Happy Tuesday!

This week's Weekly Feed will cover weeks 41 and 42 since our newsletter will be on a break next week (autumn holiday week).

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,
Elina
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.

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 debuty 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 granted

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) at the latest via email to Mikko Aaltonen mikko.aaltonen(at)isyy.fi.

The Equality Plan of ISYY is updated!

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

Among the key updates to the Equality Plan was the addition of 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 on 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!

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! Each winner will receive a €20.00 gift card 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 ISYY's website linked below, or by taking a screenshot from our Instagram stories under highlight called "Fuksibingo".

Workshop's ticket sales period has been extended

Has baking Finnish treats been on your bucket list for your stay in Finland? You can cross that over after you have attended ISYY’s international sector’s baking night! We are organising an evening together with Martat (the Martha Association) during which you will learn how to make Karelian pies (‘karjalanpiirakat’ in Finnish, also known as Karelian pasties in English).

The baking evening is for ISYY members and it costs 10 € per person. The event includes baking, eating your homemade pasties and cleaning up afterwards together.

The event is organised at Martat office in the city centre (Haapaniemenkatu 23, B door) on Wednesday 21 October from 5 pm till 7:30 pm.

Buy a ticket to the event via Kide.app. Ticket sales has been extended til 8 October 3 pm!

Photo: Marttaliitto ry

Welcome to ISYY's Interest Advocacy Coffee Break in Kuopio on Wednesday 7 October 2026!

ISYY's Interest Advocacy Coffee Break in Kuopio is held on Wednesday 7 October 2026, from 4 pm to 6 pm in room SN101 (Snellmania building, Yliopistonranta 8).

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 Executive 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 break's 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!

Price list of Lukema is updated

The Lukema price list has been updated and approved at the ISYY Board meeting 26/2026 on 1 October 2026. The new price list came into effect on 1 October 2026. The updated price list is found from the Instructions for the Users of Lukema document, which is available in the ISYY's Documents > Instuctions and Guides > Instructions for Venue Hire.

In the same meeting, the ISYY Board also approved discounted rental rates for SAVOTTA (the Student Association of Savonia University of Applied Sciences) and Savonia subject associations for bookings at Lukema.

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 8.10. at 5 pm Kärmes (Board Games Club)
• Sun 11.10. at 1 pm University Student Bible Club
• Fri 16.10. at 5 pm Kärmes (Board Games Club)
• Sun 18.10. at 1 pm University Student Bible Club

Return your SYKETTÄ appro pass by 8 October

Remember to return your Appro pass to the ISYY office or to Cafe SAVOTTA or Bar&Cafe SAVOTTA at Savonia UAS. Return the pass on 8 October at the latest, within the collection point’s opening hours. Remember to leave your contact details on the pass if you want to enter the draw.

Those who return their pass will enter the prize draw and receive an overall patch corresponding to their completed sessions. The draw will take place on 9 October, and winners will be notified personally.

Autumn holiday week 12-18 October

On Autumn holiday (week 42) most of the instructed classes are on a break. Gyms and ball games are open normally.

Instructed classes on week 42:

• Tue 16.15-17.45 at Taekwon-Do Luola Dance Hall
• Wed 17.00-17.55, KicFit, Studentia, section 3
• Sun 18.30-19.25 Aerial yoga, Prana

Futsal shifts added!

The shifts are at the LUMIT school. Register through the reservation calendar.

• Mon 5.10. at 19.30-21
• Mon 12.10. at 19.30-21
• Mon 19.10. at 19.30-21
• Fri 23.10. at 18-20

Courses starting in October

Register to the courses through the SYKETTÄ reservation calendar.

• Basipilates 20.10.-24.11. Tuesdays 19-20. Price 37,50€
• Pilates beginners 21.10. -25.11. Wednesdays 15.30-16.30. Price 60€
• Swimming technique course 2: 27.10.24.11.2026. Price 55€
• Adult Elementary School: 27.10.24.11.2026. Price 65€

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

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.

Evacuation drill in the Medistudia building

An evacuation drill coordinated by the local rescue department will be held at the Medistudia building on the Kuopio campus on Monday, October 12th, starting at 2:00 PM. The drill practices evacuating to the building's assembly point in the event of a fire.

How do you get around Kuopio city centre? Answer the survey and help improve the city centre

The City of Kuopio is mapping people’s travel habits, needs and experiences related to getting around the city centre. Now you have the opportunity to share your views by taking the city centre mobility survey.

The survey is open until 31 October 2026 and takes approximately 10–20 minutes to complete. Every response is valuable in planning the future of the city centre.

The survey results will be used as background material for planning the transport system in Kuopio city centre. In addition, the data will be used in a master’s thesis at Aalto University, which examines different groups of people who travel in the city centre.

Participants who complete the survey can also enter a prize draw to win a €50 City of Kuopio gift card.

All Kuopio city libraries are closed from 20 October to 3 November due to a library system migration

A new library system has been procured to replace the current one. Due to the system migration, all library services are completely unavailable from 20 October to 3 November 2026.

• There are no due dates between 13 October and 30 November. Starting 15 September, all borrowed or renewed Kuopio City Library items have extended loan periods. Remember to renew your loans!
• Reservations will not be processed between 10 October and 3 November. There are no reservation pickup dates during the library closure period.
• All library branches will reopen on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. Self-service libraries are open when the staff is present. Self-service library access and the web library will remain unavailable for a little bit longer. Existing library cards will work normally in the new library system.
• Up-to-date information can be followed on the web library homepage at kuopio.finna.fi.

Nyyti ry: Students must have the right to self-determination of their calling name and gender in student information systems

Nyyti ry, the students' organization for mental health, has made a petition aimed at establishing a gender code set in databases, that includes four categories; restricting access rights for viewing gender markers and the ability for individuals to self-determine both their gender marker and their calling name. According to talks with system developers and others responsible, these demands are realistic and achievable in practice. The petition was signed by 186 student organizations. It was handed over as a joint declaration from the student movement in a discussion event on Monday, October 5, 2026 at 8.30 am, as part of Nyyti's advocacy work in this issue.

Today at Coffee & Friends: SYKETTÄ

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 from 15 September to 24 November at 3-5 pm at Lukema (ISYY office in the Studentia building).

Autumn's programme:

6.10. SYKETTÄ
13.10. Autumn Holiday, no coffee & Friends this week
20.10. Music bingo
27.10. Halloween
3.11. Crafts & making overall patches (make your own overall patches, sew patches onto your overalls, or bring your own craft project with you)
10.11. Quizzes
17.11. Board games & colouring
24.11. Christmas party: Decorating gingerbread cookies

#KPOWEEKINENGLISH

Leaves Moving- concert, Tue 6.10. at 19

• Music Center, Chamber music hall
• The concert will feature two members of the New York-based CreArtBox Ensemble: flutist Guillermo Laporta and pianist Josefina Urraca. Free admission.

Sewing Club: Zipper repair workshop, Wed 7.10 at 13-17.30

• Kuopio Museum, Multipurpose Space
• Bring your worn-out zippers and other items in need of repair. Sewing machines and a selection of zippers and other sewing supplies will be available on site. At the end of the evening, enjoy Lasse Forsgrén on stage. Free admission.

Light event Valoilmiö, Wed 7.10. at 18

• Savilahti, Sarastuskaari 7
• The event celebrates the artworks completed over the past year as part of the Savilahti Light Plan and offers an opportunity to explore previously completed public art installations as well. The guided tour begins at 18. Free admission.

Interested in studying Finnish?

Join information event to learn about Finnish language study opportunities in Kuopio and online on Tuesday 6 October.

The Employment Service is organizing this event to help you explore available study options, Finnish language courses, and practical tips for learning Finnish effectively. Whether you are just starting or looking to improve your language skills, this event will provide valuable information and guidance.

• TyöNavigaattori, Asemakatu 7, Kuopio
• 6 October 2026 at 14:00
• Event in English

There’s no need to register in advance. Just come along! Welcome!

Welcome to English Book Club!

Venue: Main library learning space, 1st floor, at the back of the children’s section (”Koulutustila”)

We meet once a month to chat in English about a book, author, or literary theme we’ve chosen together. The gatherings are hosted by an English-speaking volunteer. Note: The books can be read in any language!

• Wed 14.10. 17:30–18:30 Susanna Clarke: Piranesi
• Wed 25.11. 17:30–18:30 (book to be announced later)

Feel free to ask for a copy at the 2nd-floor service desk even if the online catalog says all copies are checked out!

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.