Category: Welcome to UH

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Hello, new exchange students!

It is the end of November, and at the University of Helsinki we are expecting the arrival of snow, Santa Claus and, finally in January, all you new exchange students! On January 8 and 9, we will meet and greet you at the Welcome Fair – an event not to be missed.

You should by now have already received your Confirmation of Acceptance from the appropriate UH Faculty. If not, please contact them for more details. If you are accepted as an exchange student, the International Exchange Services will register your data automatically to the UH student register Oodi.

A warm place to live in is crucial in the Finnish winter. If you have applied for accommodation via the Helsinki Region Student Housing Foundation (HOAS), you should hear back from them very soon. When you do, please reply quickly as student housing in Helsinki is always in great demand!

Attached to your emailed Confirmation of Acceptance you should also have found information from the Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY). Among various activities, the HYY services also include Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS, YTHS) which means free or highly affordable general, mental and oral health care. Please note, however,  that the FSHS fee is not an insurance policy neither does it cover hospitalization costs!

For more information about the Student Union, please visit HYY’s webpage.

To become a member of HYY for the academic year 2012–2013, you need to pay the Student Union (HYY) membership fee.  You find further instructions here. We highly recommend paying the membership fee before arriving to Finland. Unfortunately paying the fee at the Welcome Fair is not possible, but if you have made the payment in advance, you can present the original receipt at the Welcome Fair to verify you previous payment.

If for some reason you still have to cancel your exchange, please remember to inform the coordinator at the Faculty and the International Exchange Services and also HOAS, if necessary, in due course.

Joyous preparations and have a happy December! See you next year!

International Exchange Services

Photo by Veikko Somerpuro

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Meet our students! Why is the University of Helsinki so special?

Our Russian student Veronika Kiseleva shares her insights and experiences on studies, career and life in Helsinki. Veronika studies in the International Master’s Degree Programme in Forest Sciences and Business (MScFB). Read more about why you should also choose one of our International Master‘s Degree Programmes, all taught in English. Continue reading “Meet our students! Why is the University of Helsinki so special?”

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Meet our students at work! The Finnish Food Safety Authority utilizes international skills in its research projects

Professor Kimmo Peltonen (left) and Alexis Nathanail (right)

University of Helsinki has a world-class learning environment – the best labs and stimulating learning spaces in worldwide. Because our teaching staff is involved in research, you will get access to the most innovating and frontline research findings in our master’s programmes.  Also, many of our students want to continue with PhD after graduation. One of them is Alexis Nathanail, who studied in The MScFood programme. Now he is doing his PhD for the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira. We met Alexis and his supervisor professor Kimmo Peltonen at Evira. Continue reading “Meet our students at work! The Finnish Food Safety Authority utilizes international skills in its research projects”

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Best International Teacher 2012

Best International Teacher is an award annually presented by the Student Union to one of the teachers at the University of Helsinki.  The criteria for the nominations include student-friendliness, expertise and ability to highlight essential issues, willingness to develop, and the ability to give and receive constructive criticism.

The award winner of 2012 is Bart Gaens, Docent of Japanese Studies, who teaches at the Department of World Cultures. Gaens, originally from Belgium, first came to the University of Helsinki in 2001. Today Gaens’s teaching focuses on contemporary Japanese culture and society. In the nominations Gaens was praised for his diverse teaching methods and ability to inspire and involve students.

In his own speech Gaens quoted a Chinese proverb:
“Tell me, and I’ll forget.
Show me, and I’ll remember.
Involve me, and I’ll understand.”

An ability to connect with students and actively involve them, bringing forward one’s own expertise and the will to improve as a teacher are skills every teacher should aspire to. We are very happy that we have these kinds of teachers at our university and it is definitely something worth acknowledging every once in a while.

Congratulations Bart Gaens, Best International Teacher 2012!

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Winners of the photo competition for outgoing exchange students

…will have their photos displayed in today’s International Evening hosted by the rector & all the participants will be contacted via e-mail during this week.

The winning photo (above) was taken by Saara M. Laitinen in Cardiff, Wales.

A big thank you to all the 25 participants who are UH’s exchange students around the world.
More info about the winners of the photo competition for incoming exchange students will be available soon.

 

 

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Meet our students! How studying at the University of Helsinki can lead to a great career

Are you interested in top research? Many of our students have the opportunity to be involved in research projects already during their studies. Also many of them want to continue with a PhD after graduation. So whether you want a research career or plan to work as a professional, a master’s degree from University of Helsinki will help you in your professional life.

Barbora Czókolyová from Slovakia studies International Master’s Degree Programme in International Business Law and Public International Law (MICL). She came to Finland at the end of August this year, so she has been here now nearly two months. However, Barbora lived in Finland for five months in 2011 when she was an exchange student at the Faculty of Law. So she’s back in business! Continue reading “Meet our students! How studying at the University of Helsinki can lead to a great career”

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What does a university ambassador do?

The University Ambassadors are more than just campus tour guides or hosts for the events. University Ambassadors are student volunteers who love to share their experiences and introduce new students to the community.

University of Helsinki launched new ambassador project on November 2012. The ambassadors work in co-operation with the Education Services to better the university’s services for the students and convince new potential students why the University of Helsinki is the perfect match for them.

The Ambassadors are composed of current  University of Helsinki students who will help the new potential students by answering the questions and giving them guidance they will need.

Ambassadors have the opportunity to enhance their professional development, communication & marketing  skills, and opportunity to take a part in university world. Plus, they will have a great time! The program is one year in length.

To find out more, please send e-mail to: helena.m.hamalainen@helsinki.fi

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Thank you for voting

HYY’s Representative Council Elections were held on 6-7 November as traditional ballot box elections. Altogether 622 students ran as candidates and 60 were elected to the Representative Council. The Representative Council is the highest decision making body in the Student Union.

32.3 % of all students at the University of Helsinki, in other words 9 124 students out of    28 000, voted in the elections. Out of the 601 exchange students that are members of the Student Union, 22.8% voted in the elections.

Results:
The politically independent groups retained their clear majority in HYY’s Representative Council. The subject organisations strengthened their position as HYAL received 22 seats. The Student Nations (Osakunnat) lost one seat and now have 9 seats. HELP, consisting of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and law students as well as Tsemppi Group of international students, also lost a seat and has now 9 seats.

The Independent left and HYY:n vihreät (the Greens) both received one seat more. The Independent left now has 7, Vihreät 6. Keskeiset lost one seat, Kokoomusopiskelijat and Social Democratic Students both maintained their seats.

The preliminary election results are available here.

The new Representative Council will begin its term on 1 December 2012 and the electoral term is two years.

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