The new secretary general for the Student Union of the University of Oulu Eetu Leinonen seeks to fix the problems that he himself has seen and experienced as a student and as a youngster.
When Eetu Leinonen was asked about who he is he answered that for a short while he’s still a student. The 26-year-old Leinonen has a master’s degree in philosophy and studies the Finnish language. He has also been serving as the secretary general for the Student Union of the University of Oulu (OYY) from the end of March after the previous secretary general Kauko Keskisärkkä moved on to other duties. Leinonen was chosen unanimously in a student council meeting on the 13th of February.
The job description is not really that simple. The general secretary of the Student Union of the University of Oulu is responsible for the work at the office, the workers and making sure that the financial and administrative duties are going well. In addition the job includes promotion of interests, stakeholder co-operation and corporate governance with the chairman of the administration.
Leinonen also has to do a bunch of representative work. His past as an active youngster politician is part of the reason why it is him who is the general secretary of OYY. He has a long career of organization work and chairmanships. For example he was the chairman of OYY back in 2020.
Leinonen’s story goes all the way back to his high school years and the youth council of Utajärvi which according to him made him interested in youth politics. Ever since then Leinonen has been involved in youth and student politics. This continues to this day. Leinonen is interested in internationality and represents the youth in international arenas as an EU delegate for the Finnish youth.
Leinonen returns for a fourth term in OYY duties. After the chairmanship he has served as the specialist of academic affairs’ substitute as well as the community specialist. In between these positions there has been a break during which Leinonen worked for multiple employers the latest example being the mobility services for the University of Oulu.
The personal motivation for working for a better life for the students made Leinonen come back to OYY. “As a youngster and a student I have a desire to fix the problems I have seen or experienced.”
Leinonen’s motives are not totally altruistic. The experienced, hard boiled student activist and a youth politician sees the position of the general secretary as an opportunity to improve himself with something that would otherwise take a long time.
“You rarely get an opportunity like this at 26 years old. Being the foreperson of a group of eight people and an organization like this and planning the financial aspects of it.”
Plenty of experience from the University of Oulu and the academic community help a lot in succeeding at the task at hand. “My past as a student activist, lobbying experience and all the different tasks in OYY as well as the university as a whole give a wide image of what the university and its community are like. Youth politics have helped out in knowing how to bring the voice of the youth on to the surface and how to lobby.”
A Good Life for the Student
Leinonen observes the activity of OYY from the inside. He sees the student union as an influential part of the university. OYY is a respected and well appreciated organization.
Despite this Leinonen admits that the regular student might be alienated from the organization. The student union is not on the same level as student organizations which are often very close to students’ hearts. “Organizations run by the students do incredibly valuable work for the student community.”
The point of OYY is not to replace the student organizations. It is a promoter of interests and a service organization.
“The student union is an instrument. The students are what makes the university an university and the student union a student union. However, an organization of 12 500 members is most difficult to have an influence on every single student’s life”, Leinonen explains. He admits that OYY’s achievements could be more visible to students.
The general secretary promotes the interests of the students with support and working as an enabler. “The student union is an organization that helps many people grow. It is where you come to learn and get opportunities to try things out.”
Leinonen’s job is to support the administration and the representative council so that they succeed in what they do. On the other hand he enables the work to be done with the creation of proper networks. Previous experience with the youth councils help out in this too. “Lobbying and influencing aren’t easy nor fast or done alone in a single night so I’m sure that I will have a role in that too.”
To Leinonen the motto of OYY “A good life for students” is about finding your own place in the academic world. This view is shaped by his past as the community expert.
“When someone comes to study here they should find their own place in this community be it as an activist, in the administration, or just in a simple friend group. Also that everyone should find their own path, what they want to do in the future.”
The new general secretary reminds us that support during studies is important. “To avoid burnouts and that the workload isn’t too heavy so they can be completed so the next step in life can be taken.”
According to Leinonen, OYY’s promotion of interests supports the communication between student organizations and the university’s governance. “So that the students gain support services that help them out in their studies and that people can meet each other here at the campus and find each other.”
The life of the student needs livelihood and hope for the future
A good life for the students doesn’t just mean that everything is great inside the campus walls. Leinonen is concerned about the financial situation and the employment opportunities of the students. “Many haven’t gotten jobs from the types of careers that usually have a great deal of them.”
According to him, the life of the student needs more hope for the future. That the students’ own place in the world can be found after graduation and that during them they don’t drive themselves into massive financial debts.
“Studying has never been an easy part of life where you can just do as you please. Nowadays gaining livelihood is harder and student debt just adds more pressure about graduating faster.”
He adds that when the studies are planned by the university they do not take into consideration that the student often needs to work during them. Both of these factors at the same time can drive the student weary. “This is unsustainable.”
Taking a look into the future reveals that the population is getting older and that the amount of students is decreasing. Leinonen is worried about the diminishing vitality of Oulu and its employment opportunities. “Could we be in a situation where this city no longer is of interest to anyone?”
When asked about the future of the University of Oulu the brand new secretary general points out the importance of internationality and examining space issues. He hopes that during the decision making process it is taken into consideration that the solutions do not affect the quality of the education or strain the employees.
The diminishing population groups especially hit hard on students and the funding that the higher educational institutions get from the government. Solutions for these problems have been sought from internationalization. Leinonen would like to see the opportunities for continuous and lifelong learning also remembered here. “Working-age people have needs for updating their knowledge, and it doesn’t always have to be studies leading to a degree, which are used to update their skills.”
Also the university’s new real estate strategy work investigates what kind of space is needed in the future. “With the solutions there can be taken actions towards a campus that is truly needed in the future.”
As the general secretary Leinonen wants to be a human-like actor.
“Someone who people aren’t afraid of to come and talk or give feedback to. I want to make it clear that I want to be with the people.”
In addition he wants to advance his own skills. “I think leading is a thing that there is not a singular way to learn it. It comes with experience.”
Fact box:
Name: Eetu Leinonen
Education: Master of Philosophy, statistics (2023). Currently studying Finnish for the sixth year.
Age: 26
From: Utajärvi
Hobbies: Handcraft, knitting and crocheting, reading, playing music. He plays the clarinet.
Language skills: Finnish, English, Swedish, German and French.
Positions of trust: currently serves as Finland’s youth delegate to the EU. Leinonen has a long history in youth organizations and politics.
Julkaistu
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Tuuli Heikura
Oulun ylioppilaslehden päätoimittaja ja kauppatieteiden maisteri, joka nauttii syväluotaavista ilmiöjutuista, kuluttaa lenkkipolkuja kahden koiransa kanssa ja haaveilee mankelin omistamisesta.
In the University of Oulu many student organizations publish their own magazines. The content in these magazines is usually very carefree and funny. A shining example of this is Terminaali. Amidst the silly magazines, alone stands the artistic Kultisti. Why are magazines the way they are?
Once upon a time, not so long ago at my student organization’s guild room my eye was struck by an odd magazine on the coffee table. The student organization for computer science and engineering OTiT’s magazine Terminaali. On the cover there boasts a teekkari with two OTiT-branded lightsabers and a marking “One of the magazines of all time!”. It intrigued me and I picked the issue up.
The content did not disappoint. The amateurish layout, whole bunch of memes, and low-to-no-class-tier articles filled the pages. Definitely one of the magazines of all time.
At the same time I glanced at cultural researchers’ magazine Kultisti and pondered on how its articles are prim and proper not resembling Terminaali or any other student organization’s magazineat all.
The spectrum of student organization magazines is clearly a wide one. It made me ask the question: why aren’t all of them as silly as Terminaali or as serious as Kultisti?
A magazine just for the students
Typical for the student culture in Finland is the publication of an own magazine for the student organization. Despite this almost none of them include relevant information for the organization or announce their official statements. The content is often very frivolous and nonserious. The articles are just like their students. Topics are anything from reviews, reports on student events or parties, and from short stories to humoristic strings of text. The magazines are written either by the editorial staff or with just the editor-in-chief with the help of the regular students.
Student organization magazines have always and will always look like the students that write them. The editor-in-chief is chosen by a vote for a term of one year by the students. This means that the content of the magazine won’t get stale and will evolve with new students.
Proper or raunchy?
Magazines made by teekkaris often are the most unserious of them all. OTiT’s Terminaali is a by-the-book example of this. The bar for what is released scrapes the floor and the graphic design can be pretty much anything. Dirty jokes and memes fill the pages.
However, this is not a bad thing.
In the ocean of similar magazines the silliness of Terminaali is a breath of fresh air. Since all of the other magazines are alike, a magazine that tries to be as ridiculous as possible is a great thing.
If Terminaali does not take anything seriously, Kultisti is its opposite. The magazine produced by the student organization for archeology, literature and cultural anthropology Kultu ry from front to back is appropriate. Most of the content in it is seriousminded and artistic. This is not a coincidence. Ever since the magazine started appearing it was meant to be different from the other less serious magazines.
Furthermore, since Kultu ry is the student organization for students of literature producing convincing texts come naturally to them adding to the professional atmosphere of the magazine.
A voice of the students: An interview with the editor-in-chief of Terminaali
What is the nature of Terminaali and Kultisti and what do the editors-in-chief think about the content in their respective magazines?
The editor-in-chief for Terminaali is the first year student of computer science Julius Kuruheimo. In OTiT he was elected as the “information minister” whose job among other things is to edit Terminaali.
Terminaali did before, approximately before the year 2020, in fact resemble a regular student organization magazine. This doesn’t mean that the magazine was always prim and proper. An example of the built-in raunchy humor of the magazine is the fact that a lightly clothed or a naked woman can be found in every issue of the magazine since 1998. Nowadays the content has been going towards a previously less serious direction.
Terminaali 1/2025
According to Kuruheimo what affects the content of the magazine the most are the students and what they choose to write about which is why he doesn’t see a simple reason for the change. The main point of Terminaali is to bring forth the voice of the students of the organization so it should also look like the students themselves.
The content of the magazine sprouts from the students but the editorial staff is not totally powerless in deciding on what is released. Not everything can be published even though at first it might seem like it. Offensive articles or personal attacks will not be tolerated by Kuruheimo. “The magazine is meant to make people laugh, not offend.”
Kuruheimo reveals that the editorial staff has been considering making the magazine more serious. “Already there are “half-serious” articles in there but all in all the magazine looks like its editors”, Kuruheimo said. He also brings forth the possibility of creating a new fully serious magazine with articles that possibly could not be found in Terminaali.
Relating to if Kuruheimo would like to continue in the field of journalism he said that it is a possibility. Even if this career path is not for certain he confessed that he likes to write.
Bringing together the creative folks: An interview with the editors-in-chief of Kultisti
Next up we have the editors-in-chief for Kultisti: Anni Koivisto and Aino Uusitalo. Both of them are literature students. Koivisto is a first year student and Uusitalo is a second year student.
Both Koivisto and Uusitalo thought up the idea for being the editor-in-chief independently from each other. Uusitalo enjoys writing and organizing things which is why the position of the editor-in-chief was of interest. As well as enjoying writing Koivisto also is keen on graphic design. She has designed the layouts for all of the Kultisti issues she has made so far.
Uusitalo states that the editor-in-chief is more of an organizer than a writer. She and Koivisto do not write anything in the issues apart from the editorial. Other than that the magazine consists of other people’s texts.
Multiple editors-in-chief positions aren’t new for Kultisti. During Kultu ry’s former government’s reign there were also two of them but before that there has traditionally only been a singular editor-in-chief as Koivisto puts it. Uusitalo praises the arrangement since the workload is well distributed with two persons working on the same magazine.
“Kultisti is a magazine that is made with group work”, Uusitalo exclaims. She says that a designated group makes the magazines but anyone can submit an article to be published.
Special qualities of Kultisti are the sections that consistently appear in every issue. Other student organization magazines barely have these but Kultisti has multiple. For example comic series by the nickname “Jemma” called Naali Lipastossa has a new story in every issue. The comic features an arctic fox and other fluffy animal friends in relatable situations at Oulu university. Another consistently appearing section is the Friend Book in which students interview lecturers and professors about their favorite things.
Kultisti 2/2023
The magazine has always strived to stand out from the rest. The magazine has been described by the former editors-in-chief in a letter to the new ones as “a more psychedelic and an artistic one” when compared to the others. At the same time they admit that the magazine is on a course to become more like the others.
Uusitalo is intrigued by the “psychedelicness”. She thinks that the magazine clearly stands out. Both of the editors-in-chief believe that they own an artistic vision with each magazine. Humor has not been forgotten however. For example, a couple of issues ago released Kultuskooppi horoscope series was made with a loose attitude. According to Koivisto it would be wonderful if the magazine had more jokes in it. “Everything doesn’t have to be serious.”
Kultisti has made great use of social media as a marketing tool and making especially the literature students aware of the magazine’s existence. “We know that literature students like to write for themselves. We are trying to make Kultisti into a zero pressure environment so they would get the courage to release their texts in the magazine or at least on our social media”, Uusitalo says.
Koivisto thinks it would be amazing if the feeling of a regular student organization magazine would be preserved in Kultisti. The issue that’s aimed at the first year students released next autumn is promised to be funny in a way that is very inline with the magazine.
When asked about what the point of the magazine is, Uusitalo confidently exclaimed: “This magazine brings together creative folk”.
Koivisto would like to work in the field of journalism in the future. Especially writing columns and articles would be to her taste. Uusitalo is not so sure but has gone through the communication studies.
The editors-in-chief know also that there is more to life than work. “We celebrate new issues by going for a drink!”
Not so different after all?
The differences between Terminaali and Kultisti are obvious. The magazines not only are different in content but also the editorial staff has some ideological differences so to say. Kultisti drives to make itself less serious when at the same time trying to keep a grip on its own image meanwhile Terminaali tries to be more serious but still being a silly teekkari magazine.
Both magazines are unique in their own way. They are very different from other student organization magazines since they do things that the others won’t. The other magazines contain humorous articles and on occasion more serious content. For example the history students’ Praavda magazine is not as artistic and serious as Kultisti.
The other magazines do not really have anything that makes them different. This is not a bad thing since the magazines are still unique in their own way, just less so than Kultisti or Terminaali.
A change in the editorial staff’s attitude towards a more unique magazine would not be a disadvantage. Experimentation in creative work is great, even encouraged since creative work without new ideas is not simply creative. Without innovation or experimentation, creativity withers away and the same old ideas are repeated over and over.
The change doesn’t have to be eternal. If something new doesn’t work it can be replaced with the old. These sorts of situations aren’t a hindrance. They are a learning experience.
The content of the magazines is at the end of the day in the hands of the students. If they do not want the change, it will never happen. And that is great. The magazines exist for the students by the students.
Julkaistu
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Arttu Vuorio
Kirjoittaja on toimitusharjoittelija Oulun ylioppilaslehdellä. Kirjottamisen lisäksi hän opiskelee tieteiden ja aatteiden historiaa ja musisoi minkä ehtii.
Last June, two stabbings targeting people with immigrant backgrounds took place at the Valkea shopping center. However, international students living in Finland believe that there are much more terrifying things happening here.
Last summer, there were stabbings in Oulu’s shopping center Valkea, targeting individuals with immigrant backgrounds. In one case, the perpetrator was a minor, while in another the perpetrator, Juhani Sebastian Lämsä, had previously been linked to a far-right organization. Lämsä had already been convicted for an attack in 2013.
The Jyväskylä library stabbing incident involved neo-Nazis attempting to disrupt a discussion event organized for the publication of the book ‘Äärioikeisto Suomessa’(Far-Rightin Finland), the event being attended by Left Alliance MP Li Andersson, one of the book’s authors. Lämsä has since denied having a racist motive or intending to kill children, though he was charged with two counts of attempted murder. In the other Valkea incident, according to the police investigation, the attacker had a racist motive when they attacked an individual of Asian descent and stabbed them in the shopping center.
There have been various speculated reasons for the violent acts, such as pointing to the rhetoric and actions of the Finns Party members in the government, who have been accused of fueling anti-immigrant sentiments. When racist speech is tolerated at the highest levels of society, it creates an atmosphere where violence becomes a conceivable solution to resolving tensions between different groups of people.
In an interview with Helsingin Sanomat published on June 23rd, terrorism researcher Leena Malkki noted that discussions and subcultures that tolerate violence have increased in Finland. Such discussions and subcultures often involved the phenomenon of “othering” anyone outside of the group. According to Malkki, violent ideologies have received indirect endorsement from influential figures.
The history and recent past of the Finns Party has been filled with racist and violent online writings and speeches targeting foreigners. MP Mauri Peltokangas has repeatedly referred to immigrants as “goatherds”. The current Minister of Finance, Riikka Purra, has not apologized for the things she wrote in Jussi Halla-Aho’s Scripta blog: after and incident on a train involving young people of immigrant background, Purra wrote in Scripta that “if I were given a gun, there would be bodies even on the commuter train, you see.” These writings were posted in Scripta’s guestbook in September 2008, around the time of the Kauhajoki school shooting.
How does the current political climate affect exchange students and international students studying in Finland? Are they scared for their own safety and have they encountered racism?
Multiple contributing factors
Ray, who is writing his dissertation at the University of Oulu, says that the events at Valkea have impacted both him and his international circle of friends. One of Ray’s friends, who works as a cleaner, was on duty when the blood had to be cleaned from the shopping center’s floors. The incident was traumatic, though some time has passed since June. The last time Rays saw his friend, they seemed to have recovered from the traumatic moment. Ray adds that he no longer goes into the city center alone; a friend always accompanies him. He also no longer visits Valkea.
Ray has been reflecting on the reasons behind the events at Valkea, recognizing multiple contributing factors. He calls for both parental and school responsibility, noting that the perpetrator in one of the stabbings was a 15-year-old minor. Ray does not blame the school for not identifying potential problematic behavior, but is more concerned about what is being taught in schools. Do students receive resources to engage with people from different cultures? Ray also sees the current political climate in Finland as partly responsible for the events. With their rhetoric and actions, the political elite can either narrow or widen the divide between people of different backgrounds in Finland.
Ray was surprised that the stabbings took place in Oulu out of all places. He would have expected incidents like this to happen in southern cities, where there are more immigrants. There are very few foreigners in Oulu, so there are less conflicts between different groups of people.
In an article published by Yle on June 26th, Oulu residents with immigrant backgrounds noted that the amount of racism has been increasing in Oulu for quite some time now, whereas other immigrants note in that same article that they feel safe in Oulu. In the article, researcher Elina Tolonen mentions that a series of sexual offenses that surfaced in Oulu in 2018-2019, leading to the conviction of 22 men with immigrant backgrounds, may have influenced the opinions of individuals in Oulu who were already opposed to foreigners.
Ray mentions that he has not personally experienced racism while living in Finland. This experience may partly be influenced by the environments he spends time while in Oulu, and, on the other hand, by the fact that he is not of African descent, which often increases the risk of facing slurs or violence. Ray’s life has, of course, largely revolved around the university in recent years.
The University of Oulu’s website states that the university strives to promote equality and adhere to its equality and non-discrimination plan in all its activities. The University of Oulu aims for every member of the community to feel welcome and equal within the community. According to the equality and non-discrimination plan, equal treatment and inclusion apply to everyone, regardless of gender, age, ethnic or national origin, citizenship, language, religion, beliefs, opinions, health status, disability, sexual orientation, or any other distinguishing personal factor.
But are these just empty words with nothing real to back them up? Ray feels like he has been welcomed as a member of the university community and has not experienced prejudice. Teaching in English has been largely available, and as dictated by the equality plan, he has received excellent guidance services for both his master’s and doctoral studies.
The equality plan states that the availability of guidance services enables student participation and equality. Ray has struggled with self-confidence, but thanks to the professor supervising his theses, he found the courage to start writing his dissertation. The professor has recommended suitable books and courses and provided Ray with support on his learning journey. At the end of his master’s studies, Ray secured a job as a research assistant, which he says opened the door to pursuing his PhD.
Internationality is a familiar thing in the university
The needs of international students are largely the same as those students born in Finland: guidance with their studies and working life services are services needed by all students. It is crucial that they are available in multiple languages and that the university fosters an atmosphere that’s accepting and understanding of diversity. Ray mentions that initially he had no knowledge of how to write a resume, but the working life services at the university have provided him with useful advice.
Ray can’t think of any suggestion for improvement regarding the support for international students at the University of Oulu. Everything seems to be running smoothly. According to a feedback survey conducted in 2023, International Student Barometer, an astonishing 100% of international students noted that they feel safe on the Oulu campus and are satisfied with the quality of teaching.
Prejudice perceived by first-year students has decreased from what it was in 2022. Seven percent have experienced harassment based on their nationality as international students. Despite the rarity of such harassment, it is, of course, essential to continue working towards completely eliminating discrimination.
The flattering numbers of the feedback survey are surely influenced by the university’s familiarity with internationalization; in its multiculturalism, it differs from the general atmosphere in Oulu, which remains fairly monocultural. The surrounding community does not necessarily share the values that are valued on campus. That’s why violence against foreigners can come as a shock, if one is used to mostly mingling in academic circles. The aforementioned applies largely to all universities and the cities where universities are located. Universities are often the melting pots of various cultures, when the surrounding communities are just learning to respect other cultures.
Perhaps the stabbings in Valkea could have happened anywhere in Finland. The city of Oulu doesn’t necessarily have a racism problem; rather, the issue lies all across Finland, where the current political leadership is allowing the division of people as desirable or undesirable, thus widening the gap between people from different backgrounds.
Racist rhetoric and policy decisions by our political leadership – such as the three-month employment requirement for foreign workers – fall on fertile ground in Finland, which is, according to studies, one of the most racist countries in Europe. For instance, a 2023 study by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights placed Finland among the top countries for racism experienced by people of African descent in Europe.
Universities tend to be more liberal in spirit than the surrounding society, thanks to their international atmosphere. At the University of Oulu, people from nearly 100 nationalities study and work. According to its website, the University of Oulu is one of the most internationally diverse institutions in the Arctic Region and Northern Europe, with a strong focus on internationalization.
The website also states that members of the university community have the opportunity to partake in international activities, develop intercultural skills, build global networks and learn about different countries. To be regarded as a respectable international partner, the University of Oulu must, of course, work to ensure that any suspicions of racism do not hinder its goals.
The Finnish job market has been divided
To cite the American philosopher Martha Nussbaum, higher education institutions have been, since the ancient times, served as places for nurturing liberal citizens. According to Nussbaum, universities promote global citizenship, rooted in the discretion that education brings, enabling individuals to see themselves in others and to critically examine their own prejudices.
Equality plans, equality committees and working groups responsible for organizing equality efforts, as well as harassment contact persons within student organizations, all represent the university’s goals for creating an inclusive study and work environment. The University of Oulu’s equality plan states it is the responsibility of every community member to promote equality. Ray’s experiences in Finnish society may change when he decides to apply for jobs as a civil engineer. Currently, Ray is working on his doctoral dissertation with three years of funding granted by the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Quivine Ndomo states in their dissertation, The Working Underclass: Highly educated migrants on the fringes of the Finnish labour market, that even an education received in Finland doesn’t guarantee a job in many cases, since the Finnish job market has been divided into jobs for native Finns and jobs for foreigners. Highly educated immigrants often work in the lowest-paid jobs in the service sector or in fields like construction. Workers are categorized into high- and low-paying jobs based on skin color and ethnicity.
According to background documents from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment’s Unit for Immigration and Integration, dated May 8, 2023, half of the foreign students graduating from Finnish universities are employed in the Finnish labor market within a year of graduation. Internationally, this figure is high, but it has a downside: many do not find work that matches their qualifications and instead, in Ray’s words, end up in “odd jobs”.
The background paper notes that Finnish workplaces have limited capacity to hire immigrants. Employment prospects are also hindered by the lack of social interaction between international students and native Finns, who often remain in separate circles.
Proficiency in the Finnish language is important in the job market, as are connections, which means more work is needed for successful integration. Universities have succeeded in attracting international students through English-language programs, but this comes with a risk: without the need to study Finnish, students may face challenges when seeking employment later.
The three-month rule represents “capitalist exploitation”
The Valkea stabbings have led Ray to adjust his behavior: he avoids the Valkea shopping center and prefers not to walk around the city alone. Yet, when he speaks, other issues are emphasized over the fear of potentially becoming a victim of racist violence in Finland. Ray speaks more about his fears for the future. His funding from the Ministry of Education will end in 2027, and beyond that, everything is uncertain.
It’s possible Ray might not find work that matches his qualifications, facing the same fate as many other immigrants – ending up in odd jobs as a cleaner or food courier. In that case, Ray would most likely just leave the country. He notes that many of his friends are in a similar bind: there are low-paying jobs or unemployment in Finland, but returning home is not an option, as their home countries remain unsafe.
Benjamin, a student at the University of Tampere, has a chilling view of Finland’s right-wing government policies concerning foreigners. The proposed three-month unemployment rule means that workers on employment-based residence permits in Finland must leave the country if they dono not find new employment within three months of their previous job ending.
Benjamin believes that beyond racist motivations, the three-month rule represents capitalist exploitation. Foreigners are pressured to accept any job to avoid being sent out of the country. In this difficult position, they are more likely to agree to wage suppression and poor working conditions, which ultimately benefits capitalist interests.
Benjamin has an employment-based residence permit, and he has applied for Finnish citizenship. Decisions made by the right-wing government are making the lives of foreigners more challenging, and they terrify him so much that after becoming unemployed, he accepted a position at the university – despite the fact that companies pay twice as much in salary. Benjamin, however, couldn’t risk being unemployed for that long, so he chose the university. He has a genuine fear of being forced out of the country and checks the status of his citizenship application daily.
What has alarmed Benjamin is the speed with which decisions undermining the living conditions of foreigners in Finland have been enacted or advanced through legislative bodies. Although he has lived in Finland for six years and thus is not affected by the three- month unemployment rule, his concerns still persist. In an interview with Ilta-Sanomat (August 28th), Minister of Employment Arto Satonen stated that the three-month rule applies to foreigners who have resided in Finland for less than two years on an employment-based residence permit. But who knows what further decision the current government might make?
The social contract has been broken
Benjamin is not only terrified, but he feels like he’s been betrayed. He’s from a country where democracy is on rocky foundations. His fellow citizens used to say that in Europe, democracy works, that they should look up to Europe. When Benjamin started his studies, Finland had a socialist democratic government and young women were in positions of power. It gained international recognition. Benjamin notes that when things were good, he didn’t really pay attention to politics. Now it’s different, when it’s his own life on the line.
After arriving in Finland, Benjamin has lived according to all rules, paid his taxes and has remained employed. He has many years of experience in the Finnish job market. He’s even prepared to perform military service once he gets his citizenship. However, society has changed completely significantly from what it was when Benjamin arrived in Finland.
The stabbings in Valkea do not scare him; like Ray, he is more concerned that the hopes he invested in his future and the social contract he believed he was entering when he came to Finland may no longer hold under the current government, where the Finns Party seems to be setting the tone. When asked why the stabbings involving immigrants happened specifically in Oulu, Benjamin explains that Tampere is more international and left-leaning than Oulu, so similar incidents would be more surprising in Tampere.
Benjamin feels like his law-abiding way of life in Finland currently means nothing. The social contract, he argues, has been broken, as living diligently doesn’t guarantee acceptance for a foreigner in Finland. In the social contract formulated by Jean Jacques Rousseau, citizens submit to the common good in exchange for the state maintaining order. Benjamin has never complained about Finland’s high tax rate. He has remained employed, planned to complete his military service – in short, he’s been a model member of society, ready to fulfill his civic duties without objection. However, he believes that the Finnish government has dissolved the social contract. With even native Finns struggling to find work and facing long periods of unemployment, how can immigrants be expected to secure jobs easily?
Benjamin is more concerned about the wielders of power than about the far-right extremist responsible for the Valkea stabbing. He worries that compliance with societal norms is no longer enough; certain people, based on their skin color, are relegated to capitalist exploitation.
Sociologist Daria Krivonos, in her 2023 article Racial Capitalism and the Production of Difference in Helsinki and Warsaw (Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies), argues that racializing processes divide people into workers, the unemployed, and “almost-workers” in ways that serve capitalism. Those who deviate from the norm of a white European are classified in these processes as labor that is unfit for white-collar or “normal” jobs. Consequently, these groups are exposed to capitalist exploitation and psychologically exhausting menial jobs, irregular employment and unpaid labor.
Benjamin mentions that six of his friends have considered moving away from Finland. Employment is hard to secure, even if the immigrant has a degree from a Finnish university. Benjamin notes that the reason for his friends’ unemployment is both the bad economic situation in Finland as well as the racist, capitalist wage-labor system. He adds that he might be fortunate, as he has previously managed to find employment without issue. Lately, though, he and his immigrant friends have faced harassment while riding trams in Tampere. He suspects alcohol abuse and unemployment are factors behind the harassment.
Mastering Finnish doesn’t always open the necessary doors for immigrants
Benjamin and Ray don’t really talk about whether they and their friends have experienced direct racism in Finland, but systematic racism – specifically the challenges immigrants face when seeking employment – makes Benjamin visibly upset. He says he could talk about the topic endlessly.
Employment opportunities are tied to language skills. While English-language education is a key advantage for Finland in attracting international future experts, it also creates a challenge: without the need to learn Finnish, there’s less opportunity to practice it.
A 2019 background paper from the Finnish National Agency for Education revealed only 43% of highly educated international students in Finland work in specialist positions. This may partly be due to high proficiency in Finnish often being required for these roles.
Moreover, in her dissertation, Quivine Ndomo argues that Finnish employers often use the Finnish language requirements as a barrier to exclude applicants with immigrant backgrounds from the job market. She points out that mastering Finnish doesn’t always open the necessary doors for immigrants, who often still end up in roles that don’t match their qualifications.
Listening to Ray and Benjamin’s stories, it’s clear that the threat of racist violence doesn’t kill a young person’s basic optimism. Far-right extremism remains a marginal phenomenon in Finland. Ray feels that Finns are generally kind people; he has friends and financial support for his PhD studies. His role as a research assistant was an important milestone on his path to financial independence and reinforced his sense of hope for establishing a position in the Finnish job market.
As dangerous as a death threat
As long as the threat of violence – prompting him to avoid certain places and walking alone – is balanced by numerous positive aspects, it’s possible to live with it, or even forget about it altogether. However, anti-immigrant actions by political leaders and hidden discrimination in the workforce present a real barrier to fulfilling his dreams. Racist and capitalist societal forces together can shatter people’s future plans and make their investments in those plans futile.
For international students, coming to Finland is a significant mental and financial investment, motivated by dreams of a better life. To secure a place to study in Finland, international students must prove they can afford life here. Ray shares that his parents funded his master’s studies. Ending in low-paying jobs after all that doesn’t benefit anyone – not the students or Finland.
Ray is aware of the “brain drain” of highly educated immigrants leaving Finland. For Benjamin, unemployment or poorly paid jobs that don’t match his qualifications are as dangerous as a death threat: it’s like the ones in positions of power, rather than attackers like the ones in the Valkea incidents, are now holding the knife, threatening all immigrants. People are forced to take any job or leave the country. As he puts it, “They are threatening my life.”
The names of the interviewees have been changed due to the sensitiveness of the issue.
At its best, an active student organization can be one of the most important mainstays for a student during their studies, says Student of the Year 2024, Veronica Vanhanen.
At the Oulu University Gala, the Student of the Year was named for the 12th time on November 8th. The award was given to VeronicaVanhanen, a fifth-year student of Industrial Engineering and Management.
“I was completely surprised! But it feels good to be rewarded,” Vanhanen comments after being named.
Oulu native Veronica Vanhanen has been selected as Student of the Year after meeting multiple of the selection criteria. She has actively contributed to building a sense of community within her subject society and as a tutor. Rauhala-klubi, the alumni club for former Student Union actives, which nominated Vanhanen for the Student of the Year title, cites her active role in mentoring both first-year students and master’s level students, as well as her efforts to inspire other students to participate in subject society events and take on leadership roles within the society.
Rauhala-klubi believes that in the post-pandemic years, low-threshold activities that bring students together are invaluable in fostering a sense of unity within the university community. The University of Oulu has been fortunate to have students like Vanhanen, who enable enjoyable activities and encourage others to join.
“Veronica genuinely cares about the well-being of her student guild and motivates both new and senior students to participate in events. She is one of the most prominent figures from her year in the university community. Vanhanen has progressed with her studies and has maintained good grades. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Technology last year,” says Rauhala-klubi. Based on these merits, Rauhala-klubi nominated Veronica Vanhanen as Student of the Year. The awardee is selected by the University of Oulu Association based on the nomination of the Rauhala-klubi.
Student life
Vanhanen chose to study industrial engineering and management in her hometown for two reasons. Her high school guidance counselor recommended the field, and she was already interested in technology, human behavior and sustainable business. Additionally, she had her loved ones and a job in Oulu. On top of that, the great stories about student life in Oulu convinced her that she didn’t need to leave her hometown to continue her studies.
During her freshman year, Vanhanen was interested in guild activities and wanted to be involved. During that time, she became the guild room manager, partly by chance and partly due to persistent persuasion. Her responsibilities included ensuring that there were enough coffee and treats for the students.
After her freshman year, Vanhanen took a break from her role, spending that year actively attending events as a member of the guild. During this time, her interest in the guild’s board activities grew, and she began thinking about ways to improve the guild’s activities and develop the academic experience from a student perspective.
“I believe that a subject society is one of the most important pillars supporting students during their studies. It connects students in the field and, at its best, promotes their well-being,” Vanhanen shares.
After her year off, Vanhanen returned to the guild activities as an academic affairs representative, serving as a liaison between students and faculty.
Active life outside of studies
Since 2011, the Student of the Year award recipient is expected to not only make good academic progress, but also actively contribute to the university community. The Student of the Year motivates, inspires and encourages others with their own actions.
During her studies, Vanhanen was also involved in organizing sports nights at Toppila Reenis. She also helped organize after work events at Teerenpeli. These events were popular during the time when gatherings were restricted by COVID guidelines. Social events that promoted community spirit were also organized to play badminton, tennis and board games, as well as communal movie nights.
“I think that it’s important for the student community to offer diverse activities, so that everyone could have an opportunity to participate in activities that interest them. Be that ice hockey games at Niittyaro or badminton games at Nallisport or student events in general, such a sittnings, orienteering events and rowing competitions,” Vanhanen says.
Vanhanen’s motivation to bring people together stems from her personal positive experiences of how older students welcomed her and her fellow classmates, inviting them to participate in shared events. There was a warm and inclusive atmosphere among her peers.
These events left her with wonderful memories and stories to tell. One amusing incident happened when a casual suggestion at a student event led to the group to spontaneously book tickets for a trip to Italy.
“As part of my New Year’s resolution, I said ‘yes’ instead of ‘no’. We bought the tickets, and the next day, I already regretted my decision because I’m not usually spontaneous with things like this”, Vanhanen says.
“But on the day of departure, as soon as the train started moving, all my worries disappeared, and it turned out to be one of the most fun trips I’ve ever had”, she continues and adds:
“There were students from three different year groups on the trip, and I didn’t even know all my travel companions that well. Now, we’re really great friends.”
From Oulu to Helsinki
This summer, Veronica Vanhanen moved to Helsinki to complete her master’s thesis in industrial engineering and work in her field. She also began business studies at Aalto University. When applying to study industrial engineering, she had long considered business studies as an alternative.
“I spent a long time deciding between these fields, and now I get to pursue both!”
After working for a while, Vanhanen’s interest in economic phenomena grew, and she wanted to deepen her understanding of numbers and strategic work. A strategy course during her industrial engineering studies cemented her decision to enter the business field.
“From my understanding, combining engineering and business studies has become more common in general. I’m naturally curious and have always been eager to learn new things and develop myself, so pursuing further studies felt natural. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll end up studying psychology too, as I’m interested in that as well.”
Her study spot at Aalto was secured through her GPA, an application letter, and an interview.
During her free time, Vanhanen remains active in bringing people together. She spends time with friends going jogging and working out. She has competed in figure skating at the national level, and her future dreams include coaching figure skating. However, balancing studies, work and stable daily life requires planning.
“The two cornerstones for managing all of this are balance and prioritization. Prioritization is essential for time management, as I realize that I can’t give 100% to everything, or there just wouldn’t be enough hours in the day. By balance, I mean life management and finding a counterweight to responsibilities – in my case, a healthy mix of exercise, social activities, and personal time. The importance of these has really become clear in recent years.”
An active guild is an asset
Vanhanen occasionally visits Oulu to catch up with both old and new guild members. Compared to other engineering guilds, the industrial guild is small, with only 45 bachelor’s students and around 20 master’s students admitted each year. Vanhanen thinks that the small size of the guild has made it easy to get to know everyone, which has been a real asset for the students.
As for the future, Vanhanen isn’t planning to stress. She believes that things tend to work out and describes her outlook on the future as “go with the flow”, reflecting the approach of this year’s Student of the Year. In the near future, her goal is to work for a company with aligned values, where she can make most of her skills.
“Initially, I plan to focus on building and developing my career, and much later on, I’ll see if I’m interested in pursuing a PhD, for example. But for now, I feel like I’ve had my fill of studying, and my focus is set on entering the workforce, even though student life is such a great time.”
VERONICA VANHANEN
She was named as the Student of the Year on November 8th 2024.
Age 25 years old
Lives in Helsinki with her boyfriend
A fifth-year industrial engineering student with a Bachelor of Science in Technology, studying business at Aalto University.
Hobbies include jogging, the gym and figure skating.
Has competed in figure skating on Finnish national level, dreams of coaching figure skating.
Translation by Anna Tiira.
Julkaistu
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Sanna Niemi
Olen muutaman mutkan kautta Ouluun päätynyt journalismin opiskelija. Kahvilat, kulttuuri, ihmiset, erilaiset urheilulajit sekä reissut iskee ja inspiroi tällä hetkellä.
Kati Laitinen, originally from Haukipudas, decided to embark on a career in the EU despite the fact that she enjoyed her job as a teacher. Initially, the plan was to move abroad for a few years, but she ended up staying in Luxembourg for 20 years. Now, Laitinen is continuing her EU career in Finland.
Kati Laitinen studied English philology at the University of Oulu, intending to become a language teacher. But when Finland joined the European Union, she ended up on a long career track in the EU. Today, she works as the head of communications of the European Commission Representation in Finland.
Kati’s student years were shadowed by the high interest rates caused by the economic recession of the 1990s. Despite this, Laitinen worked as a substitute teacher and remained confident in her job prospects. Her university years were enjoyable, and she has many fond memories of Oulu’s student culture, particularly Rauhala and karaoke nights in Reidar.
Laitinen recalls her university years to be the most stressful of her life – even more so than her years in the workforce. “That’s why I believe that students shouldn’t have to worry about making ends meet, because they’ve got enough stress as is.”
Laitinen finished her master’s thesis while simultaneously working in 1995. “I worked as a substitute teacher at Sotkamo Sports High School. I had nothing better to do than working and attending community college exercise classes, so I finished my thesis there.”
From a translator to a chief – and beyond
When Finland joined the European Union in 1995, job advertisements for positions in the EU started appearing in the papers. Laitinen noticed an ad for a translator position in Kaleva, and decided to join the competition.
“I always figured that I’d end up living abroad at some point. Granted, I thought it’d be somewhere in the United Kingdom, but once I saw the ad I figured that Brussels or Luxembourg could be worth the shot.”
To pursue a career in the EU, candidates have to go through competitions organized by the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO). When Laitinen herself applied, the process was quite similar to what it is today: the first stage consisted of language proficiency tests, including reading comprehension tasks and questions testing EU knowledge. After that, the applicants completed translation tasks from two EU languages into their own native language. Finally, the most successful applicants were invited to an interview.
“The interview sure was something, considering I had no knowledge of any EU protocols. Eight interviewers sat in a row and started throwing curveballs at me. In a way, it was a really pleasant, relaxed situation, but I was interviewed in foreign languages and they went through all the languages I had listed myself proficient in. But I definitely don’t feel like it was an impossible experience to get through.”
Laitinen passed the competitions and was offered a career opportunity in the EU. She left her job as a teacher at the Patela secondary school and headed to Luxembourg. “I fell in love with the job and its community when I arrived in Luxembourg. There was a nice sense of community, the way people helped each other. We were sort of like pioneers as Finns in Luxembourg.”
After working as a translator for ten years, Laitinen moved into a managerial role despite never having thought about ending up in such a position.
In Luxembourg, she advanced to become the Head of the Finnish Translation Unit before being recruited for her current position as Head of Communications of the Commission Representation in Finland. She was hesitant at first, but after some consideration she felt that the change would be the right move.
During her career spanning over 20 years, Laitinen has witnessed great changes in the operations of the EU. There is less bureaucracy, and the commission has become a more modern employer. In addition to this, there is a great generational transition happening within the institutions of the EU. The first Finnish EU officials are now at a retirement age, and new Finns are desperately needed in the union.
“I feel like it’s my responsibility to ensure that the generational transition is smooth. Once that’s done, I’ll be the last of the original staff to depart and leave the work in the hands of the new team.”
EU careers need ordinary Finnish workers
Laitinen encourages anyone interested to apply for careers in the EU. She suggests that even those unfamiliar with the competitions should give them a try, if only for the experience. After all, academic grades don’t play a significant role in the selection process.
“We simply just look whether a person has completed a degree, even with mediocre grades, and has some work experience. Then we’ll have a conversation with the applicant during the interview.”
Laitinen is content with her career in the EU. The assignments are fascinating, there’s room for progress, and the union offers a decent salary. There’s also encouragement for employees to try out various jobs within the union.
It’s not impossible to get a job in the EU; Laitinen notes that she, too, was just a regular student. “Often, the media reports focus on creating this image of an application process filled with extremely difficult tests and the idea that an applicant must be some sort of exceptional individual. I’ve had what might seem like a remarkable career in the EU, but in reality it’s an ordinary place of work for ordinary people.”
KATI LAITINEN
Head of Communication and Outreach section of the Commission Representation in Finland
Kirjoittaja on tilastotieteilijä ja suomen kielen opiskelija, joka on vahingossa onnistunut kaveriporukoissa brändäämään itsensä keltaisella tuulitakillaan.
The academic year of 2024-25 is starting, and students are rolling onto campuses. Among them are lots of freshmen, to whom student life is new and exciting. How should one take care of their wellbeing in the midst of academic life? Oulu Student Magazine sought tips from an unexpected source.
The Tampere-based band Huora and Oulu’s very own Blind Channel have had a busy year: both bands released new albums in March that sent them on the road for respective tours.
Huora has been touring extensively around Finland, while Blind Channel has performed not only in Europe and the United States, but also in Tokyo, Japan – without forgetting their home country, of course.
Qstock brought the bands to Oulu, and members from both bands took a moment to sit down and have a chat with the Oulu Student Magazine.
Tip: Try to prepare for stressful times
What do a touring artist and a student have in common? Stress, pressure and tightly scheduled lives, for starters. But when we ask the members of Huora and Blind Channel how they manage such things, we get a hearty burst of laughter in response.
“It’s definitely been a learning curve for me, since I only entered the music industry in my thirties,” Huora’s singer Anni Lötjönen, who just turned 41, notes.
“I’ve learned it all the hard way, by just doing things wrong first and figuring it out from there.”
Blind Channel’s Aleksi Kaunisvesi, responsible for the band’s samples and percussion, shares the same outlook.
“You just have to learn by trial and error when it comes to figuring out when it’s better to take it easy and when it’s okay to stay up late.”
One lesson learned has been that it’s easier to manage stressful times when you have a plan for them and therefore can prepare yourself.
“Knowing that stress and strain come and go in seasons has been an important lesson. The most important thing is to prioritize downtime in order to bounce back from it all,” Blind Channel’s bassist Olli Matela says.
Blind Channel’s Aleksi Kaunisvesi (left) and Olli Matela.
Tip: Know yourself and your limits
Lötjönen says that a music career has forced her to get to know herself and where her limitations lie. The process is never-ending, because your energy levels and stamina undergo changes as you age. Such a phenomenon can be evident during one’s student years as well: a freshman can withstand the whirlwind of student life better than a person who’s further into their studies.
Huora’s drummer Saku Sahlstedt emphasizes the importance of introspection in order to find personal limitations when it comes to one’s ability to withstand stress. In addition to that, he mentions the importance of speaking out – even about negative feelings.
“Being vocal about your feelings with others is a good way of handling stress and pressure. If you keep mulling in your emotions alone, it’ll eat you alive. It’s vital to let it all out,” Sahlstedt says.
Course deadlines and exams can elevate stress levels, but talking about it can be helpful. Exercise is another way to let out some steam while taking care of your wellbeing. Lötjönen mentions cross-country skiing as one of the best ways to take care of your body and mind; she used to ski a lot last winter while preparing for the upcoming tours.
Blind Channel’s duo also consider exercise to be an important part of their lives. Kaunisvesi says that he exercises quite a lot, and Matela enjoys getting his body moving as well. The bassist’s favorite places in Oulu are by the water: there are tons of hiking routes by rivers and the sea. Additionally, Oulu has plenty of ski tracks, where it’s easy to clear one’s head.
Tip: Everyone’s study journey is different
There is a diverse lot of students on campuses, and each one of them has their own, unique background. The same goes for the artists we’re interviewing. Lötjönen from Huora studied to be a practical nurse after secondary school, while Sahlstedt studied industrial engineering and production. Lötjönen assures that she has always been a good student and focused in her studies – she even received a scholarship from her practical nursing studies.
“I was the complete opposite of that. I was always partying, and while my friends went on to graduate in four years, I had to stay behind for a fifth. That’s when I decided that it was time for me to graduate,” Sahlstedt recalls.
Huora’s Saku Sahlstedt (left) and Anni Lötjönen.
Lötjönen laments how studying has been made more difficult: it’s expensive and straining. Many students know this as well, as they have to work alongside their studies to make ends meet, which can make their years of studying that much more straining. Lötjönen would study more if it was emotionally and financially less draining.
“But I do enjoy studying, it just makes sense to me,” she adds with a laugh.
Matela from Blind Channel describes himself to be a picky student, one that was interested in some topics while having no fascination with others. After graduating from the Madetoja Music Upper Secondary School, he continued his studies at the Oulu Conservatoire, which he describes as a “little stress school” that taught him a lot.
In contrast, Kaunisvesi dropped out of upper secondary school to go study music production in Amsterdam. He studied abroad with an “all-or-nothing” mentality.
“I had to give it everything I had, because I had moved abroad and turned my life upside down to get a degree. I was fully immersed in my studies around the clock,” Kaunisvesi recalls.
Tip: Having plans is a good plan
Members from both Huora and Blind Channel have many years of experience in the music industry. When they are asked to share some words of wisdom to students, the first thing they all agree on is the importance of sleep. On tour, sleep can become a secondary priority – just like students with lectures, events, possible jobs and other hobbies filling up their calendars.
“It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep can do for you,” Kaunisvesi remarks.
Lötjönen considers sleep to be the basis for everything else in life. Additionally, it’s beneficial to be around people that give you strength to go on. Matela mentions the importance of planning and setting schedules, even in the long run.
Sahlstedt agrees. He urges students to consider their priorities. Student life often revolves around various events and parties, but it’s also important to consider whether it’s beneficial to go out during the weekend if there’s going to be an exam the following Monday.
“I know it’s hard. Though I didn’t exactly follow my own advice when I was younger, I’d still advise students to consider the benefits of short term “sacrifices” in the long run,” the drummer notes.
“It’s surprisingly easy once you stop taking everything too seriously,” Kaunisvesi concludes.
Translation by Anna Tiira.
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Miia Torro
Kirjoittaja on Oulun ylioppilaslehden toimitusharjoittelija. Tiedeviestinnän opiskelija, joka erästä kotimaista artistia siteeraten on aikuinen, mutta omalla tyylillä.
