Happy Tuesday!

Saturday 10 October is celebrated as Finnish Literature Day since it’s the birthday of Aleksis Kivi (1834-1872) who is regarded as Finland's national author. Kivi is known for writing "Seitsemän veljestä" (Seven brothers) which has become a classic of Finnish literature. If you’re interested in reading the book, you can find an English translation of it from the city library. Read more about Aleksis Kivi's life on National Biography of Finland's website.

Have a nice week!

Kind regards,
Joona Rantala | Coordinator of International Affairs

ISYY's new Communications Intern's introduction!

Hi, I'm Reeta Kalenius, fifth year student at media culture and communication. I started my internship at ISYY on Monday 5 October and it will last till 4 December.

I have a bachelor's degree in hospitality management and a culinary degree. I did a long run in the restaurant business, but as a curious soul, I wanted to learn new things. So I applied to culture studies and especially to media culture. Because I love movies and have acted in community theatre, this transition felt natural. In my free time I watch lots of movies, but culture studies have given me a new perspective of them.

When I was thinking the place where I can do my internship, ISYY felt like a natural place, because I have been part of Nefa's social media team and also Nefa's event manager. You need similar communication skills when you work at subject association as you do in student unions, so that's why ISYY felt like a great place for internship.

Upcoming exceptions to ISYY offices opening hours in autumn

• Offices are closed during week 42 (12–16 October)

Opening hours and possible exceptions can also be found from our website isyy.fi.

Show your bingo and participate in a raffle!

Our Freshman Bingo aka Fuksibingo has been a hit and the overall patches ran out early in September. But don't worry, everyone who shows complited bingo (even one row is enough!) at the ISYY office, can leave their contact information for the raffle! Winners will receive €20.00 gift cards to café Houkutus (10 gift cards/campus).

You must submit your contact details by 3 pm on Thursday 29 October 2026, after which the winners will be drawn by raffle. You can downlaod the electornic bingo sheet from the news below, or by taking a screenshot from our Instagram stories under highlight called "Fuksibingo".

The Equality Plan of ISYY is updated!

The Representative Council of ISYY unanimously accepted the updated Equality Plan in its meeting 15 September 2026.

Among the key updates to the Equality Plan was adding two new terms to the definitions: study environment and ableism. In addition, the updated Equality Plan recognises accessibility in a broader sense, including physical accessibility, and emphasises taking this into account in the Student Union’s activities.

The most significant updates to the equality plan concerned the section on the Student Union as an employer. The clarifications in the updated plan aim to clarify the roles and responsibilities of both the employer and employees in various potential harassment situations, as well as to define these situations.

ISYY’s Parliamentary Elections Programme 2027 is published!

The ISYY Council approved the Parliamentary Elections Programme 2027 in its meeting 15.9.2026. The purpose of the programme is to bring the student perspective into the public debate surrounding the parliamentary elections and to influence decision-making during the upcoming parliamentary term. The key themes highlighted in the programme are the quality and sustainable funding of education, student’s financial security, supporting students’ ability to study, and integrating students into working life.

Students are the future, and the future cannot be built by making cuts to the areas mentioned above.

Read the whole programme from the ISYY website!

Welcome to ISYY’s Interest Advocacy Coffee Break in Joensuu on Wednesday 7 October 2026!

ISYY’s Interest Advocacy Coffee Break in Joensuu is held on Wednesday 7 October 2026, from 4 to 6 pm in room AU210 (Aurora building, Yliopistonkatu 2).

Interest Advocacy Coffee Break is a relaxed discussion event open to all members interested in student advocacy. The event offers an opportunity to share thoughts and discuss current issues related to student wellbeing, rights, and everyday life together with a representative of the ISYY board. The aim is to provide a low-threshold space for students to voice their perspectives and contribute to the development of advocacy work. Light refreshments will be served. You don’t need to register for the event in advance.

This autumn’s Interest Advocacy Coffee breaks theme is based around student housing. We will also talk about inappropriate behavior and harassment. ISYY’s representatives want to hear about everyday life of students as well!

Hey student, your voice is needed!

ISYY is recruiting student representatives for the Faculty Council of Science, Forestry and Technology, Language Centre’s Teaching Skills Assessment Committee and FSHS delegation.

Faculty Council of Science, Forestry and Technology

• 3 deputy representatives, position of trust will last until the end of 2027
• A meeting fee is paid for participation in the meetings, also maximum of 2 ECTS can be granded

Positions in Language Centre's Teaching Skills Assessment Committee and FSHS delegation require Finnish skills.

Interested? Read more from ISYY’s website and send your informal application on Wednesday 14 October 2026 at 12(noon) the latest via email to Mikko Aaltonen mikko.aaltonen(at)isyy.fi.

ISYY Clubs in Joensuu

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

ISYY Club meetings at the ISYY Club room:

Monday 4 pm - 8 pm: ISYY's Magic the Gathering Guild

Tuesday  6 pm - 8 pm: LUOMIO! Literary arts club

Wednesday 4 pm - 8 pm: JOOJAKU

Thursday 4 pm - 9 pm: Joensuu Board Gamers

Friday 4 pm - 8 pm: ISYY Chess Club Joensuu

Other ISYY Club meetings:

Monday 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm: Joensuu's Exchange and International Students (Aurora-building, AU111)

Monday 6 pm - 8 pm: Academic & Historical Dance Society (Educa-building, hall E200)

Exceptions in schedules during the autumn break week

During week 42 (12.-18.10.2026) instructed classes are on vacation. Gyms and ball sports turns held in our own sports facilities are available. Extra classes will be added to Mehtimäki hall. Check the current information in the sports calendar.

Join FC Hertta’s recreational women’s team

FC Hertta adult women's group is the perfect way to take a break from studies, stay active, and learn the basics at your own pace in a supportive environment. Contact us for more details.

Sinna Kouvalainen
+358 50 373 6366
sinna.kouvalainen@fchertta.fi

Added to the calendar starting October 6th: Snooker, pool, and darts

Location: Snooker Alliance
Time: Tuesdays from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Guidance is available for both rules and technique. Sign up through the SYKETTÄ sports calendar. Welcome!

UEF Moodle now has a new Course Catalog feature

Have you discovered the Course Catalog in UEF Moodle? You can find it from the Course Catalog tab at the top of the Moodle page. Use it to search for courses by name or filter results using tags, making it easier to find the courses you need.

As the Course Catalog is a new feature, tag-based searches currently return only some courses. This will improve over time as more courses are tagged. The more tags are added, the more useful the Course Catalog becomes. You could say it's like a good wine – it gets better with age.

Join a webinar on 5 November 2026: The impact of higher education institution groups in Finland

What experiences does Finland have with higher education institution groups? What impact have they had on education, research, regional development and the activities of higher education institutions? What added value or challenges have group structures generated?

The webinar will be held in Finnish. Participants can submit comments and questions during the event. A recording will be published of the webinar with English subtitles, and an English summary will be made available of the survey. The research report, its English summary, and the webinar recording will be published after the event. The version with English subtitles will be published later.

Welcome to a webinar on Thursday, 5 November, 2026 from 10:00 to 12:00 to hear more.

First-year student, please complete the HealthStart questionnaire in YTHSDigi

If you started completing your first degree at an institution of higher education in the autumn semester 2026, you can now complete the HealthStart questionnaire in YTHSDigi. 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.

SYL and SAMOK on the act on student financial aid: Students’ livelihood requires investments, not additional cuts!

The Government proposal for an act on student financial aid fails to resolve the main issue with students’ livelihood – the inadequacy of the study grant and housing supplement. Although the main objective of the reform set forth in the Government Programme was to enable full-time studies, no measures have been taken to achieve this.

“The Government’s ‘cost-neutral’ reform turned out to be yet another cut, just as we have warned over the past year. Cutting costs at the expense of students must stop,” says Laura Heino, member of the SYL Board.

SYL issues a statement on the government proposal to improve the terms of the home savers scheme

The Ministry of the Environment requested a statement from SYL on the legislative proposal to improve the terms of the home savers scheme, also known as the ASP system. SYL supports the government proposal, which aims to decrease the self-financed share of the ASP loan from 10% to 5%, to increase the share of the state guarantee from 90% to 95%, and to extend the maximum loan period from 25 years to 40 years.

Young Universities for the Future of Europe Academy

You can also do voluntary work at YUFE. This earns you the YUFE Civic Star recognition and, depending on your degree programme, credits as well. In this video, UEF students also share their own experiences on the subject. Find out more about Civic Engagement on the YUFE website and get in touch at yufe@uef.fi!

Enrolment to the Pathways to Career Competence and Networks, 2 ECTS, course is now open!

Talent Hub Eastern Finland project is recruiting students to join Future Talents team. The main goal of the team is to foster cooperation between international study programmes, local companies, and organizations to create collaboration such as internships, project work, case studies and thesis topics. In a way, the Future Talents team works as a representative of the university by marketing and selling the skills and expertise of study programs and students. Being part of the team begins by completing 2 credits orientating course Pathways to Career Competence and Networks. Successful completing will open the possibility to participate in the Future Talents Team project (3 ECTS) later on the spring.

Pathways to Career Competence and Networks (Joensuu campus)

Who can apply?

The course is mainly targeted for students of international degree programmes (bachelor and master's) also doctoral researchers can apply (max intake 40).

Why apply?

• A chance to improve your employment opportunities
• Network with other students, local employers and organizations
• Get to know the Finnish working life and culture
• Improve problem solving, team working and negotiation skills
• Professional growth and guidance

Seminars in Joensuu

• 22.10. 14-16 F111 (UEF, Futura building)
• 26.10. 15-17 WÄR_100a (Karelia UAS, Wärtsilä campus)
• 18.11. 14-16 F111 (UEF, Futura building)
• 24.11. 15-17 WÄR_100a (Karelia UAS, Wärtsilä campus)

Planning intimate futures: Young adults' visions of family in Europe seminar

We really warmly recommend attending this seminar which will be happening in Helsinki on October 22! It’s an international discussion event held in English, and you can also include it in your studies according to the study accreditation guidelines in Kamu.

We can honestly state that this is an event that students from many different fields would benefit from, especially those studying the humanities, environmental policy, social sciences, and social work.

The research focuses on how society’s service and support systems often fail to recognise the kinds of families that young adults actually want to build. Many young adults see family as something built together with friends, a partner or partners, pets, relatives, and other close people. When support systems mainly recognise the traditional heterosexual nuclear family model, many families and family aspirations are left without adequate support.

The research is based on interviews conducted in Finland, Scotland, and Portugal, making it especially interesting to explore how global crises may shape young adults’ visions of the future in different countries.

The seminar costs students only €5, and lunch and coffee will be provided!

Kind regards, NETREP research team from UEF

Job info for English speakers

Every Thursday at Koskikatu 5, 80100 Joensuu from 3 pm till 4 pm.

• Tips for independent job searching
• Tips for different industries
• Easy access job opportunities with no/low Finnish language requirements
• How to get access to hidden jobs
• How to improve your position as job seeker
• Upcoming events

No registration - just walk in!

North Karelia Seta's events

Game nights & Dungeons and Dragons -gatherings

• Game Fridays are open evening gatherings for everyone, where you can play games brought by the facilitators or bring your own.
• At community space Tove, Torikatu 9 A, 2nd floor
• Board game nights every other week from 5 pm to 7 pm. Next time on 16 October.
• D&D night every other week from 6:30 pm to 8. Next time on 9 October.

English speaking LGBTQIA+ hangouts

• At community space Tove, Torikatu 9 A, 2nd floor
• Two times a month on Mondays at 5–7 pm. Next time on 19 October.
• Coffee, tea and snacks provided. Free of charge. Bring a friend!

Save the Date: November Market

The traditional November Market will be held at the Joensuu market square on Friday and Saturday, November 6–7, 2026.

The market is open on Friday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and on Saturday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

For place reservations and further information:

Market Supervisor, tel. 050 339 3317 or tori@joensuunvirta.fi

Jobs, internships and appointments to UEF career counsellors in JobTeaser

Job and internship offers for students and recent graduates can be found in the JobTeaser web service. Students and staff members log into the JobTeaser UEF platform using their UEF credentials. You can continue using the service after graduation as well. JobTeaser is used in over 700 universities and institutions of higher education in Europe and job and internship offers spread throughout Europe.

• You can book a personal appointment to a UEF career counsellor in JobTeaser. Guidance is available on both campuses and online.
• You will also find a selection of various sorts of events organized by, for example, TE-Live, EURES, different projects and employer organizations. Many of the events are organized online. Thus, you can take part in interesting events elsewhere in Europe. There are also employer profiles and information of job opportunities in, especially, international companies and employers.
• In JobTeaser, you will also find info about the UEF career services and courses on job seeking and career planning.

If you have any questions, please contact Career Services, email: urapalvelut@uef.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.