Happy Tuesday!

This Thursday March 19th, we celebrate Minna Canth and Equality Day! Canth is considered one of the most influential playwrights and realist prosaists in the history of the Finnish language. She was also the first Finnish-language female journalist. You can read more about the topic here.

A direct quote from the Yle article:
"So treat yourself today, and roll up your sleeves for more work towards equality tomorrow."

The celebrations don’t stop there! This week, we are also celebrating our 16-year-old Student Union.

ISYY was born in 2010 when the Universities of Joensuu and Kuopio merged to form the University of Eastern Finland (UEF). At the same time, the former student unions JOYY and KYY joined forces to become ISYY.

Did you know? If you’ve ever wondered why our logo has three points, it’s a nod to our history: UEF and ISYY used to operate on three campuses! In addition to Joensuu and Kuopio, there was a campus in Savonlinna.

If you want to dive deeper into the lore of our beloved student union, you can check out more history on our website.

Kind regards,
Timi
Membership Service Specialist

Upcoming exceptions in ISYY office opening hours

ISYY offices are closed:

• Thu–Tue 2–7 April due to Easter

In equipment loans, if the return date falls on a day when the office is closed, the loan period is automatically extended to the next day when the office is open.

ISYY Representative Council Meeting's Decisions 1/2026

The Representative Council of ISYY held its first meeting of 2026 on Sunday 1 March as part of the Council’s training weekend.

In its meeting the Representative Council decided e.g. the amount of remuneration for the Chairpersons of the Council, and appointed members for the Rules Committee and Finance Committee. ISYY Executive Board has established a working group to update ISYY’s Equality Plan, and two representatives were appointed to this group. ISYY Council also elected Hannele Mirola as ISYY’s new Secretary General.

The meeting featured lively discussion about establishing an International Committee, but the ISYY Council tabled the proposal in order to prepare it more thoroughly.

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):

• Sun 22.3. at 1 pm USBC (University Student Bible Club)
• Sun 29.3. at 1 pm USBC (University Student Bible Club)
• Tue 31.3. at 5 pm Kärmes (Board Game 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

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.

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.

More information from SYKETTÄ Kuopio facebook and instagram

www.facebook.com/sykettakuopio

Instagram: @syketta_kpo

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.

Niina Gråsten and Tiina Juurela receive the UEF Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities Award 2026

University Teacher Niina Gråsten and Student Well-being Specialist Tiina Juurela have received the University of Eastern Finland’s Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities Award 2026. They were recognised for their determined, expertly informed and human-centred efforts to promote awareness and understanding of neurodiversity at the University of Eastern Finland. An honourable mention was awarded to the academic subjects of home economics and craft science, which have made significant contributions to advancing cultural and linguistic awareness in research, education and societal interaction.

The award and the honourable mention were presented on the proposal of the UEF Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities Committee, as part of the UEF Equality Day celebrations on Monday, 16 March 2026.

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.

SYL: A strong will of young people to become educated is the greatest resource in Finland – investments must be in line with this

Finland has a huge amount of potential in young people who want to participate in higher education. In order not to miss this potential regardless of people’s background, free education must remain the cornerstone of the system. It is the primary manner of ensuring that educational pathways remain open to all young people. Increasing Finland’s competence level requires a cross-parliament-approved plan that extends beyond government terms and commits to permanently strengthening the funding and resources of education. Long-term resourcing would enable a permanent increase in admission places.

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:

• 17.3. Equality and Inclusion week 

• 24.3. Quizzes 

• 31.3. & 7.4. Easter Holiday, no Coffee & Friends this week

Interdisciplinary CraftCinema in Kuopio on April 13th!

The interdisciplinary CraftCinema organized by Retikka, KuoLo and Kino Kuvakukkko, will gather lovers of crafts and culture together on April 13th at Kino Kuvakukkko at 5:30 PM! The screening will be presented in dimmed lighting, so that you can, for example, knit, crochet or sew overall patches while watching the film. However, crafting is not a criterion for participation – every movie lover is welcome! Ticket costs 10 € and ticket sales start on Kide.app on Monday 23.3. at 12:00!  You can find more information here.

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.

Curious about working through a staffing agency?

Come and hear about temporary work in Finland! You will learn what temporary work means in Finland and what opportunities it can open up. Our speaker will be Auli Kauppinen from RTK-Henkilöstöpalvelu Oy.

After the presentation, we will divide into small groups and discuss about the topic in Finnish and ask questions. The aim is to practice speaking Finnish in a safe environment.

This event is free and open to everyone. Sign up today!

• March 25, 2026
• 13:00 – 15:00
• TyöNavigaattori, Asemakatu 7, 70110 Kuopio
• Language: Finnish (selkosuomi)

INSPIRING IMMIGRANT WOMEN! Finnish for working life!

• Do you want to get more skills to tell about yourself and your talents in Finnish to employers?
• Do you want to get hints from where and how you can seek jobs in Finland?
• Do you want to practise and improve your skills to write a CV and an job application in Finnish and shine in interviews in Finnish?

Face to face teaching and practising. We meet at Fridays 20.3. 27.3., 10.3., 17.4., 24,4., 8.5., 15.5., 22.5,  29.5., 5.6. and 12.6.2026  klo 13.00-16.15.. Homeworks and coaching.

You are warmly welcome, if you are a female student from the university or the university of applied science, your Finnish skills are at a language level A2 and you do not have an in integration plan.

Ministry of Education funds this training for female fulltime student, 0€. If you wish, you can do a Kapos-skill badge. Please, take your student card with you.

How do international professionals build successful careers in Finland?

This is the central question behind the V.I.S.I.O.N Framework Series 2026 by Kuhoga Insights. For Episode 1, we will host Sudipta Chatterjee, who will share her journey from studying at Savonia University of Applied Sciences to becoming an Education Export Executive there. Through this conversation, we will explore the realities of navigating career opportunities as an international in Finland, including the challenges, turning points, and lessons that helped shape her professional path. This meetup is designed for international students, job seekers, and professionals who want inspiration and practical insights about building their careers in Finland.  

Tuesday 24 March 2026  14:30 – 16:00  Snellmania Building – Room SN101 UEF Kuopio Campus (Savilahti)

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.