Happy Tuesday!

Yesterday, 12 May, was a flag day in Finland because of the philosopher, writer and statesman Johan Vilhelm Snellman (1806-1881). He had a big influence on Finnish language, Finnish culture and even on the use of our old currency, markka. You can read more about Snellman on This is Finland website. The 12th of May is  Snellman's birthday and the day is known nowadays as the "Day of Finnish Identity" or the "Finnish Heritage Day". Snellman lived in Kuopio for a few years with his family.

The last Weekly Feed of this spring will be sent on Tuesday 27 May. If you have material for it, please send it by Friday 23 May.

Have a nice week!

Kind regards,
Elina
Coordinator of International Affairs and Administration

ISYY Council Meeting 15 May at 5 pm

ISYY Representative Council will hold a meeting this week on Thursday 15 May 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 discuss, among other things, the selection of delegates to the SYL’s General Assembly, supplementary budget proposal and how to elect student representatives to the University Collegiate Body.

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

Few days left to design the cover of ISYY's next student calendar

Does your heart beat for graphic design? Do you want fame and fortune? We have a chance for you to shine! Let loose your creative self and design the cover of the ISYY Student Calendar for the academic year 2025–2026. The winning design will be the cover of our next student calendar, which will be available to collect in approximately mid-August 2025.

The winner will receive a 100 euro gift card to S-Group (can be used in markets like Prisma and S-market, in restaurants, hair salons, hotels etc. that operate under the S-Group). The winner will be contacted personally via email. The user rights of the winning design will be forfeited to ISYY.

Send the final design with your contact info (name, email, phone number) via e-mail to ISYY's Communications Specialist (tiedotus@isyy.fi) no later than 15 May 2025.

North Karelia Pride Parade and Park Festival on Saturday 17 May 

ISYY is participating in the Pride parade and in cooperation with Pohjois-Karjalan Seta ry and Fiktio ry organising the Park Festival in Joensuu on Saturday 17 May!

Equality and transparency are important values for ISYY. ISYY encourages all its members to take part in the Pride parade and park festival, as well as to wear student overalls to form a rainbow.

The parade starts moving at 3 pm from the yard of art museum Onni and ends at 4 pm at the Ilosaari park, which features a picnic, music, Drag workout and, of course, great company. ISYY and Qirjava ry have their own area in Ilosaari that brings together all students. In the picnic-area you can find ISYY’s glitter make-up station where you can decorate yourself with glitter for the evening's Pride party.

The first 150 students at the ISYY’s picnic-area will be given ISYY's Pride-Hemmo overall patch as a memory.

Eurovision Viewing Parties cancelled

ISYY board decided in its board meeting on 7 May 2025 to cancel the ISYY Eurovision viewing parties on both campuses due to low attendance, and feedback received from the events.

The purpose of the viewing parties was to offer students an opportunity to gather around music and culture, and board aims to organize a new alcohol-free music-themed event at a better time in the fall.

ISYY club meetings

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

• Tue 13.5. at 5 pm Kärmes (board game club)
• Thu 23.5. at 5 pm Kärmes (board game club)
• Sun 25.5. at 1 pm UEF Student Bible Club

Summer group exercise classes

The first sessions of the summer season will be held from May 12th to June 5th, and the second part in August from August 18th to August 31st.

Classes will take place both in the Studentia sports hall and outdoors in Puijo, enjoying the summer weather.

Registration for the classes begins as usual 7 days before the start of the event via registration calendar. You can participate with a group exercise and ball sports sticker or a monthly sticker.

Please note that classes marked in pink will only be held on that specific day.
Click here for the Summer group exercise classes.

Do you ride a bike? 

Join the SYKETTÄ Kuopio team! Kilometrikisa is a light-hearted cycling competition for workplaces, departments, associations, clubs or any other teams. The aim is to encourage bicycle commuting and promote everyday cycling. Kilometrikisa will be held between 1.5.-30.9.2025.

In Kilometrikisa every team member will record their cycling kilometers and the team with the highest number of kilometers will win. All UEF and Savonia UAS staff members and students are welcome to attend the SYKETTÄ Kuopio team!

Follow these instructions:

1. Join team at: kilometrikisa.fi
2. Fill in your personal information
3. Choose the code below
   • Team name: SYKETTÄ Kuopio
   • Participation code: 112014

Apply for regular sports shifts

Apply regular sports shifts for Studentia sports hall and/or Snellmania mirror hall for the 2025–2026 academic year. Regular shifts are weekly sports shifts for student or staff groups. Each regular shift has its own shift manager, whose contact information is visible in the SYKETTÄ calendar.

Fill the form linked below by 22.5.2025.

Hey SYKETTÄ mover! 

How did the spring season go with our services? Did you find an absolute favorite in the exercise calendar, or was your favorite class missing from the selection?

Leave your thoughts on our Padlet wall and help us develop our services to be even better! We are accepting feedback until May 25th, 2025!

May exchange application period still open!

In May, students may apply for exchanges during spring 2026. Application period is open until 3:00 PM, 15 May 2025.

Included in the application period are Erasmus+ Nordlys, YUFE, bilateral and ISEP exchanges. More information about applying is in Kamu’s calls for applications.

More information about student exchange options is in Kamu’s Study Abroad pages.

Apply and see the world!

Exceptions to UEF library opening hours in May

Due to Ascension Day, all UEF library offices will close on Wednesday 28 May 2025 as early as 1 pm and will be closed on Thursday 29 May 2025.

The slightly narrower opening hours of the summer will take effect at all library offices from Monday 26 May 2025. 

Join the Body, Landscape, Memory Art Project 

UK based artist Harold Offeh is looking for people based in Kuopio to contribute to a new live performance called Body, Landscape, Memory. Participants can either be lifelong residents or recent BIPOC migrants to the city. The artist will be in Kuopio on 16-17 May to meet with those interested. For more information, click the link below.

To join the project, contact katja@antifestival.com.

The performance is a part of ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival 9.–14.9.2025.

#KPOWEEKINENGLISH

At the roots of the Friendship concert, Thu 15.5. at 18-20 at City Hall Ballroom
The YS99 Orchestra will perform the first concert program of the Student Union musicians from 1928, which was already popular in its debut year. Free admission.

Living Library, Sat 17.5. at 11.30-15 at Main Library
An event where people's stories are on loan. The "books" are people from different backgrounds telling about their lives and identities. You will hear stories in both English and Finnish and you can choose the book that interests you. Free admission. Kuopio250-event

Cars & Coffee, Sat 17.5. at 12-16 at Siikaranta 5
In the parking area of the Iso-Kalla Brewery you will see a great variety of cars! The event is brand-independent and free of charge.

Vintage! - Sun 18.5. at13-16 at Kuopio Museum
Let's admire vintage treasures together! Wear your best vintage clothes or take them with you; share stories and style tips, think about ways to maintain and adapt vintage clothing. Free entry. Kuopio250-event

Nature excursions

Regional environmental protection services, welfare promotion services and the Kuopio Museum of Natural History organise guided nature excursions and volunteer events during the summer and autumn. Excursions are held from the middle of May until September. We invite you to join us!

The excursions are open to everyone and free of charge. The exceptions are boat and bus excursions, for which adults are charged a participation fee of EUR 10, payment in cash.

The tour language is generally Finnish, but guidance for some of the excursions can be offered in English as well (indicated with EN in the listing). Two excursions are held in English.

Excursions in May:

• Tue 21.5. at 18 – 20 (alternative date 22.5.) (FI, EN) Bird watching trip to Väinölänniemi

• Mon 27.5. at 15 – 17 (FI, EN), Trash collection trip

• Wed 29.5. at 17.30-19.30 (EN), Nature trip to Kolmisoppi Neulamäki

Summer evening music is here again!

There will be eight concerts of varied and high-quality music in the magnificent Kuopio Cathedral. All concerts start on Thursdays at 8 p.m.

In celebration of Kuopio's 250th anniversary, the concerts are free of charge.

Welcome!

• 26.6. The great moods of the saxophone. Esa Pietilä, saxophone
• 3.7. Mirror of the moment, Eranto Ensemble
• 10.7. Organ concert, Anu Pulkkinen
• 17.7. Feast of the planets, Baroque Kuopio ensemble
• 24.7. Joy, light and swing. Janne Maarala, piano
• 31.7. Hymns and virtuosity. Anna-Maria Lehtoaho, organ. Miikka Lehtoaho, piano
• 7.8. Two organs. Vesa Kajava and Jaakko Tyni
• 14.8. Golden twilight. Luomus string quartet

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.