Jutut kategoriassa In English - Page 2 of 29

“The teacher identity developed beside the researcher identity” — The Coolest Teacher Ever 2022 Jukka-Pekka Ranta highlights the importance of motivation

A lecturer of mineralogy and geology, Jukka-Pekka Ranta, was chosen to be The Coolest Teacher Ever of 2022 by the Student Union of University of Oulu (OYY). Ranta focuses on the role of motivation and interesting education methods in his teaching. Jukka-Pekka Ranta’s badminton games for the evening almost went off the rails when he heard […]

Ihmiset In English Opiskelu Tuttu kasvo kampukselta

TEKSTI Jere Laitinen

KUVAT Tuuli Heikura

A lecturer of mineralogy and geology, Jukka-Pekka Ranta, was chosen to be The Coolest Teacher Ever of 2022 by the Student Union of University of Oulu (OYY). Ranta focuses on the role of motivation and interesting education methods in his teaching.

Jukka-Pekka Ranta’s badminton games for the evening almost went off the rails when he heard of being chosen as The Coolest Teacher Ever. He was primarily grateful for students’ support which he also has earned previously via geosciences’ student organization as well as the An Apple for a Teacher -event.

“Geology is, all things considered, quite a small field of study in the university, but it is great that students are active on that level”, Ranta thanks.

Ranta’s career to become a researcher and a university lecturer was still hazy before he started his studies. First working as a bartender, he intended to study psychology but ended up studying geology in the end. Ranta started his studies in 2008 and graduated with a Master’s degree in geosciences in 2012.

“Since the first lecture, I realized that this was for me”, Ranta reflects.

After his university studies, Ranta worked in Lapland roughly for a year in ore excavation. Afterwards, he started his work on a doctoral thesis in 2014. Since that point, teaching has been a part of his career. The doctoral thesis was finished in 2018 after which various postdoctoral research work led him to become a university lecturer in 2021.

Even when working on the doctoral thesis, Ranta did not think of himself as a teacher. The teacher identity developed stronger only during the past few years on the university’s pedagogical studies. Ranta thinks that people come to work at the university primarily as a researcher.

“The development of the teacher identity in the university is a bit different compared to basic studies since most people do not work here primarily as a teacher. Teaching is the small print in the job agreement.”

Practicality and students’ responsibility are vital

In teaching, Ranta highlights practicality and student’s own responsibility in how effectively a student learns something.

“New tools and more student-centered teaching and learning have just during the last few years emerged stronger.”

“Teaching is the small print in the job agreement.”

New teaching methods have helped Ranta to become more practical. For instance, digital workspaces, gamification and inspecting rocks via 3D models have provided new perspectives on standard lectures and study diaries. However, their use has to be relevant for learning.

“One must pay attention to not use them just for the sake of their tools. There must be a purpose for using a specific one.”

In his courses, Ranta emphasizes his background as a researcher and teacher as an influence on what courses he has enough substance knowledge to organize. While pondering their structure, Ranta especially wonders about the responsibility of the teacher.

“During the courses, I started to think about the responsibility that we teachers have. We train such people that have sufficient skills and expertise in work life.”

Nevertheless, the student’s own responsibility is an especially important aspect that the teacher can influence only by so much. Therefore, Ranta thinks it’s important to get the student excited early about their studies so that their hunger for knowledge stays in Master’s studies and long after that.

“I hope my own inner motivation and excitement also reaches the students. It is especially important to get the basic course students new to geology interested in it.”

Approachability and understandability benefit

The voters described Ranta as an easy person to approach and understand and for having great expertise. Ranta recalls his own studies when he felt tense to approach a professor’s or a teacher’s office.

Ranta thinks that his flexibility in courses is a reason for being seen as easy to understand. For example, he may spend some time revising basics if the students have forgotten something essential. Additionally, listening to the students and utilizing various education styles play an important part.

In addition to other researchers, Ranta has also embraced several traits from his own teachers and tutors in his teaching. Each of them have left their mark on Ranta.

“In my courses, I often exhibit similar traits, expressions or maneuvers from my old teachers which is amusing to notice.”

Regarding his expertise, Ranta deliberates whether he can evaluate it alone on a larger scale. He thinks that people in professional work often encounter an impostor syndrome: the difficulty to realize one’s own achievements to be fully earned. Despite this, Ranta’s motivation and passion differentiate him with his studying methods to be a unique teacher.

“The courses where one sees a lightbulb lit above the students’ heads are the best.”

Students’ realization rewards the most

The courses that combine practicality and theory are Ranta’s favourites. He mentions an example, Petrology, in which students explore the characteristics of stones and their formation processes on a macro- and microlevel. In these types of courses, Ranta finds the students’ realization of the discussed topic to provide the best feeling.

“The courses where one sees a lightbulb lit above the students’ heads are the best.”

Ranta faces many kinds of students in his courses. Some students are more motivated than others. Even in difficult cases, he strives to motivate the students’ course work via his own excitement. An important point is to find the core idea and to reflect the course work on geology and as training for the real world.

In the future, Ranta wants to continue his current work in the academic world as a researcher and a teacher as well as to develop his own substance knowledge in mineralogy and ore geology.

“Regarding the education and the development of geosciences, there is still a lot to be done.”

Who?

Jukka-Pekka Ranta
University lecturer since 2021
Responsible for Oulu Mining School’s degree programme 2019-2022
Doctor of Philosophy 2018

What?

The Coolest Teacher Ever 2022 was awarded in Annos 63 annual celebration 25.2.2023
Any student at the University of Oulu was able to suggest any university teacher in any educational field to receive the award for The Coolest Teacher Ever.
Selection criteria included the ability to inspire, professionality, being easy to understand, explanation of course goals, paying attention to students’ needs, flexibility and a versatile use of grading methods
The award was given for the seventh time. Previously the award was given to Elina Niemitalo-Haapola, Katja Sutela, Vesa-Matti Pohjanen, Oliver Jarde, Matti Niemelä and Matti Kangaspuoskari
The decision was done by the board of the Student Union of University of Oulu on 26.1.2023

Julkaistu 3.3.20233.3.2023

Jere Laitinen

Oulun ylioppilaslehden toimitusharjoittelija. Opiskelutaustaltaan kokenut ainejärjestöaktiivi ja opiskelijavaikuttaja sekä innokas pelaaja ja kokkailija.

Lue lisää:

OYY’s new community specialist Viljami Viinikka wants to unify the university community

Student Union of University of Oulu (OYY) selected Viljami Viinikka as their new community specialist. During his two-year long post Viinikka hopes to be a specialist for the entire university community. Viljami Viinikka, 25, started as OYY’s community specialist in the beginning of 2023. However, Viinikka is not a tenderfoot at the OYY office. He […]

Ihmiset In English

TEKSTI Tuuli Heikura

KUVAT Tuuli Heikura

Student Union of University of Oulu (OYY) selected Viljami Viinikka as their new community specialist. During his two-year long post Viinikka hopes to be a specialist for the entire university community.

Viljami Viinikka, 25, started as OYY’s community specialist in the beginning of 2023. However, Viinikka is not a tenderfoot at the OYY office. He acted as vice president in OYY’s board during 2022 and was in charge of the community sector. “Work environment and assignments were quite familiar already, which aided in orientation”, Viinikka mentions. “Last year as the previous community specialist Eetu Leinonen’s journeyman he accustomed me to many tasks, but still the transition gets confusing from time to time”, he adds.

Fresh specialist instantly got off the deep end of work when he was assigned two major events both taking place in the first month of his employment.

The Student Union educates its societies’ active members in Active Clubs February 1st and 2nd. Since the community specialist acts as a link between OYY and societies, organizing the Active Clubs is his responsibility.

The second event, Löyly, targets the other significant stakeholder group on community specialist’s job description – international students. Löyly is a working life event held 25th and 26th of January aimed primarily towards international degree students, but open for everyone. The aim of the event is to offer practical guidance and tips in seeking a job in the Oulu area, and to provide information about Finnish working life. Another aim is to bring together employers in Oulu and international degree students. The event is fully in English. The program consists of keynote-speeches, workshops, panel discussions and cv-photography. OYY organizes Löyly in collaboration with OSAKO.

Viinikka ended up as community specialist after a deliberation of his own strengths. “Reasons for applying were quite the same as why I ended up applying to study chemistry back in the day: I considered how I could help people and what were my personal strengths. Naturally, societies and advocacy work are close to my heart as well.”

Societies really are familiar to Viinikka. Since moving to Oulu from Lumijoki to study chemistry in the summer of 2017, Viinikka has been a familiar sight not only in his subject organizations’ board presidiums but also in recreational associations’ boards. “Recretional associations luckily have a good footing in Oulu University, you can really witness the communality spirit here.”

Easy to approach yet easily approaching

Viinikka portrays himself as a project-person who enjoys learning new skills. “Continuous development is fun and so are new skills”. When he’s not playing karelian gorodki (kyykkä), he might be doing crafts or exploring new recipes in the kitchen. He tells a story about a time he made appleless apple pie. Reportedly people eating it had a really hard time believing it really didn’t contain any apples, so much it tasted like a real apple pie. “Baking links up with my interest in chemistry”, he says.

Viinikka also plays the accordion, and sometimes visits to play for albums for various projects. “Recently, I was even asked to go sing for one!”, he laughs.

Community specialist meets various, colorful people in his line of duty. Viinikka hopes to be the whole university community’s community specialist. For student organizations, a community specialist is a pillar, someone to ask guidance from and seek positive reinforcement. “I’m here to tell that very few things are the end of the world”.

Community specialist’s job description is divided roughly into two sectors: societies and international affairs. Social work demands for an easy to approach -kind of person, and exactly that Viinikka hopes for himself to be. Not only wishes he to be easy to approach, but has already instigated an ‘easily approaching’ -method for conducting business. “During my brief career I’ve already managed to personally walk straight to a guild room to solve one organization’s problem. I don’t know if previous society specialists have been so forward in their actions”, he laughs.

As one of the biggest challenges in the University community, Viinikka mentions the divide between international and other students. “The integration of international students to the rest of the student community is an on-going challenge that we must work on”. Especially Covid-19 put a set back to this work, according to Viinikka, and now extra attention must be paid to it.

As greetings Viinikka urges students to go to exchange. “It is a fine opportunity that vexatiously few students exploit”.

WHO’S THIS?

NAME Viljami Viinikka

AGE 25

STUDIES Chemistry

FROM Lumijoki

Julkaistu 23.1.20231.2.2023

Tuuli Heikura

Oulun ylioppilaslehden päätoimittaja ja kauppatieteiden maisteri, joka nauttii syväluotaavista ilmiöjutuista, kuluttaa lenkkipolkuja kahden koiransa kanssa ja haaveilee mankelin omistamisesta.

Lue lisää:

Moving North – Part 2. Borrowed Miles and Lush Hills

Rishikesh Raut went on a journey to the essence of Finnish state of mind: Riding his bike towards the Northern Finland, exposing himself to the elements of the nature as well as its tough love. This is Rishikesh’s journal of his six days on the road. Day 4, Part 1: The Many Routes to Soil […]

In English Kolumni

TEKSTI Rishikesh Raut

KUVAT Rishikesh Raut

Rishikesh Raut went on a journey to the essence of Finnish state of mind: Riding his bike towards the Northern Finland, exposing himself to the elements of the nature as well as its tough love. This is Rishikesh’s journal of his six days on the road.

Day 4, Part 1: The Many Routes to Soil

As I was now riding towards Ylitornio the road began snaking through lush little hills. Like sleep sneaks in on a classroom-under-performer who has just started studying, Lapland pulled me in its lap without clear notice. The roads contributed to their act; they equally climbed and dropped, over and over. In retrospect, they climbed more.

I was thanking and cursing their architects on an hourly basis, for the 40 km/h downhill blurs and the 8 kilometre per hour uphill battles. In retrospect, I mostly thanked.

*Somewhere in the woods, enroute to Ylitornio.*

Google Earth guided me through an unpaved path through a forest, as I stopped once to speak with uninterested horses and then to wet the weeds with personalized minerals. The little gamble had paid off as I avoided the extra miles. For an hour or so, I rode through the trafficless road’s median – as one does when they own a highway.

After a million pedal rotations and 30 odd kilometres, signage showed I was approaching the Arctic Circle. This was the stuff of my geography lectures as a kid. As a grown up kid, I read about Mike Horn, the maverick explorer who circumnavigated 20 000 kilometers worth of this circle. And now I was going to touch it.

It is my suspicion that the Earth doesn’t care much for human ambitions. Mike Horn, Bill Gates, and The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari will all taste the same to the soil that will devour them.

So I wasn’t surprised when I didn’t see red ribbons and scissors, as I biked through the forehead of our world.

Day 4, Part 2: Borrowed Miles

He was on the other side of the road. He crossed and overtook. Thereon, he raced me for a few kilometers as I neared my day’s quota of 100. We spoke no words with the other biker; the language of competition was enough.

During these six days of living by the E8 highway, I got addicted to letting strangers take charge of my bike. Motorbikes, cyclists, walkers – whether it was a thumbs up, a wave, a nod, a smile, a greeting. They had their own distance ratings. If only briefly, these exchanges with fellow beings were like a balm for the mind as the physique grinded.

When a lone traveller traveling waterless through a desert has the liberty of sipping water only once every five hours, he will drink differently. He will swallow it instantly, but in that little instant when it is moving throatwards, he will know the quality, the essence of it.

For hours on end, I would not see anyone, assuming all passing cars were passengerless. So even though I exclusively romanced the wilderness, whenever my eyes met another human, I bathed in the oasis of that fleeting connection, and let them ride my bike for me.

Day 5, Part 1: Opening Negotiations

I have a love-hate relationship with sleep. It’s like having a permanent toxic friend. She’s a pain, but I need her.

Some nights I don’t want her at all. I want to skip all the time I’m supposed to spend with her; being alive is just so much fun. And other days I want her for all-time. For reasons unknown to me, I want to be in her embrace until she has no more dreams to show. On those days, mornings become afternoons, and into evenings, after I have forced her further, she shoves me away, and leaves me to deal with the chunk of life I just missed. That’s what had happened on the first night out in Simo, when I had slept until 5pm, 14 or so hours.

Every day after that was different. I planned to wake up at 8 in the morning, so I did. I wanted to do that and this, so I did. With no effort.

But on this day, starting from Pello, the ride had begun with exertion. The sun concealed the little city with fat clouds, and the extravagant ball overloaded with flaming red could only penetrate a beggarly gray into the landscape. Its failure to show itself meant that mortal souls – especially those indulging in unreasonable unsheltered endeavours – would make music using teeth. So, I began bargaining.

Day 5, Part 2: Something Changes

“There’s no way we are doing a 100 today. No way. You’re cold and hungry. You didn’t finish your breakfast; you were impatient to get going. As you are riding on low fuel, the granola oats soaked protein powdered milk isn’t letting the oaty bits get to you through the bottle’s mouth.

"Let’s just do 80. It seems right. 100 is a reach, it takes something extra.” 
“Okay... we’ll do 80 then.”

When I had biked 15 kilometres from Pello, I was going to do 85 more. I remember reaching the crest of a bridge which stomached a railway line, (underly/overly) when the deal was struck. Like two egoistic men racing each other to an elevator button at-once – two thoughts arose.

“Nice view, would be nicer – We are doing 100 – to see a train pass by.”

A switch had flicked.

Day 5, Part 3: Eroded Possibilities

Exploring new corners on my bike, I thought about how much of my life is governed by my brain. The bastard has its own mind. By a mere whim, on mere impulses, it decides what I can and cannot do. The difference between possible and impossible is decided by which side the brain flicks the switch.

If a mathematician was to solve the equation of a man’s life up to a certain point, of course, he can foretell what the man is going to do next based on the variables of his past experiences. But until such a boring technology is born it is safe to assume that the flicking of the mind switch can be manipulated.

Our minds are masters of negotiation when dealing with ourselves. Whenever you negotiate with someone, you always aim for the highest value – by gains or savings. But when your mind negotiates with you, it always aims to lose value; unless you consciously push for higher value.

“100 km sounds hard. Let’s do 80 km instead.” 
“This sounds hard. Let’s do only that instead.”
“Starting today is hard. Let’s do tomorrow instead.”

Like expert negotiators do, the mind, armed with logic and science, tells us why the aimed value must be decreased. Whether to accept it, is a choice we get to make. If you accept the deal, no one will notice. No one cares. It’s like an Ocean eroding a beach, one sand speck at a time – separating it from Earth’s embrace for its ulterior motives. No one will care except the sand specks who dreamed of sunbathing.

So, knowing its nature, the Mind’s, is it possible to never negotiate?

Day 5, Part 4: Obvious Welcomings

As I swerved into the trail leading to lake Tapojarvi, the land smelled foreign. As every land always is, for its always changing, only too slowly for our unperceptive eyes. But with its sparse civilization and boundless woods, this land was more foreign.

Towards the end of every day, as I neared the target distance, the air would invisibly inject me with a serum of anxiety, using a syringe of anticipation.

These feelings arose due to the complete lack of assurance. “Soon I will rest”. And it meant putting faith in the graciousness of a major river, or an unnamed lake, as it would give me space to lie for the night.

*Before the customary dip into a gracious lake.*

Men of the Sahara Desert, if forced at gunpoint to sleep and dream a fantasy of a homeland littered with a certain life-giving liquid, would perhaps imagine a typical Finnish landscape. So, finding a gracious water body in Lapland was always a game of promising odds.

I was led by an unpaved trail through a jungle, and as I showed myself to the lake, a flock of swans or ducks or messengers of someone who wanted to say, “you can sleep here” flew off from before me, leaving for me, a little of their vast silver-grey kingdom of water, a little of their dew-laden soil and a little of their woodland’s breath…

Julkaistu 29.9.20221.2.2023

Rishikesh Raut

Rishikesh captured his biking journey towards Nothern Finland in Autumn 2021. Now, he shares his thoughts.

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An unforgettable studying experience in Finland doesn’t guarantee a career here

Pursuing a higher degree in Finland is indeed an attractive and promising prospect for foreign talent. Why wouldn’t it be? The Finnish education system isn’t one of the best for nothing. This plays a major factor leading many students to also consider a career in their respective fields in Finland. Speaking of personal experience, as […]

In English Kolumni Mielipide Opiskelu

TEKSTI Moaadh Benkherouf

Pursuing a higher degree in Finland is indeed an attractive and promising prospect for foreign talent. Why wouldn’t it be? The Finnish education system isn’t one of the best for nothing. This plays a major factor leading many students to also consider a career in their respective fields in Finland.

Speaking of personal experience, as I have studied both in my home country and in Finland, the difference is quite noticeable. In many countries, the students are forced to memorize a massive amount of information, and then take exams based on their ability to recall that information. They could get good grades, but if you ask whether they learned anything, it probably wouldn’t be much.

That’s not the case in Finland. During my studies here, I’ve never felt any kind of pressure from teachers. They have always been supportive and flexible. They’ve also made sure to design the assignments in a way that the student would actually learn from them, rather than rotely memorizing.

The exams were never a verbatim copy of what the teachers taught in the classroom. I think their purpose was to ensure that the students were paying attention. Even if you failed, you would get a second and third chance to make it right, which kind of takes a load off the students’ mind.

I think it is great that the system was designed to give second chances since you can never really know why a student performed badly in an exam. Another positive aspect is that second chances aren’t just in exams, but in the courses overall. During one of the courses I took, I remember being just a few points away from the next grade. To help with that, I negotiated with the teacher to do some additional work to get those points.

Some courses offered alternatives for passing them, like writing an assignment or taking an exam. In the case of a student not doing well in an assignment, they can choose to take the exams, and vice versa. Such alternatives can be found listed in the University of Oulu’s Policies for the Recognition of Learning, for example. So, to those of you who are studying in Finland at the moment, you’ve come to the right place.

However, if you’re seeking a career here after that, I would advise you to think again and do your research.

Many of the foreign students coming to Finland want to stay here and pursue a career. But how useful is it to bring foreign talent here? Foreign employment has been promoted widely through frequent career fairs and workshops, but nonetheless, a lot of the talent goes to waste.

I know many people, myself included, who graduated here, but are unable to secure employment with their Finnish degrees for one reason or another. The most common example of such reasons is the “insufficient language skills”. As a person who speaks Finnish well enough, I don’t think that’s a good reason.

In many cases, we are rejected for no apparent reason, or are simply “ghosted” by the employers. We never get invited to interviews, and we always get the standard rejection message “Thank you for your application. We have received many great applications, but you were not selected this time”. Because of that, we lost the motivation to seek meaningful careers, and by that I mean careers corresponding to our education and acquired skills through that.

We had to settle for menial jobs like cleaning, paper delivery, and food delivery, just to live day by day and meet our financial obligations. I honestly see no sustainability here in terms of ensuring that these foreign job seekers get to contribute to the Finnish job market in their respective fields.

A master’s thesis written by Anthony-Claret Onwutalobi from Lahti University of Applied Sciences talked specifically about unemployed immigrant graduates from Finnish higher institutions. In his work, he indicated that 58% of the participants in his surveys said that they haven’t met their career expectations in Finland. Furthermore, the study showed that 56% disagree on the fact that the job market is welcoming for internationals, and 28% strongly disagree.

Onwutalobi also highlighted a very critical point, which was in regards to the factors that helped in securing employment in Finland. A very small percentage were able to land jobs through applying or through career services (7% and 11%, respectively), while a total of 77% got their jobs through networking or personal reference. Employers say they are open to foreign employment, but are they? If a foreign student can’t even land an internship with these employers, or simply an interview, how can they land a job?

A very important question needs to be asked; are international jobseekers not needed, or not wanted?

We unfortunately have heard of true stories regarding discrimination and injustice experienced by people with not just one, but two or three degrees and a proficiency in many languages, including Finnish. This leads many to believe that the latter is to be true: international job seekers are not wanted. Of course, there are some success stories by people who have made it, but that does not mean that the issue is nonexistent.

If highly educated foreigners involuntarily see a need to deliver food and newspapers, rather than working in their respective fields, then there is a major issue. Many individuals, Finnish people and foreigners alike, have highlighted this issue on a plethora of social media platforms, most notably on the employment-oriented LinkedIn. Hence, the issue’s existence is being acknowledged widely. However, has it been addressed sufficiently? Has there been extensive efforts to alleviate this issue?

We have yet to be proven wrong, but I sure hope we do.

Julkaistu 31.8.20221.2.2023

Moaadh Benkherouf

A master's student in Northern Tourism at the University of Lapland, with a background in Environmental and Civil Engineering.

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Part 2. Cultural Shocks: Is the grass always greener?

One of the most common challenges for anyone moving to a new country is adapting to the new culture, traditions, and habits while retaining their identity at the same time. Being an international student coming from an Arabic country outside of Europe, I had a lot of thoughts regarding my identity moving to Finland for […]

Ilmiöt In English Kulttuuri

TEKSTI Moustafa Khairi

KUVAT Maiju Putkonen

One of the most common challenges for anyone moving to a new country is adapting to the new culture, traditions, and habits while retaining their identity at the same time. Being an international student coming from an Arabic country outside of Europe, I had a lot of thoughts regarding my identity moving to Finland for studying for a master’s degree. Based on my personal experience, I can say it is quite challenging to retain your identity but it is doable, and at the end of the day, it is a choice!

It is hard because of many different reasons that make the two countries almost completely different. Differences starting from for instance the core beliefs to even the food, making a living in a foreign country, not an easy job. On the other hand, no one can force you to do anything that you do not believe in. You have the freedom to choose whatever you want to do without being judged, which also makes it a tough responsibility.

I could write a lot about the different traditions and habits I have experienced living a year in Finland, but I would like to focus more on the Finnish people. Unlike the stereotype, most of the Finns, from my point of view, are friendly but you just need to start the conversation. I have been involved in quite many student associations and communities and have always felt appreciated being just present. Sometimes, I am the only international person in a room of more than 20 people and all of them just switch to English to keep me engaged with them while they do not actually need or have to do that. A few are even fine with struggling to speak their non-native language for the same purpose mentioned.

In supermarkets, for instance, people welcome you with a heartwarming smile, not only when you enter the place but also when you are done and leaving. In buses, it is kind of a tradition to wave to the bus driver thanking him/her for the ride before you get off the bus, and at the same time, he/she waves back and yes, this happens with almost every single passenger!

Most of the people are willing to help whenever they are asked and sometimes they even take initiative. Through my early weeks in Finland, I was waiting for my train at the railway station at it’s expected track and it was almost 4 minutes before the scheduled leaving time and it had not arrived yet. Then, people started leaving the track slowly and I was not sure what was happening. Before heading to someone to ask, three guys standing on the opposite track noticed that I did not start moving as well and most probably I did not understand the Finnish instructions. They reached out explaining that the train changed its track due to a storm that happened and it is going to arrive at a different track and in addition, they offered to guide me to the new track due to the time limitation.

Being appreciated and welcomed, most of the time, is one of the best feelings I experienced living in Finland.

Julkaistu 14.3.20221.2.2023

Moustafa Khairi

A Machine Learning thesis worker at Nokia and a Computer Science master's student at the University of Oulu. Also, I am the Founder and Lead of Google DSC in Oulu, Slush group lead, and next president of AIESEC in Oulu.

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The new Board of the Student Union of the University of Oulu hopes for a communal university

The OYY Executive Board for 2022 came to order during a meeting on January 24. The new Board was chosen during a Council meeting on December 15, 2021. The eight-member Board consists of a colourful bunch of students from different fields with all of them aiming for a common goal for the term: a communal […]

In English Yleinen

TEKSTI Tuuli Heikura

KUVAT Tuuli Heikura

The OYY Executive Board for 2022 came to order during a meeting on January 24. The new Board was chosen during a Council meeting on December 15, 2021. The eight-member Board consists of a colourful bunch of students from different fields with all of them aiming for a common goal for the term: a communal and visible OYY.

The term for the 2022 Board of the Student Union of the University of Oulu is coloured by various projects to re-shape the work of OYY – re-branding, renewing the Policy Document, and wellbeing and organisational projects. “Led by these projects, we’ll honour our mission to advocate for a good life for students.”

“The wellbeing project funding received from the Ministry of Education and Culture will allow us to concentrate resources on supporting wellbeing. In particular, the effects of the corona pandemic will most likely be perceptible for a long time, and we hope to do our part in reducing the negative impact with the help of the wellbeing project.

The re-branding mainly aims to enhance communication. The goal of the re-branding is a consistent visual interface that is clearer, more visible and recognisable. Additionally, the website will be improved in order to make the services more visible and to give students easier access to the information. The mandate to renew the Policy Document came from the Council of Representatives. The aim of the renewal is to update the big policies to better match today’s needs.

“We want the next Board to inherit a communal Student Union. Our goal is to further the mindset that you should be proud to be a student at University of Oulu, to help the students have a clear feeling of community, and to strengthen the identity of the student from Oulu.” The motto of OYY is “A good life for students.” This is also the guiding principle for all of the Board’s work; to continuously improve the education and wellbeing of the students.

Under the prevailing corona conditions, the work of the Board is also impacted through uncertain prospects for the future. “It’s quite difficult to predict the future. Concrete execution methods for the ongoing projects are still uncertain, as we don’t know what the situation will be, for example, a few months or half a year from now.” Particularly the development of organisational cooperation and the wellbeing project are still finding their shape regarding the execution.

Students advocating for students

The members of the Board want to emphasise that they’re sitting at this table for the sake of the students. “As clichéd as it sounds, we’re here for you. We think about the students and their benefit in all we do. We wish to efficiently cooperate with the students.” OYY has been criticised for being distant to the students. The Board wishes to change this. Previous Boards have had the same goal. “We must improve in emphasising the purpose of OYY and the significance of the Board as advocates for the students”, says Chairperson Lotta Leinonen.

Iikka Kokkoniemi adds that although many of the members have moved on from subject society work to a different organisation, he hopes that they will still be regarded as easy to approach. “I’m still the same person and a student, just like everyone else.” Reform of organisational cooperation is also hoped to improve the situation. “Closer cooperation helps bring the OYY Board closer to guilds and interest societies”, mentions Viljami Viinikka who works in the society sector.

The Board has already faced criticism after publishing a statement on January 27, 2022, aiming to appeal to decision-makers, calling for forward-looking decisions. In the statement, the OYY Board suggests that in the long run, new construction is the more sustainable and cost-efficient solution, in comparison to renovating the Linnanmaa campus. However, the statement has been interpreted as a sign of support for the city campus project, which has evoked lots of negative conversations amongst students that oppose the project.

The aim of the statement was to introduce a new perspective to accompany previous statements. “We wanted to emphasise the students’ need to study in a healthy and safe environment”, comments the Chairperson of the OYY Board Lotta Leinonen and the 2. Vice Chair Suvi-Anna Salminen. Leinonen acknowledges that bold advocacy work can put you in a vulnerable position. However, she emphasises that conversations should have room for open discussion and varying viewpoints, and everyone should be respected.

Lotta Leinonen, Business studies / Chair of the Board

Why did you apply for Board membership?

When I was thinking about where to find new challenges and to utilise my previous experience from subject society level, OYY seemed interesting. I noticed that the matters dealt with there are relevant to my interests. It also gives me valuable experience in organisational Board work.

What do you wish to achieve in the Board?

To improve the visibility of OYY, to students and other interest groups, so that we can be a partner that’s seen and heard by everybody. I want to take advantage of the platforms given to me and continue OYY’s long-standing work.

Previous activities

2016-2017 Chair of The Board of the upper secondary school student body, Youth Council

2019 > Deputy member of the Council of Representatives

2019 Finanssi ry, Academic Affairs Committee

2020 > Halloped

2020 Finanssi ry, Member of The Board, Specialist in Academic Affairs

2021 Finanssi ry, The Chairman of The Board, Vice Chair of the Student Associations’ Chairpersons’ Network of The Finnish Business School Graduates

Viljami Viinikka, Chemistry / 1. Vice Chair of the Board, Societies

Why did you apply for Board membership?

I’ve been running around in different meetings and places of advocacy since I was little, so the work feels natural – this is sort of a natural continuation for an organisational career.

What do you wish to achieve in the Board?

Through organisations, I want to bring OYY closer to the students and make the advocacy that happens behind the scenes more transparent. One of my projects is reforming the Järjestökummi-activity. I also aim to increase the involvement of Kontinkangas campus.

Previous activities

2013-2014 The Board of the upper secondary school student body

2015 The Board of 4H Lumijoki, Vice Chair

2018 Valenssi ry

2020 OLuT ry, Chair of The Board

2021 Mölkky- ja kyykkäseura, Vice Chair and person in charge of competitions

Suvi-Anna Salminen, Finnish language / 2. Vice Chair of the Board, Communications

Why did you apply for Board membership?

Throughout my studies, the Student Union has felt close to me. I wanted to be able to do advocacy work on a wider scale. I also gain valuable experience in organisational communication and self-improvement from the point of view of, both, advocacy and professional work.

What do you wish to achieve in the Board?

To improve my own know-how in communication and to learn about organisational work and advocacy. Re-branding will be an important part of my year in the Board and I wish to complete it properly and thus strengthen OYY’s position and visibility amongst student services.

Previous activities

2015 Chair of The Board of the upper secondary school student body

2019-2020 Suma ry, secretary

2020-2021 Suma ry, the Board, Specialist in Academic Affairs, Specialist in Social Affairs

2022 Member of the Council of Representatives

Tiitu-Lotta Paju, Process engineering / Events

Why did you apply for Board membership?

I wanted new experiences and to continue advocacy work. I was motivated to apply by the desire to have students of technology involved in Student Union decision-making.

What do you wish to achieve in the Board?

My goal is to create interesting, relevant events for students and make OYY more visible for the university community through them.

Previous activities

2017-2020 Youth Committee of The Finnish Red Cross

2019 > Oulun yliopiston Prosessikilta ry (Guild for process engineering)

2019 Technical Students Association Oulu

2021 Technical Students Association Oulu, secretary and member of the Board

Iikka Kokkoniemi, Teacher of Mathematical Subjects / Social affairs

Why did you apply for Board membership?

I’ve been a deputy member in the Representative Council for two years, but I felt like I didn’t have enough know-how or courage to work in the Board. Participating in the Board meeting of the National Union of University Students in Finland gave me my first experience of being able to make a difference and bring forth my own viewpoint despite not having much knowledge.

What do you wish to achieve in the Board?

As clichéd as it sounds, I want to grow as a person and expand my own knowledge to prepare myself for work life, and to have a deeper understanding of things.

Previous activities

2019 Sigma ry, spokesman

2020 The Board of OLuT ry, secretary

2020 LuOpiO ry, treasurer

2019-2020 Deputy member of the Council of Representatives

2020-2021 Science Students, group leader

2020 OYY Representative, SYL Congress

2021 Ohari ry, Specialist in Social Affairs

2021 Lapio ry reformation, secretary and relations

2021 OLuT ry, event coordinator

Lotta Ellonen, Education / Academic affairs

Why did you apply for Board membership?

I’m interested in advocating for all students, and OYY gives me experience in that. I have previously worked in organisations that have only recently been formed, so OYY provides a good counterbalance to that. It also helps me gain good experience in working in a larger organisation.

What do you wish to achieve in the Board?

To focus on academic affairs because I want to learn about the way the university makes decisions. A big project will be renewing the Policy Document. I also aim to develop the university’s internal peer supported academic affairs activity, so that high quality academic affairs activity is also accessible on a subject society level.

Previous activities

2017-2018 Motiva ry, events, new student orientation and photography

2019 Umbrella Guild Kaski, communications and advocacy

2019 Motiva ry, Treasurer, SKOL coordinator, GDPR coordinator

2019 Deputy member of the Council of Representatives

2020 Oulu Entrepreneurship Society, secretary and community

2020-2022 SKOL coordinator, EPALE ambassador

2020-2021 Member of the Council of Representatives

Arwa Benkherouf, Architecture / International affairs

Why did you apply for Board membership?

It has always been my dream to be in a position of influence and leadership. It doesn’t really matter where as long as I get to influence and further change. I am primarily interested in Student Services, where I can provide direct help and support to students. Working for the board is a great possibility to fulfil this dream and to develop my leadership skills.

What do you wish to achieve in the Board?

I want to develop my leadership and negotiation skills, while giving back to the student community that has accepted me to be a part of it and showed me, what student life is.

Previous activities

2020 Halloped, students’ wellbeing working group and equality and diversity committees

2020-2021 Kummi activity

2020 Self-Hack, facilitator

Essi Leinonen, Health Sciences / Wellbeing

Why did you apply for Board membership?

I have previous experience on student body and school advocacy levels, so I was aware of the demands and gains of board work. My decision was also impacted by the desire to make the Kontinkangas campus side more visible in the Board.

What do you wish to achieve in the Board?

The most important thing for me is to bring the students’ wellbeing to the centre, to advance the production of high quality services and opportunities to take care of the wellbeing of myself and the community through, both, local and national advocacy work. Personally, I want to grow as a person.

Previous activities

2015-2016 OSASTO ry, Specialist in International Affairs, secretary, events, tutoring

2016 OSAKO Council of Representatives

2017 OSAKO Chair of the Board

2018 OSAKO Council of Representatives, Vice Chair

Julkaistu 11.3.20221.2.2023

Tuuli Heikura

Oulun ylioppilaslehden päätoimittaja ja kauppatieteiden maisteri, joka nauttii syväluotaavista ilmiöjutuista, kuluttaa lenkkipolkuja kahden koiransa kanssa ja haaveilee mankelin omistamisesta.