Happy Tuesday! 

And happy Valentine's Day to everyone! Ystävänpäivä literally translates as "Friends Day", and it is common for Finnish friends to gather together on Valentine's Day and have, for example, a movie night with snacks or go to a café.

Sports Afternoon is approaching fast and enrollment for events starts today! Be quick since the spots fill up pretty fast. You can find the sports selection on SYKETTÄ Joensuu's website.

Have a wonderful and scenic winter week!

Kind regards,
Joona Rantala | Coordinator of International Affairs, Joensuu Campus

Sports Afternoon 17.2.2026

Sports afternoon of spring 2026 will be held on Tuesday 17.2.2026. On Sports Afternoon, different exercise options are available for students and staff members. SYKETTÄ sticker is not required to participate in Sports Afternoon. More information on our website. 

After Sports Bingo Joensuu

After Sports Bingo at Ticorillo (Amarillo) on Tuesday 17.2. at 6pm!

1, 2, 3, Bingo! After Sports Bingo by ISYY on Sports Afternoon Tuesday 17.2. at 6pm in Ticorillo! The first Bingo round starts at 6:45 and the second one at 7:45, tickets on sale now at kide.app 2€ (+ Kide.app service fee 0,55€). Every participant gets overall patch and for the best in Bingo super prices from coffee to goodie bag - come, experience and win!

Today at Coffee & Friends: Valentine’s Day Crafts 

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. 

Coffee & Friends meets on Tuesdays from 27 January forward at 4-6pm at Agora Café. 

Coffee & Friends programme:

• 10.2. Valentine's Day Crafts
• 17.2. Relaxing and Colouring
• 24.2. Bingo 
• 3.3 Winter Holiday, no Coffee&Friends this week

Whole spring’s programme will be updated on ISYY’s webpage as the planning progresses

Welcome to the 16th Annual Celebration of the Student Union on Sat 21 March in Joensuu

ISYY's Annual Celebration will be held on Saturday 21 March 2026 at 6 pm in Joensuu, Original Sokos Hotel Kimmel’s event space Sirkkala. 

The Annual Celebration details are now published on ISYY's website and registration for the event is now open in kide.app. We warmly welcome all ISYY members and friends of ISYY to celebrate our Student Union with us!

Have you heard about 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.

Borrow Sports Equipment or Board Gamers from ISYY office

Did you know that from ISYY office you can borrow for free a wide range of Sports Equipment and Board Games to bring up joy for your free time. 

In our selection there is for winter sports e.g. plastic sliders (liukuri) and sleds (pulkka), and ice skates. We have also a lot of different equipment for indoor sports, like badminton and padel rackets and different balls.

You can loan sports equipment by visiting our office during its opening hours. The equipment can not be reserved beforehand.

Welcome to loan sports equipment and check out our board game selection to our office!

ISYY is giving out grants for international activities!

The grant is for events and projects that promote internationalisation in the 2026 spring semester and is meant for student associations, campus associations and ISYY clubs.

We are looking for activities that in addition to promoting internationalisation and international affairs in the campus cities, are innovative, are repeatable and reproducible, are sustainable long-term, are environmentally friendly, promote sobriety and take all students into account. Cooperation with other associations and clubs is also considered an advantage.

Two best applications will receive a grant of 300 €. Application period is from January 30 till February 22.

Bible Club

Bible Club is a place for people to gather to experience community and discover God. We meet every Monday at 4:30 p.m. in the Natura Building, classroom N110. During our meetings, we read the Bible and discuss it together. The club is open to everyone, and no prior experience is required. We hope to see you there!

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). The club meeting list will be updated as new club meeting times and locations are confirmed by the clubs.

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

Thursday 4 pm - 9 pm: Joensuu Board Gamers

Friday 4 pm - 8 pm: ISYY Chess Club

Other ISYY Club meetings

Monday 4 pm - 6:30 pm: Bible Club (Natura, N110)

Monday 4:30 pm - 6 pm: JEIS Joensuu's Exchange and International Students (Aurora, AU207)

Valentine’s Day Event 14.2.2026, 9 AM–9 PM

SYKETTÄ is organizing a Valentine’s Day sports event featuring group exercise classes and badminton. You can bring a friend with you who does not have a valid SYKETTÄ membership. The program includes light exercise, partner workouts, cardio-based classes, and a badminton match. Advance registration is required for the match.

Winter Classic 18.2.2026

Winter Classic 2026 takes over PKS Arena on Wednesday, 18.2. at 6:30 PM! The evening will be filled with atmosphere as Joensuu’s student teams face off in a spectacular ice hockey match. Join us to watch, support the teams, and enjoy a free sports event!

Are you looking for a workout buddy?

The Workout Buddy service is offered by SYKETTÄ university sports for higher education students who want to be physically active and are looking for someone to exercise with. The goal of the service is to connect students who share similar interests in different types of sports and activities.

In the Workout Buddy application, you can tell us what kinds of sports interest you and what kind of exercise companion you’re looking for. We’ll contact you once we’ve found a suitable match. You don’t need to have an active SYKETTÄ membership to take part in the Workout Buddy service.

By filling out the workout buddy application, we’ll help you find the right exercise partner for you!

UEF info session online on 19 February 2026

The first UEF info session in 2026 will be organised online on Thursday 19 February at 13:00–14:00. The topics of the event are:

• The university’s budget for 2026 and economic outlook
• The current situation and progress of campus development

The languages of the info session are Finnish and English; the presentation material is in English. You can ask questions and provide comments in advance or during the event in the UEF info session community in Viva Engage.

Calls for Application for Outgoing Student Exchange have been posted!

The next application period for outgoing exchange opens soon!

During this application period, students may apply for Erasmus+, YUFE, Nordplus/Nordlys or bilateral exchange.

The application period ends on Feb 16 at 3 pm sharp.

Read more about available programmes in the calls for applications on Kamu and fill in the application form on SoleMOVE. For more information, please see the Study Abroad section on Kamu!

Pop-up dinners on university campuses: Joensuu Kampus Bistro 12 February

Come along to enjoy great company and to taste delicious menu created by Food & Co culinary chefs for only 10 euros (non-students 12 €). Feel free to join us on your own or with friends – every table welcomes both familiar faces and new acquaintances.

Interested in discovering Finnish culture through dance?

Join our dance course, specially designed for international students from Riveria, SAKKY, Karelia, Savonia, and UEF in Joensuu and Kuopio. You’ll learn traditional Finnish social dances you might see at Finnish dance events and summer pavilions. You’ll find out what to expect at these events, practise a bit of Finnish in real situations, and connect with fellow students in a fun and welcoming environment.

The course is free for participants. Sign up by 24 February!

Library Closed on Sports Afternoon 17 February

The library enjoys Sports Afternoon on Tuesday 17 February 2026. Joensuu and Kuopio Campus Libraries are open from 10 am to 12 pm (doors open from 8 am to 12 pm) and KUH Medical Library from 11 am to 12 pm. Library’s 24/7 self-study facilities are available with an access badge also on the Sports Afternoon starting from 12.15.

What is Zoola and why is it used?

Zoola is a learning analytics tool connected to eLearn Moodle that helps teachers monitor students' progress in a course. It compiles existing data from Moodle into clear summaries. Zoola does not generate or collect new data. The purpose of the tool is to help teachers identify where and when students need support. For students, Zoola appears as a timeout: if nothing is done on the eLearn page for about 20 minutes, a pop-up window appears.

Welcome to answer a survey on the employment of international students!

The survey is part of a study conducted with research funding from the Prime Minister’s Office concerning the employment of international students from the perspective of regional labour needs.

The purpose of this survey is to gain an understanding of what international students think about employment in the region where they are studying, or more generally in Finland.

This survey is aimed at international bachelor’s and master’s degree students (excluding doctoral students) who are studying or have studied at Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences.

Please answer the survey by 27.2.2026 at the latest.

You can answer the survey using the link below

• in English: https://eu.research.net/r/international-students_survey
• in Finnish: https://fi.eu.research.net/r/kv-opiskelijat_kysely

The survey takes about 10–15 minutes to complete.

Exchange application help desk!

At the exchange application help desk, coordinator(s) from UEF International Mobility Services will answer your questions and help you with any technical issues on the online application system SoleMOVE.

Upcoming help desk dates and times:

• Monday 9 Feb 2026 Joensuu: Carelia lobby, 2:30-4 PM
• Tuesday 10 Feb 2026 Joensuu: Carelia lobby, 9:30-11 AM

Winter Market Day 14.2.2026

Welcome to enjoy a joyful Winter Day for the whole family at Joensuu Market Square on Valentine’s Day, Saturday 14 February 2026, 8-16.

The event will feature vendors, exhibitors, and activities for all ages.

Ski bus from Joensuu to Koli

During the winter season on weekends from 14 February to 5 April, the Ski Bus operates from Joensuu to Koli. The bus route runs via Marjala, Noljakka, Niinivaara and the city centre, continuing through Lehmo towards Koli.

The bus stops in Koli village, at the lower station of the ski slopes, and near the Koli peaks at the courtyard of Ukko Nature Centre and Break Sokos Hotel Koli.

Please purchase tickets in advance from Matkahuolto’s website; tickets are not sold on the bus.

Welcome to join Nyyti's English-speaking online safer space peer support sessions!

Peer support sessions are for international LGBTIQA+ students in higher education, and we wish to share the queer joy among every one of you. Hangout is an ideal place to discuss about experiences of minority stress as an international LGBTQIA+ student and share your heart and mind with others.

The first peer support session is on Zoom on Thursday 26th of February and the second is on 5th of March, from 5 PM to 7 PM.  More information and registration on Nyyti’s website.

Stricter criteria for social assistance as of February – what does it mean for degree students?

All students applying for social assistance are required to apply for a student loan – Kela can no longer use discretion. More information and answers to common questions can be found from Kela's website.

3 days. Real challenges. Multidisciplinary teams. Mentors who push you further.

This is where design, business, and technology collide. This is the Sprint 2026, Finland’s largest design sprint.

You’ll be placed in a small, multidisciplinary team, stay at a hotel, and work on a real-world challenge set by one of our amazing challenge partners. The themes span culture, health, technology, finance, and AI, so whether your background is in design, business, engineering, research, medicine, or something else entirely, there’s a challenge for you.

And yes: the winning team from each challenge will take home a 1 000 € prize. So… do you think you’ve got what it takes? Apply and prove it.

The Sprint 2026

 Where: Valo Hotel, Helsinki 
 When: March 27th–29th, 2026

Are you ready to sprint outside the box?

Apply by February 22nd!

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.