Happy Tuesday!

Our offices are back open! If you’ve got borrowed sports  equipment, now’s the time to bring it back.

Students’ Mental Health Week will be held this year during week 11 (9–15 March 2026). The theme of the campaign this year is faith in the future. UEF will take part in the campaign by organizing a mental health week pop‑up event on Tuesday 10 March, 11:00–13:00 in the Canthia lobby

Also, spring is on the way, but watch out for those slippery patches in the mornings. Enjoy the sunshine!

Kind regards,
Timi
Membership Service Specialist

ISYY's Association Days will be held 31.3.–1.4.2026

ISYY organises the Association Days on Tuesday and Wednesday 31.3.–1.4.2026 at Joensuu campus and on Wednesday 1.4.2026 at Kuopio Campus. The event in Joensuu is held in Carelia lobby and in Kuopio in Snellmania lobby. The event takes place on both days from 10 am to 2 pm.

Come and find out what ISYY and associations close to it have to offer. It’s also possible that you’ll find some new activities from Association Days! ISYY Association Days are open for everybody and there’s no entrance fee.

Traditionally associations sells their overall patches at the event, so it is a good idea to take some money with you.

Going to represent your association or club? Click the link below and find the registration links!

ISYY club meetings

Check the list of ISYY clubs in Kuopio on our website.

ISYY clubs' meetings at Lukema (ISYY office in Studentia, C door):

• Thu 11.3. at 5 pm Kärmes (Board Game Club)
• Sun 15.3. at 1 pm USBC (University Student Bible Club)
• Sun 22.3. at 1 pm USBC (University Student Bible Club)

SYKETTÄ Sports Services

SYKETTÄ – Kuopio University Sports offers a comprehensive range of sports services for students and staff of Savonia University of Applied Sciences and the University of Eastern Finland’s Kuopio campus. Please read the SYKETTÄ Kuopio information. Read more on the SYKETTÄ Kuopio website and follow SYKETTÄ on social media:

• SYKETTÄ Kuopio webpage
• Facebook: sykettakuopio
• Instagram: @syketta_kpo
• TikTok: syketta_kuopio

NHL Hockey Day Finland in Kuopio 27.-28.3. 

Friday 27 March is an evening event for higher education students "Student Night" 

The program includes disc jockey, show games and NHL-Appro.

Remember to return your SYKETTÄ appropass this week, and you will get the overall badge and participate in the raffles!

Studentia building Access Code

In the future, access to Studentia’s sports facilities will be managed via an access code found in the mobile app. Please update your app to the latest version to ensure the code is visible.

You must have a valid SYKETTÄ membership when using sports services!

• Buy the membership from the SYKETTÄ website's store or from ISYY office.
• You will also have access to nutrition and physical activity counselling.
• Find out more about our diverse services on the Member sevices webpage.

UEF info session on 20 March 2026 at 10:00–11:00

A UEF info session will be held on Friday 20 March 2026 from 10:00 to 11:00. The topics of the event include the decisions made in the UEF Board meeting of 19 March 2026, the financial statements 2025 and other current matters.

The languages of the info session are Finnish and English; the presentation material is in English.

Announcement to students: The Moodle provider for the University of Eastern Finland is changing – new Moodle to be launched in autumn 2026

The provider of the Moodle learning environment (elearn.uef.fi) at the University of Eastern Finland will change. The aim is to improve the reliability and usability, as well as to increase its potential for use.

The new UEF Moodle is aimed to be launched in August 2026. The change will be made as smooth as possible for students. All previous course completions and assessments will be automatically transferred to the new Moodle, no action is required from students.

SYL publishes parliamentary election programme

SYL has published its programme for the 2027 parliamentary elections. The title of the programme is Education, growth and sustainability. It summarises in three words the future vision and values of university students on which the future must be built.

The most important objectives of the programme are raising the level of education, facilitating the integration of international students, halting the indebtedness of students, promoting ability to study, and actions to assume global responsibility in climate and development policy.

True Cost - call to find International Students to Interview for SYLs advocacy campaign around international student employment and livelihood

Are you an international student in Finland? Share your experience. SYL is looking for international students to take part in the True Cost campaign, highlighting real experiences of studying, employment, livelihood and integration in Finland. The interviews will be conducted remotely in March–April, last 30–45 minutes, and are fully anonymous. SYL will raffle a set of noise cancelling headphones among the participants to the interviews.

Sign up by 6 March – find more information and the link to the form below.

SYL: Index linking is required for the housing supplement to last

When students were returned to the housing supplement for student financial aid last year, the financial support they receive for housing changed from the index-linked housing allowance to the non-linked housing supplement. At the same time, changes in student housing production subsidies implemented by the Government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will increase the rents of new student housing by an estimated 10–11 per cent.

In other words, students are faced with a situation where housing costs will rise considerably rapidly, but support for housing is lagging behind each year. The system cannot last for long as it is.

In the overall reform of student financial aid, index linking must be introduced for the housing supplement so that student financial aid can last as a system and meet the rising costs of housing. The index linking would help avoid future problems that were already encountered in the 2010s.

Today at Coffee & Friends: Speed friending

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 programme. 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 at 3-5pm at Lukema. 

Coffee & Friends programme:

• 10.3. Students’ Mental Health Week

• 17.3. Equality and Inclusion week 

• 24.3. Quizzes 

Students’ Mental Health Week: Pop‑Up Events on Campus

Students’ Mental Health Week will be held this year during week 11 (9–15 March 2026). The theme of the campaign this year is faith in the future. UEF will take part in the campaign by organizing a mental health week pop‑up event on both campuses:

• Kuopio: Tuesday 10 March, 11:00–13:00 in the Canthia lobby
• Joensuu: Thursday 12 March, 11:00–13:00 in the Carelia lobby

Come join us for coffee and conversations about your thoughts related to the future. If you wish, you can also visit the accessible exam room.

The event features UEF guidance and student wellbeing services (study psychologists, career counselling, special education teacher), the Language Centre, the Library, campus pastors, FSHS student health services, ISYY Student Union, and Sykettä sports services.

How is your living experience impacting your wellbeing? Take part in our Student Living Survey & win EUR500

Dear Student, we want to hear from you! Your student living experience plays a big role in your well-being, and by taking just a few minutes to complete our Student Living Survey, you’ll help shape the future of student housing while also getting a chance to win €500!

This survey is completely anonymous and focuses on key aspects of student life, including housing, finances, mental health, and social well-being. Please note: At the end, you’ll have the option to provide your email if you wish to enter the prize draw.

Weekly Feed is the English language newsletter of the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY). You are receiving this letter in your email because you are a member of ISYY and are studying at Kuopio 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.