Guide for Representative Council members

What even is the Representative Council? The Student Union’s purpose is to act as a link between its members and to promote students’ aspirations and status in society. The highest decision-making power in the Student Union is held by the Representative Council, made up of and elected by students.

The Representative Council is in charge of decision-making in our Student Union. The council consists of 60 students elected every other year. All our members have the right to vote in the elections as well as to run as a candidate in them. The Representative Council decides on issues such as HYY’s Constitution and budget as well as appoints the Board. The council meets around once a month during academic terms. The meetings are streamed live – you can follow them from the comfort of your home!

This guide lists the Representative Council’s duties and current composition as well as offers some tips to help the council operate smoothly.

Duties of the Representative Council

The Representative Council is the highest decision-maker in the Student Union

The Representative Council holds the decision-making power in the Student Union and, as the name suggests, represents its members.

The Representative Council’s duties include several decision and appointment duties. The council appoints the Student Union’s chairs, secretary general and Board as well as the editor in chief of Ylioppilaslehti, for instance. Its duties also include monitoring and addressing the operation of the Student Union’s operating and property finances. The council also decides on the focus areas of the Student Union’s advocacy work as well as approves its steering documents.

All the Representative Council’s duties are listed in HYY’s Constitution.

HYY’s constitution has been updated

Support for advocacy work

  • Board

    The Board usually consists of eight members. The aim is to appoint at least one member from each Representative Council group to the Board.

    Hello Board!

  • Personnel

    Employees you might meet at the Central Office include specialists, the secretary general, the chief financial and service officer, an AD, the people of the Services Office and occasionally some project employees.

    Hi there, personnel!

  • Services Office

    The Services Office is always there to help you, whether you need to borrow equipment, want to pick up keys to meeting facilities or need help with finding lost items.

    Get help from the Services Office!

  • Facilities & reservations

    This guide contains information on what facilities we offer and how they can be reserved.

    Info on facilities!

Representative Council elections

Influence matters in the Representative Council elections!

All HYY’s members can vote in and run as a candidate in the Representative Council elections. The elections are held every other year.

The 2025 Representative Council elections (linkki) were held 15–17 and 20–22 October 2025.

Representative Council Elections 2025

  • All students registered for attendance at the University of Helsinki can run as a candidate in the Representative Council elections. Further information on becoming a candidate will be published before the elections in connection with the election notice.

    In the Representative Council elections, candidates may form electoral coalitions with other candidates. The electoral coalitions, in turn, may form electoral alliances with other coalitions. If you wish to run as a candidate, you can contact the Representative Council group whose election list you wish to join directly.

  • You can influence your Student Union’s operation by voting. HYY makes decisions that are relevant to the everyday life of students on matters including our collective funds, Ylva’s business operations and advocacy work.

    Voting in the Representative Council elections is conducted electronically. All basic degree students registered for attendance as well as postgraduate and exchange students who have joined HYY as members can vote in the elections. Voting is quick and easy! You only need you University user account for authentication purposes. Exact voting times will be published before the elections in connection with the election notice.

    The previous elections were held 15–17 and 20–22 October 2025. The next elections will be held in 2027.

Make the most of meetings!

You can influence matters outside meetings, too

The Representative Council meets around eight times a year. The agenda for each meeting is published at least one week before the meeting on HYY’s noticeboard (linkki). You can follow the meetings either on location or through a livestream from the comfort of your home. All our members have the right to be present in Representative Council meetings.

In the meetings, members of the Representative Council discuss the matters to be decided and vote on them. For maximum efficiency of your advocacy work and to ensure an open discussion on the matter, we recommend that you start advocating the matter well before the meeting itself.

  • When a matter requiring a decision is addressed by the Representative Council, the process usually goes as follows:

    • HYY’s Board prepares the matter. At this point, Representative Council groups may ask questions about it from members of the Board.
    • The matter is presented to the chairs of the Representative Council groups, who present it to their own group.
    • Representative Council groups discuss the matter in their own meetings and form their views on it. The groups may also discuss the matter with other groups.

    Some matters prepared by the Board, such as documents that are being updated, are sent to the Representative Council groups for comments. The Board makes its final proposal to the Representative Council based on the comments made by the groups.

    • The Preparatory Committee addresses the matter in its meeting. The committee may make changes to proposals made for the Representative Council meetings.
    • The Representative Council groups meet each other before the Representative Council meeting to agree on the division of labour in the meeting.
    • The matter is addressed in the Representative Council meeting.

    We recommend that you participate in your own group’s discussion actively throughout the process to make yourself heard. Cooperation with other groups is often also effective and improves your chances of getting matters that are important to you approved in the Representative Council meeting.

    The agendas of Representative Council meetings are published on HYY’s noticeboard at least one week before the meetings.

  • Representative Council meetings are occasionally pretty long. For this reason, we recommend bringing some snacks to the meeting along with your computer and a charger. Representative Council groups often sit among themselves and communicate with each other about the matters discussed in the meeting.

    Swedish- and English-speaking members can get interpretation for the Representative Council meetings if needed. Interpretation is provided any time the Representative Council groups have informed us that there is a need for it. Interpretation may also be provided for vice members of the Representative Council who are following the meeting without the right to vote. If your group has the need for an interpreter for the Representative Council meetings, please inform HYY’s documents secretary of this at least nine (9) days before the meeting.

    During the meeting, matters are addressed in the order determined by the agenda. The chair provides instructions for practical matters in the meeting, such as requesting the floor and the maximum length of comments. Any member of the Representative Council may request the floor in the meeting.

Annual schedule

    • Representative Council meetings
      • 1/2026: 26 February
      • 2/2026: 28 May
    • Representative Council meetings
      • 3/2026: 10 September
      • 4/2026: 8 October
      • 5/2026: 26 November
      • 6/2026: 8 December