Apply to HYY’s Board for 2027!
NEWS
It is once again time to appoint a new Board for the Student Union.
HYY’s Board is in charge of managing the Student Union during its term. The Board’s term of office is one year. HYY’s Representative Council appoints the former of the Board (= the chair of the Board) as well as other members of the Board in its meeting on 26 November 2026.
Serving on HYY’s Board is a full-time position of trust, with members of the Board receiving monthly remuneration. The Representative Council decides on the Board’s remuneration when deciding on the budget.
Working on the Board
The Board meets several times a week to discuss and decide on the Student Union’s policies and direction.
The Board’s key duties include the following:
- Managing the Student Union
- Implementing the Representative Council’s decisions
- Representing the Student Union towards the University and other interest groups
- Deciding on the Student Union’s recruitments
- Appointing student representatives to University administration
- HYY’s Board also acts as the general meeting of Ylva, the company managing the Student Union’s business operations.
The Board is liable to the Representative Council for all its actions. Members of the Board each have one or several sectors that they are in charge of on the Board.
The duties of members of the Board consist of the Board’s collective duties and duties on each member’s own sector, conducted in cooperation with the Student Union’s personnel. In practice, around half of the working hours is spent on collective duties and half on work on the members’ own sectors according to their areas of responsibility. The Board is also a key resource for HYY’s event organisation. In 2026, each member of the Board has made a full contribution to around ten event days, depending on their sector.
Applying to the Board
All members of HYY who are registered for attendance at the University of Helsinki at the time of their appointment can apply to become a member of the Board. In practice, applying to become a member of the Board is usually done through the various groups represented on HYY’s Representative Council. The groups nominate their candidates to the Board, and the Board is then formed from among these candidates. Usually, the candidates are members of the Representative Council, but this is not required.
If you wish to apply to the Board but not represent a Representative Council group, please contact Chair of HYY’s Board Emil Aarnio (emil.aarnio@hyy.fi) to get the material required for submitting an application.
The applications submitted by candidates must include a motivation letter and a CV. The maximum length of the application is two pages. In addition to the application, candidates need to submit their wishes for sectors to work on in a manner agreed together.
After the Representative Council has appointed the Board on 26 November, the new Board will begin its orientation. The orientation begins 1–2 December and continues in early 2027. Being able to attend all orientation sessions is not a requirement for serving on the Board, but we hope that as many members as possible will be able to attend all orientation sessions. The Board’s work officially begins in January 2027.
Key dates
- 2 November at 12 noon: Registration of candidates
- 10 November 5–7 pm: Introduction event for candidates
- Late November: Board negotiations
- 26 November: Representative Council meeting and appointment of the Board
- 1 December 10 am–5 pm: Orientation for the new Board
- 2 December 10 am–5 pm: Orientation for the new Board
- 9 December in the afternoon: SYL’s glogg party
The Board’s work begins on the first week of January 2027.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to progress in studies during the year on the Board?
It is possible to progress in your studies to some extent while working on the Board or during the summer vacation of around one month, for instance. When planning your studies, you should account for the work on the Board taking up as much time as a full-time job. The Board also has some fixed weekly meetings, such as a weekly morning session and weekly meetings with each member’s own specialist partner, that you cannot miss. However, it is possible to arrange some routines for the working week at the beginning of the year, which means that it may be possible to participate in a lecture course from a scheduling perspective. When making plans for the year, however, you should always remember to take your own coping into account, as well.
Is it possible to have other work during the year on the Board?
You should approach the year on the Board as full-time work. The Board also has a fair amount of various engagements during evenings and weekends where participation is either necessary or at least highly desirable. However, it is possible to have, for instance, a summer job during the Board’s summer vacation of around one month, should you wish to. Remember, though, that HYY’s Board is paid remuneration for the entire year, including the duration of the summer vacation.
Is it a problem if I am not an expert in any field to begin with?
Members of HYY’s Board are students and as such have expertise on being a student, which is the most important thing. You will learn a great deal about the substance matters of your own sector as well as the affairs of other sectors during your year on the Board. Keep in mind that HYY’s field of operations is vast, and no-one can fully master it. The expertise of members of the Board will increase rapidly during the course of the year, and skills acquired during the year on the Board will be valuable afterwards, too.
What kind of skills does serving on the Board require?
Experience of processing large quantities of information is useful on the Board, as the Board may address numerous different matters related to the Student Union’s operations during a single week. Due to the wide-ranging duties of the members of the Board, being able to prioritise tasks and manage your own work are also important skills. However, you will also improve in these matters while acting on the Board!
Requirements for working on the Board are teamwork skills, respect for others and a willingness to cooperate. The Board consists of members from different groups and backgrounds, and you must be able to cooperate and make compromises in order to reach decisions.
How much work is there per week?
Depending on the week, there is usually an average of 37.5 hours of work per week. Some weeks may be significantly longer and others much lighter. HYY’s Board mainly works from Monday to Friday.
How are the areas of responsibility distributed within the Board?
In addition to the Board’s collective duties, members of the Board also conduct their work in different teams together with the specialists. These teams are advocacy work, services and communication. Within the teams, the work is divided among the following sectors: educational policy, social policy (which is further divided into city, health, housing, subsistence and equality), international affairs, new students, tutors, organisations, chairing the medium-term financial body, volunteers, events, environment, bilingualism and development cooperation.
Each member of the Board has one or two areas of responsibility that they work on during their year on the Board. The division of responsibilities within the current Board can be seen here.
Is it possible to go on exchange during the year on the Board? What if I graduate during the year?
Members of the Board must also be registered for attendance at the University of Helsinki, which means that graduating during the year on the Board automatically leads to a resignation from the Board. It is also worth remembering that serving on the Board is a full-time position and requires the members to live in the Capital Region, which means that going on exchange during the year on the Board is not possible.
Is it a problem if I am not much of an extrovert or a natural mingler?
No. The Board’s work entails some representation duties, but you will receive training and support for that, too. The Board represents HYY collectively at some formal events, while depending on their sector, individual members of the Board also have their own events and occasions they need to attend in an official capacity. We recommend discussing your hopes and fears with the chair of the Board right at the beginning of the year so that they are aware what kinds of things you are interested in.
Further information
Emil Aarnio
Chair of the Board
050 475 1280
