Apply to become a student representative in the appeals board, Una Europa student board or the university collegium

This is your chance to influence matters! The Student Union of the University of Helsinki is looking for student representatives for diverse duties. Check out all the open positions in the University’s administrative bodies below! 

Academic Appeals Board 

Students’ legal protection is the cornerstone of university education. It ensures the fair and equal treatment of students when assessing study performance, for instance. Would you like to get involved in securing and developing students’ rights concretely while also gaining considerable experience of university administration, decision-making processes and influencing important matters at the same time?

According to the University’s regulations, the university has an Academic Appeals Board established by the rector to process rectification requests concerning study performance. The Academic Appeals Board also makes initiatives to develop students’ legal protection and issues statements on issues concerning students’ legal protection. The working language of the Academic Appeals Board is Finnish. Further information on legal protection and the Academic Appeals Board is available on the University’s website.

We are looking for two members for the Academic Appeals Board along with two personal vice members for them for the term 1 August 2025–31 July 2027.

The following are considered as advantages:

• Motivation and the ability to commit to the position
• Interest in securing students’ rights and ideas for developing them
• Experience of acting as a student representative, as a person in charge of study affairs or in some other position related to student advocacy work

Una Europa student board

Una Europa (una-europa.eu) is a European University Alliance bringing together eleven leading research universities with global reputation and reach. Together we aim to shape Europe’s future. Una Europa’s mission is to create a truly European inter-university environment, where outstanding research is continuously linked to transnational learning and innovative, critical thinking.

There is one student representative and one deputy member from University of Helsinki in Una Europa’s Student Board. The student representative term is for 1.8.2025-31.7.2027. The student representatives can be a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral student.

The student board will systematically monitor the activities of Una Europa and participate in meeting with key stakeholders, such as the Board of Directors in Una Europa. As key stakeholders, students will give continuous feedback on the quality and relevance of the outputs and milestones delivered by the Alliance. They will join biannual physical meetings thanks to dedicated budget and support for their activities in the frame of Una Europa. An example of a now finished project was the student-driven task force ‘Affordably Abroad’, which investigated solutions to overcoming obstacles in achieving physical mobility for all.

The Student Board elects two co-chairs. They are the student representatives in Una Europa Project Steering Committee. During the term there can be online and live meetings. The University of Helsinki covers the travel costs. The working language in the Student Board is English and fluent English is critical in this position. Please write your application in English.

The following are considered as advantages:

• Motivation and commitment to serve in the position,
• Demonstrated interest and understanding of international higher education policy, and
• Experience as a student representative or from other student advocacy work.
• Previous engagement with Una Europa activities, either in the Local Task Force or as participant in any of the Una Europa activities.

University Collegium

As a member of the University Collegium, you will get to influence the future direction of the entire University, make students’ voice heard and create useful networks at the same time. You can get credits for serving on the University Collegium, and a meeting fee is also paid for the meetings. Student representatives are selected to the University Collegium from each faculty at the University as well as the Swedish School of Social Science.

Members of the University Collegium include professors, other University staff and students from all faculties at the University.  The duties of the University Collegium include the following:

• Appointing members from outside the University community to the University Board
• Confirming the members representing the University community to the University Board
• Appointing the Chancellor of the University and the university auditors
• Confirming the University’s financial statements and annual report
• Meeting at least twice a year to discuss matters concerning the University

As a member on the University Collegium, you will get to ensure that student perspectives are taken into account when plotting the University’s future direction. According to the Universities Act, the administrative language of the University of Helsinki is Finnish, and the University Collegium consequently works mainly in Finnish. However, it is possible to use other languages in its meetings by agreement. We are looking for two vice members from the faculty of arts for the term 1.1.2024-31.12.2025.

HOW DO I APPLY TO BECOME A STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE?

Applications should be submitted in the Halloped application system (beta.halloped.fi/en) by 11.59 pm on 5 May 2025. In your application, please indicate the following:

• Your current degree programme and study orientation
• Check out whether the position you are applying for has any special criteria or qualities that may be considered useful and should be included in the application from the Halloped application system.

The Student Union hopes to see applications from representatives of different genders and people in different stages of their studies from diverse backgrounds. We assume that you are available for the positions of both actual member and vice member. The Student Union strives to consider different disciplines’ representation when making the selections.

Further information on acting in as a student representative and the call for applications, please contact:

Specialist in educational policy

Riku-Petteri Kyllönen

riku-petteri.kyllonen@hyy.fi

050 325 5202