Happy Tuesday!

Have you noticed that you feel tired all the time in autumn and in the beginning of winter? The lack of sunlight may cause moodiness, tiredness, as well as cravings of carbohydrates and sugar (so all of your sugar binges are not necessarily stress-related). Then how can you help yourself to cope with the darkness? Check out our wellness tips at the end of this newsletter.

Have a nice week!

Kind regards,
Elina
Coordinator of International Affairs

ISYY office opening hours for the remainder of 2026

In November and December there will be a couple of exceptions in ISYY office opening hours.

Upcoming exceptions:

• Thursday 19 November offices are closed.
• In 2026 the offices will be open for the last time on Thursday 10 December at 10:00–12:00 and 13:00–15:00. If you need to visit ISYY offices before the holidays, please do that during the first weeks of December. (Survival Packages can be returned till 17 December, as stated in the rental agreement, although the customer servce desk is closed.)

The offices will serve you again on Thursday 7 January 2027.

ISYY website and email service were temporary interrupted

ISYY had service disruption on its website www.isyy.fi from Monday afternoon to Tuesday morning. The disruption was caused by outdated DNS records between the domain name and the web server.

Because of the disruption ISYY’s emails ending in @isyy.fi were also temporarily unavailable. Emails sent between 1:00 pm on 9 November and 10:00 am on 10 November may not have been delivered.

If you sent an application to be a student representative in the UEF’s Equality and Non-Discrimination Committee, please resend your application via email to mikko.aaltonen@isyy.fi or contact Mikko by phone +358 44 576 8414. ISYY has also continued the application process period until 11 November 9.00 am just to be sure.

The disruption affected only the technical functionality of the website and email service. It did not pose a cybersecurity risk, nor was the confidentiality of any information compromised.

Read the notice about the service disruption on ISYY's website.

ISYY's free breakfast 1.12.

ISYY’s breakfasts are relaxed and communal events open to all UEF students. Enjoy a nutritious start to your day and meet fellow students! This autumn’s last breakfast will be held in campus restaurant Snellmania on 1.12.

Registration for the breakfast starts on 17 November at 10.00 am in Kide.app.

ISYY Representative Council Meeting's Decisions 4/2026

The ISYY Representative Council had its fourth meeting of the year on 29 October, and the minutes of the meeting are now available in Finnish on the ISYY website’s Documents section.

The Representative Council decided ISYY’s membership fee for academic year 2027–2028 and approved changes to ISYY's Symbol Regulations and to medium-term economic plan. Membership fee for the academic year 2027-2028 remains unchanged, being €73 for degree students (€36 autumn term, €37 spring term) and €56 for postgraduate students (€27,50 autumn term, €28,50 spring term).

General Assembly of SYL 13.–14.11.

Highest decision-making body of the National Union of the University Students in Finland (SYL) is the General Assembly. It meets once a year in November. SYL members – student unions – elect each one’s own delegation to decide on the union’s economy in the coming year as well as to elect the board for next year.

How many members of the delegation and how many votes it has depends on how many members the student union has. ISYY has 16 votes in the GA. ISYY has nominated two candidates for the SYL Board: Emilia Enroth for Chair of SYL and Emilia Kivikoski for Board Member.

The General Assembly is held at Espoo Otaniemi on 13–14 November. The GA is typically streamed to SYL's YouTube-channel @sylvideot. ISYY is sending a delegation to the General Assembly of SYL.

What does the future look like? Now you can make a difference, apply to the Executive Board 2027!

Are you passionate about improving student advocacy? Would you like to gain valuable experience for working life and be part of everyday life of The Student Union? Now you have the chance, apply for the Student Union’s Executive Board 2027. The Executive Board is selected at the Student Union Representative Council’s meeting on 26.11.2026.

The Representative Council elects the Board’s Chairperson, Vice Chair and 4-8 members annually. The Board is the executive body of the Student Union and its period of operation is calendar year.

Remuneration is paid for serving on the Board. Lately the remuneration has been:

• 1000 €/month Chairperson
• 800 €/month Vice Chairperson
• 500 €/month Board Member

Send us a free-form application and possible resume as PDF-files via email to viestinta(at)isyy.fi and paasihteeri(at)isyy.fi no later than on 15.11.2026 at 11.59 pm.

Join Central Election Committee

The next Representative Council Elections of ISYY are held in autumn 2027, but the work for democracy starts already next spring. Purpose of the Central Election Committee is to prepare and supervise the elections, which includes

• participating in the Committee meetings
• preparing election documents
• preparing questions for the voting aid and election panels
• attending ISYY’s election events
• helping with planning and executing election communication
• counting the votes

ISYY staff helps and supports the Central Election Committee! The Committee consists of 6-8 members and at most 4 deputy members. Please note that members of the Committee cannot nominate themself as a candidate in the Representative Council elections.

If you’re not an ISYY Council member, but are interested in joining the Central Election Committee, please send an email to the Chairperson of the ISYY Council to epj@isyy.fi by Wednesday 25 November expressing your interest.

Hemmo's movie night for ISYY members 17.11.

Welcome to Hemmo’s movie night organised by ISYY in Lukema (Studentia building, Yliopistonranta 15) on Tuesday 17.11.2026! The movie night begins at 18.00 and we will watch together the thrilling murder mystery, Knives Out!

On top of the movie there will be a playful movie themed quiz where participants can win movie themed prizes! And what type of a movie night it would be without tasty movie snacks?

It is good to arrive early to Lukema as the quiz takes place right at the beginning of the movie and after that we will start watching the movie.

There are limited spots available so make sure you book your spot early - event is free!

Get your free ticket from Kide.app!

Do you want to help with organising ISYY's Independence Day Torch Parade?

We are looking for student volunteers to serve as traffic controllers along the parade route. According to the requirements of the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency, the traffic controllers must be adults who have normal sensory abilities, a driving licence (at least AM121 or B), and hold the Road Safety 1 qualification. The Road Safety 1 qualification can be completed for free through the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (Väylävirasto) learning platform, and the online course takes about an hour.

All necessary equipment for the traffic control task, as well as an event-specific briefing and the amazing Volunteer-Hemmo-overall badge, will be provided at the latest on the day of the parade. Sign up by emailing ISYY’s Community Coordinator Eveliina Scharin (yk@isyy.fi) on Sunday 22 November 2026 at the latest.

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 12.11. at 5 pm Kärmes (Board Game Club)
• Sun 15.11. at 1 pm University Student Bible Club
• Sun 22.11. at 1 pm University Student Bible Club
• Sun 22.11. at 5 pm Kärmes (Board Game Club)
• Wed 25.11. 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. You must have a valid SYKETTÄ membership when using sports services! Read more on the SYKETTÄ Kuopio website and follow SYKETTÄ on social media:

• Facebook: sykettakuopio
• Instagram: @syketta_kpo
• TikTok: syketta_kuopio

• Discord

• Youtube

Would you like to learn how to cook delicious vegetarian food on a budget?

Join the SYKETTÄ Nutrition Expert for a cooking evening where you’ll prepare delicious vegetarian dishes together and get practical tips for everyday cooking. During the evening, we’ll prepare six dishes, which we’ll get to enjoy and taste together at the end.

The cooking evening is open to both Finnish and international students and will be held in English.

• Date and time: 12 November 2026, starting at 4:30 PM
• Location: Minna Canth School (Ruotsinkatu 35, 70600 Kuopio)
• The participation fee for SYKETTÄ members is 5€. Payment instructions will be sent by email a couple of days before the event.
• Register via the sports calendar.

If you have your own apron and indoor shoes, please bring them with you.
Please inform Jenna of any food allergies or special dietary requirements by 6 November at the latest by emailing (ravitsemusasiantuntijasyketta@gmail.com).

If you are unable to attend, please cancel your registration at least 48 hours in advance.

Welcome!

SYKETTÄ news

New classes, enroll via reservation calendar!

• Tuesday mornings
  • 9:00–9:55 AM: Power Yoga, at Studentia
• Wednesdays
  • 4:15–5:10 PM: Hatha Yoga, at Savonia, room D3006

Drying operations following water damage at the Luola Sports and Event Center continue in section 3.

• Futsal sessions have been moved to Lumit School on Fridays, Nov 6, Nov 13, and Nov 27, from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM.

• Volleyball

  • Mondays 5:10. PM - 7:00 PM experienced level at Studentia/field 1

  • Fridays 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM intermediate level, Minna Canth school

Autumn Fitness Tests

• Monday, Nov 30, 2026
• Location and time: Kuopio-halli, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
• The test is free of charge; register
• Please submit binding registrations by Nov 27
• Capacity is limited to 20 participants

Degree student: remember to pay Kela fee

The fee must be paid by all students who are completing a degree at a Finnish institution of higher education and have registered as attending for the term in question.

• Use the OmaKela e-service to pay the healthcare fee.
• The healthcare fee is EUR 35.35 per term.
• The due date for the autumn term is 15 November, if you register as attending by 30 September.
• If you register as attending for the autumn term on or after 1 October, the due date is 31 December.
• If you cannot use OmaKela for instance because you do not have Finnish banking credentials, please pay the fee to Kela as a bank transfer.

How do you use AI in your studies? Or do you use it at all?

Do you use AI to explain concepts, edit texts or brainstorm ideas? Or do you prefer not to use it at all? Both experiences are equally valuable to us.

UEF is currently developing AI training, guidelines, and support services for students. We want to respond to students’ actual needs rather than rely on guesswork. In the survey, you can tell us, among other things:

• What do you use AI for in your studies, or if you don’t use it, why not?
• What concerns or questions do you have about using AI?
• What kind of support and training would you like, and which form of support would suit you best?

The survey takes 5-15 minutes, and all responses will be treated anonymously. The survey is intended for UEF degree students.

Please respond by 7 December via the link below. Thank you so much for helping make AI use clearer and more useful for everyone!

UEF libraries

Pay your overdue and reservation fees now to avoid an invoice!

We will invoice borrowing service fees in mid-November. You can pay your overdue and reservation fees yourself on UEF Primo or in person at the library, and we will not send you an invoice. Online payment is available for fees of 1 euro or more. Read more on Kamu.

UEF Global Development Day 2026 at Kuopio Campus on 26 November – From Good Policy to Better Policy: Shaping Sustainable Futures Through Global Partnerships

The UEF Global Development Day 2026 will be held at the Canthia building, CA101 room, on 26 November at 9:30–12:30. The event will be streamed online on Teams from 10:00 EEST onwards.

The event brings together policymakers, researchers, students, and partners to discuss how evidence-informed approaches, innovation and international cooperation can address global challenges and create lasting impact for sustainable development.

The event will be held in English. Questions may be asked in Finnish and live captions will be available to support participation and accessibility.

YUFE

OpenYUFE is a programme exclusively for degree students at YUFE universities. It gives you the right to study anything YUFE has to offer for four semesters, including credit-bearing academic and language courses from partner universities. Applying is quick and easy – but: you can only take advantage of this opportunity once! Further information is available from Kamu and on the YUFE website.

YUFE offers a wide range of language learning opportunities. Credit-bearing language courses are only available through the OpenYUFE programme, but the Online Language Cafés are open to all UEF students. They are particularly suitable for improving your spoken language skills in languages you already have some knowledge of.

How would you make Kuopio a better student city?

What do you like about Kuopio, and what would you like to see more of? Share your experiences in the Students’ City 2026 survey! Have your say on the things that matter in your everyday life, including housing, finding work, feeling part of a community and making ends meet.

You can answer in Finnish or English, survey is open until the end of 15 November 2026. The survey takes around 10–15 minutes. Respondents can enter a prize draw to win a €50 S Group gift card and Kuopio-themed merchandise.

The study is conducted by Männikkömetsä Oy and the Research Foundation for Studies and Education Otus.

Protective Fence 26 exercise will be seen and heard in the Kuopio Region in November

The Air Force's main annual military exercise, Protective Fence 26, will take place 19-27 November. During the exercise, air activity in the Kuopio region will be higher than usual and aircrafts may also operate at low altitudes. The exercise will include supersonic flights.

On 22-24 November flight operations will take place around the clock. Flares used during the exercise may be visible in the sky as brief bright flashes of light.

The exercise will also affect traffic: the Jännevirta emergency landing strip on Highway 9 will be closed to traffic from 18 November at 8 and will reopen by 25 November at 12.

Today at Coffee & Friends: Quizzes

Coffee & Friends event offers low-threshold hanging out after lectures and the opportunity to meet other students over coffee and a snack. All UEF students 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 3-5 pm at Lukema (ISYY office in the Studentia building).

Autumn's programme:

• 10.11. Quizzes
• 17.11. Board games & colouring
• 24.11. Christmas party: Decorating gingerbread cookies

#KPOWEEKINENGLISH

Into the Embrace of the Forest concert, Tue 10.11 at 18-19

• Postitalo Parish Hall, Museokatu 4
• Alli Haapamäki (vocals) and Tobias Schenk (piano). A concert where you can pause, breathe, and let yourself be carried by the gentle embrace of music. Free admission.

Kohina – concert, Tue 10.11 at 19

• Kreatorio, Kuninkaankatu 21
• A concert where the sounds of Maija Anttila’s clarinets and Pentti Dassum’s electronic instruments blend into surprising sonic combinations. Free admission.

Light in a November evening - concert, Wed 11.11 at 19-20

• Music Centre, Chamber Music Hall
• Concert of the Kuopio Conservatory features performances by Marja-Liisa Koponen (soprano and viola), Silja Kallio (harp) and Juan Pablo Muñoz Bulla (piano). Free admission.

Nam-Ke drawing live, Fri 13.11 at 11-18, Sat 14.11 at 11-16 and 19-21

• Rosebud Bookstore, Puijonkatu 23
• Come and see how comic book pages are created as comic artist and graphic designer Nam-Ke draws live. Free admission.

Kuopio Christmas Season Opening, Sat 14.11 at 10-16

• Market Square
• Welcome and kick off the Christmas season! During the day you can meet Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and Supermarsu, get up close with a reindeer and an alpaca, and enjoy a spectacular stage program. Free admission.

Make your skills visible to employers!

Do you know what you are good at but find it difficult to explain your skills to employers?

Join International House Kuopio next Monthly Session to learn how to identify and describe your skills clearly in your CV, job applications and job interviews. You will receive practical tips and examples that you can use in your own job search.

• 25 November 2026
• 13:00–15:00
• TyöNavigaattori, Asemakatu 7

The session is free of charge and will be held in English.

Advance registration is required, and places are limited. Please note that registration is binding.

Could you save someone's life?

For many seriously ill patients, such as people with leukemia, a stem cell transplant is the last chance of a cure. Right now in Finland, no optimal donor can be found for one in five patients. That's why the Stem Cell Registry needs more members, especially young adults and men.

Who can join?

• Aged 18–35
• In good general health

How to join from home:

• Take a quick online test
• Fill in the membership form, and you'll get a free sample kit by post
• Swab the inside of your cheek and send the sample back in the prepaid envelope
• (You can also join at a Blood Service location.)

Good to know:

• Joining doesn't mean you'll donate right away, or ever. Only about 2% of members end up donating.
• Donating is always voluntary and safe, and all expenses are covered.

Please share! Every new member could be someone's only match.

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.