How can I participate and make a difference?

Many of the University’s organisational bodies have student members and representatives. Hallopeds, student representatives in administration, are representatives elected for administrative organs from among the members by the Student Union Representative Council or the Board. You have an opportunity to make your mark as a student member/representative of the University’s various multimember organs and decision-making bodies that are based on the provisions of the Universities Act or the Regulations of the University, such as

• The Board and the University Collegium
• Faculty councils
• Boards of independent institutes
• Advisory board for the teacher training schools
• Teaching skills committees
• Admissions Board
• Board of the Open University
• Degree programme steering groups
• Academic Appeals Board, or
• Other multimember organs established by the decision of the rector or a vice-rector

Other channels for making an impact:

• Student Union of the University of Helsinki, its committees and the organisations operating under the Union’s scope, or
• National or international student organisations of your own field of study

You can check from the Student representative information system, who are the current representatives in the University's different administrative bodies and read more about student representation from Student Union's website.

Providing feedback and completing surveys is the easiest way to make the University an even better place for studying and working. There are several feedback channels, varying by topic.

Such channels include

• PSP discussions 
• Course feedback system Norppa
• HowULearn, the University of Helsinki’s survey on learning and study environments 
• The Finnish Bachelor’s Graduate Survey 
• other national surveys
• FSHS wellbeing surveys 
• Career monitoring for graduates by the Aarresaari network 
• Feedback surveys targeted at University of Helsinki students with student exchange experience and international exchange students studying at the University 
• International Student Barometer

You can also provide feedback at any time on the electronic tools available to students by clicking on Feedback at the bottom of the Studies service!

Flamma is both a staff intranet and a channel for the whole University community to participate and contribute. On Flamma you can take part in discussions on current issues and find out about the University's decision-making process.

Through the idea and suggestion channel Aatos, all members of the University community can on their own or in groups put forward ideas or suggestions for developing University operations. Learn more about Aatos in Flamma and submit your own suggestions!

Initiatives submitted to faculty councils are one of the ways in which the University community can influence University operations. This opportunity aims to make the operations increasingly democratic.

At least ten people from at least two different groups – professors, other teaching and research staff and other staff, or students – are needed to launch the initiative.

Visit Flamma to read more about launching an initiative.