay attention to the generation of food waste, especially in campus restaurants!

Kind regards,

Joona Rantala | Coordinator of International Affairs, Joensuu Campus

Exceptions in ISYY office opening hours

Here are the upcoming exceptions to ISYY offices opening hours in October 2025: 

• Sports Afternoon (Wed 1.10.2025): Open 12-15
• Autumn Holidays week 42 (13.-17.10.2025): CLOSED

ISYY's advocacy coffees are starting up again!

ISYY advocacy coffee sessions will be organized in Kuopio at Lukema and in Joensuu at Aurora (AU101) on 7 October, 2025, from 4:00-5:00 PM.

All members interested in student advocacy are welcome to discuss with ISYY's board and student association representatives over coffee, tea, and light refreshments.

If you want to ensure there's enough coffee for you, please register your participation by October 6, 2025, at 11:59 PM by filling out the Google Forms registration form. You can also attend without prior registration!  Link to registration can be found in ISYY website!

Language Café selection of autumn 2025 is here!

Do you want to learn a new language, brush up on your old skills and meet new people? Language Cafés are the perfect opportunity for you!

The idea of the language cafés is to provide an informal platform for students to both learn and teach languages in a relaxed manner. If you complete a couple of assignments during the Language Café, you can earn 1 ECT as a participant. Register to the cafés through this Google Form on Sunday 28 September at the latest.

The following Language Cafés are available in the autumn semester (All of them are organised on Joensuu campus, on-site):

• Swedish (Intermediate, ECTs available)
• Japanese (Intermediate, ECTs available)
• Finnish (Beginner, ECTs available)
• Finnish (Beginner, ECTs available)
• Spanish (Intermediate, No ECTs available)
• English (Intermediate, ECTs available)
• English (Advanced, No ECTs available)

Wanted: Student Representatives to UEF Administrative Bodies for the term 2026-2027

Do you want to participate in UEF decision-making as a student representative, or as we say “halloped”, and represent all students of UEF? This could be your chance! As a student representative you'll gain great experience of administration work and decision-making, get monetary compensation when attending the meetings, and you can later apply for ETCS's from these positions.

We are serching representatives for the following bodies:

• UEF Board
• UEF Collegiate Body
• UEF Faculty Councils

In UEF administrative bodies Student Representatives promote students’ point of view in the decision making and also bring matters that are important for students into public debate. They also have a right to make proposals and motions in the bodies. If your first language is not Finnish, UEF will organise interpretation services for you.

Interested? Read more from ISYY website, get to know the application calls and apply by Mon 13 October at 12 pm (noon).

Coffee & Friends

This autumn’s Coffee & Friends starts today on both campuses! The café meets on Tuesdays at 3-5pm at Lukema in Kuopio and at 4-6pm at Agora café in Joensuu.

Upcoming themes in Coffee & Friends:

• 23.9. Quizzes
• 30.9. Dream Board Workshop
• 7.10. Colouring & board games

Coffee & Friends event offers low-threshold hanging out after lectures and the opportunity to meet other students over coffee and a snack. All students of the University of Eastern Finland are welcome to Coffee & Friends. You can come to the café alone or with a friend. In addition, Coffee & Friends has a changing chill program. Participation in the programme is voluntary and you can come for a while or for the whole time. Participation is free of charge and does not require pre-registration.

Wellbeing Week

Wellbeing Week will be held for the twelfth time at the University of Eastern Finland from 29 September to 4 October 2025. The aim of the Wellbeing Week is to offer UEF students and staff a wellbeing promoting program throughout the week. During Wellbeing Week, a variety of activities will be organised to provide tools to increase one's own wellbeing and support the ability to concentrate.

During Wellbeing Week, a variety of activities will be organised, for example, the Finnish Kennel Club's Care Dogs will visit campuses and a lecture aimed at international students will offer tips on how to survive the Finnish winter and polar night. SYKETTÄ sports services will organize the traditional Sports Afternoon on Wed 1 October. 

ISYY Council Meeting 25 September at 5 pm

Are you curious to know what ISYY Council does? ISYY Representative Council will hold a meeting this week on Thursday 25 September at 5 pm. You are welcome to follow the meeting in classrooms or via the livestream on ISYY's YouTube channel.

In the meeting, the Representative Council will, among other things, elect new members to Rules and Finances Committees, discuss the location of Joensuu office and decide on accepting ISYY’s new policy paper.

The meeting is held in rooms N100 (Natura, Joensuu) and SN201 (Snellmania, Kuopio). The meeting notice can be found on the ISYY website.

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 today at the latest!

ISYY Club Meetings

All currently listed club meetings (except JEIS 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
• Joensuu's Exchange and International Students Mon 5 pm - 6:30 pm
  • On Campus, Aurora-building, room AU102
• 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

What ISYY Council, what Representative Council Elections?

The Representative Council is the highest decision-making body of the Student Union, consisting of 39 members of ISYY. The members of the Representative Council are elected in elections held every two years. Every member of ISYY has the right to vote in these elections, meaning that students choose the members of the Representative Council from among the students who stand as candidates. All ISYY members are eligible to run as candidates. The current Council's term will end at the end of 2025, so it’s time to elect a new council!

The Representative Council elections will be held electronically this autumn. Advance voting will take place from 27 to 31 October 2025, and the official election day is 6 November 2025.

Join the ISYY Election Info today 23 September!

What is the Representative Council of ISYY? What are the ISYY Council elections? Who are chosen to the ISYY Council? Who can be nominated as a candidate in the elections? How can I establish my own list of candidates? Join us and ask!

ISYY will organise a Representative Council election info today on 23 September 2025 remotely on Google Meet at 4.15 pm.

Election Info time schedule:

• 4.15 pm - 5.15 pm info in Finnish and time for questions
• 5.15 pm - 6.15 pm info in English and time for questions

Run as a candidate in ISYY’s Representative Council Elections – apply by 1 Oct!

How much is the ISYY's membership fee? Where is is spent? What will ISYY do in the future? These are all questions and decisions you can impact in the council! This is your chance to influence the most important matters of your student life. Check out your hand of cards and run as a candidate, maybe you'll cards will win.

You have until 1.10. 3pm to nominate yourself as a candidate!

Candidate Lists’ Campaigning Days

All candidate lists of the Representative Council Elections have a chance to present themselves and do campaigning on both campuses during certain dates. The lists of candidates are asked to sign up for the campaigning days via Google Forms beforehand.

Campaigning days for lists in Joensuu:

• Thu 25.9, from 10 am to 2 pm, Natura lobby
• Mon 29.9, from 10 am to 2 pm, Carelia lobby

Check out all info from ISYY’s website and sign up!

Sports Afternoon

Sports afternoon of autumn 2025 will be held on Wednesday 1.10.2025. The UEF and Karelia UAS hold a sports afternoon together and by the decision of the university rectors, the sports afternoon is lecture-free from 12:15pm.

On sports afternoon, different exercise options are available for students and staff members. SYKETTÄ membership is not required to participate in sports afternoon.

All classes and turns in SYKETTÄ sports calendar on 1.10. are also included in sports afternoon programme! To participate in classes and turns in sports calendar, you must be registered as a user and enroll on classes and turns.

Floorball League Registration for Season 2025-2026

Floorball is one of the most popular team sports in Finland. The student floorball league on the Joensuu campus, better known as Säbäliiga, is the biggest student leagues organized by volunteers. The Floorball League moves around 250 students on the Joensuu campus.

Teams will enroll for the series until 3.10.2025, games will start in October. Each player needs either SYKETTÄ ball games or group exercise sticker. Team fee for season 2025–2026 is €75. 

Welcome to Säbäliiga!

Digital Services will be carrying out lifecycle replacements of network devices today

During the maintenance, there will be short interruptions in the university’s network connections. Services may become available earlier if the replacements proceed as planned without issues.

During the maintenance break, campus internet connections (wired network, uef2) can be unavailable.

Other services may be temporarily unavailable during the maintenance break, such as:

• Peppi
• eLearn
• Global Protect VPN

Exceptions to UEF library opening hours

Joensuu campus library services are open on 1 October in the following way due to Sports Afternoon:

• Library doors are open from 8 am to 12 pm
• Customer service is open from 10 am - 12 pm

If you want to use the 24/7 study spaces, they are usable with a library access badge from 12.15 pm onwards.

Join YUFE Friend activities

It's time to sign up for the YUFE Friend programme again! YUFE Friend allows a local person or family to become friends with a UEF student or employee who has moved to Finland - and vice versa.

We are looking for two types of people interested in mutual cultural exchange:

1. local people or families who are interested in sharing everyday life in Finland and getting to know new people

2. UEF students and staff members (and their families, if any) who have recently moved to Finland and would like to meet local people and learn more about life in Finland.

Read more in the brochures provided in this Viva Engage post and Register by 20 October!

For more information on YUFE Friend activities, contact:

Kirsi Karjalainen (050 462 1267, kirsi.karjalainen@uef.fi)

First-year student, complete the HealthStart questionnaire in the FSHS Self online service

If you started completing your first degree at an institution of higher education in the autumn semester 2025, you can now complete the HealthStart questionnaire in the Self online service. After completing the HealthStart questionnaire, you’ll receive feedback on your state of health and may be referred to health promotion services provided by the FSHS.

The health examination for first-year students begins with the HealthStart questionnaire, the aim of which is to help you and healthcare professionals check your health status and refer you to the appropriate services as early as possible at the beginning of your studies.

The HealthStart questionnaire examines your physical, mental and social health, as well as the key aspects of your health behavior and factors affecting your health, health behavior and ability to study.

New Demon Slayer movie with English subtitles today!

Savon Kinot has gotten requests from international students to have a screening for the new Demon Slayer -movie with english language subtitles as well. This screening is today and it starts at 6.40 pm!

Visit Finnish schools during your stay in Finland

Would you like to visit a Finnish school or daycare center while in Finland?

School visits can be carried out in any classes – in subjects such as languages, history, geography, sports, arts, cooking, biology, religion, and student counselling. You can also take part in a theme day organised by the local school, e.g., an international day.

Your school visit makes a difference to the pupils! You don't need to be a teacher, just a visitor bringing something new to the classroom. During the school visit, you will have a possibility to join lessons, present your country and broaden Finnish pupils' cultural awareness, and inspire them to study or volunteer abroad. You'll also gain insight into the Finnish education system.

Travel expenses will be reimbursed, and you'll receive a certificate of participation.

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.