Policy Document of the Student Union of Tampere University Approved on 20 November 2018 in the Meeting of the Council of Representatives

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Policy Document of the Student Union of Tampere University Approved on 20 November 2018 in the meeting of the Council of Representatives. Only the Finnish-language version is authentic.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

Contents Introduction 3 Equality 3 University and the University community 4

Administration and management 4 Studying, learning, and support for learning 7 Associations 11 Facilities 12 Sports 13 Sustainable development 13

City and society 14

Education system 14 Livelihood 16 Health and well-being 17 City advocacy and housing 18

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

Introduction The Student Union of Tampere University (TREY) acts as a link between its members, promoting their societal, social, and intellectual aspirations as well as their aspirations regarding education and the students' status in the society. The Student Union also works as a service, advocacy and interest organization for the students of Tampere University and su- pervises the students’ rights within the University and in the society. This Policy Document aims to communicate TREY’s political objectives and policies to both members and interest groups. In the daily activities of the Student Union, this Policy Document provides the em- ployees with guidelines regarding the supervision of students’ interests and the expression of opinions.

The decisions regarding TREY’s policies are made by the Council of Representatives. The content of the Policy Document is reviewed on a regular basis and updated by a decision of the Council of Representatives. The Student Union evaluates this policy document against the Council’s objectives and the developments in the operational environment. While the strategy defines the Student Union’s values, and the Plan of Action further regulates its annual targets, this Policy Document covers TREY’s general objectives for the supervision of students’ interests.

Equality

• Equality is a guiding principle in all Student Union activities. All students, regardless of their age, nationality, ethnicity, skin colour, sexuality, health, ability, conviction, family situation, or socio-economic background, are equal members of the Student Union and the University community. All students feel equally welcome in their activities. None of the above-mentioned factors prevent them from applying for studies, complicate their activities at the University or in student organizations, or put them at a disadvantage in studies, study-related services, or decision-making. Discrimi- nation and harassment are not tolerated in student activities, and these issues are dealt with. • The Student Union reserves the right to refuse to cooperate with third parties that violate the Student Union’s principles of equal treatment. • The students’ different life situations are not a hindrance to their education.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

• Internationalization is in the interest of the entire community. International students are seen as equal members of the Student Union, and their participation in the activities of the University community is supported. The services of the Student Union and its partners can also be accessed in English. Communication is bilingual, and its quality is on the same level in both languages. • When asking for a person’s gender, gender diversity is taken into account, and the person is given the possibility to state their gender. Changes to personal data in the University systems can be simply done at the person’s own request.

University and the university community

Administration and management Multi-discipline university • Science, research, and education form the basis of the new higher education community. Research and teaching, and the development of both, go hand in hand. The Uni- versity’s assets are extensive competency-based, student-centred learning, cross- disciplinarity, and academic freedom. • Tampere University is a multi-discipline university. It recognizes the value of the different cultures of the disciplines and accepts them into the science and education community. The characteristics of different disciplines are taken into account in decision-making, funding, and contents. • The financing model rewards the quality of teaching, research, and societal influence. It ensures a sufficient core funding for the execution of basic tasks on all fields and encourages cross-disciplinary cooperation. The financing model also guides the organization of lifelong learning, ensuring that its resources are not taken from degree students. • Alongside with multidisciplinarity, the diversity of the University community’s members results in a variety of different perspectives, which is important for scientific progress. The University should encourage people from all kinds of backgrounds to participate in the activities of the science and education community.

Decision-making and preparation • The administrative structure of the University serves the development of teaching and research. It supports flexible cross-faculty study opportunities and encourages

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

cross-disciplinary cooperation. The administrative structure helps people to attach to the new University and their own communities. • Subsidiarity is implemented in the administration so that the decisions on matters related to education and research, i.e. matters within academic autonomy, are gene- rally made as close to the concrete operational level as possible. University-wide instructions can also be given on academic matters. These instructions are prepared in cooperation with the councils of the faculties and the Academic Board. • Decisions are made in an open manner, and the entire community is publicly informed about matters under preparation. All documents are made electronically available to all community members. The University and faculties organize open events for the University community to discuss and work on current issues. • All University bodies with multiple members, with the exception of the University Board, must have a tripartite representation. The members of the University Board are appointed, with the Equality Act in mind, according to the qualification and sui- tability requirements of the Universities Act and the Academic Board. Quotas or ca- tegorical exclusions are not applied when appointing members for the University Board. When the composition of the Board is decided, the members’ expertise in matters related to students and education is taken into consideration. • Students are equal members of the University community. Student representatives are appropriately supported during their term and fully trained for their tasks by the Student Union. • Different groups of the University community are involved in preparing and making decisions on all matters that concern them on all administrative levels. The members of an administrative body are selected by a relevant group of the University community. • International students and staff members can act as representatives in the University administration. For international students and staff, the threshold for participating in the activities of different administrative bodies is low. English is accepted as a working language for meetings and administration alongside with Finnish.

University bodies and the administrative structure • The University Board consults the Academic Board on all important issues that concern the entire University, for example, on decisions regarding the strategy, important operational and financial objectives, and other long term principles.The

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

University Board appoints the rector and the deans with the help of preparatory appointment committees where students and staff are represented. • The chair and the majority of the members of the preparatory board appointment committee come from the University community. • The provost or a member of the Academic Board can act as a chair of the Academic Board. • The decisions on the faculties’ objective programmes, staff plan, budget, and important operational and financial objectives are made by faculty councils. The dean is assisted by a steering committee where students and staff are represented. Faculty councils have degree programme planning groups and curriculum groups with student and staff representation. • The new Tampere University and the Tampere University of Applied Sciences have a joint administrative body, as specified in their rules, whose tasks have been defined in cooperation between Tampere University, the Tampere University of Ap- plied Sciences, the Student Union of Tampere University, and the Students’ Union of Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

Fee-based education and the scholarship system • The primary task of Tampere University is to produce high-quality degree education and research. The University also invests in the promotion of lifelong learning. Commercial activities, such as exporting and ordering education, are secondary, and their objective is to create more resources for carrying out the primary task, not to exhaust them. Commercial education and degree education are seen as entirely separate entities. • Students who pay tuition fees are treated equally with others: for example, they cannot pass other students in course admissions or student housing. • The scholarship system organized for paying non-EU/EEA students is predictable and clear, and its criteria are transparent. The criteria of the scholarship system are not only based on academic success but also on an economic needs test.

The University as an employer • The University is a fair, reliable, and attractive employer. It is the best academic workplace in Finland, and it is able to compete with other public and private sector employers of the same size.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

• The recruiting practices are transparent and equal. Students are represented in the recruiting process of teaching personnel. Fixed-term contracts are only made for good reasons. • The employment periods of the doctoral students employed at the University are of sensible length. Their pay is reasonable, and most of their working time can be used to conduct their own research. The contract and guidance practices of doctoral students are standardized throughout the University. The Student Union also offers support for doctoral students and takes their perspective into consideration in its advocacy work at the University. • The University is a healthy, pleasant, and cooperative work environment to which the staff, students, and management contribute.

Studying, learning, and support for learning Education management • The University invests in the development and management of education. Time and financial resources are reserved for the improvement of education. Teachers are required to have expertise in university pedagogy and to give a trial lecture. Howe- ver, these requirements do not apply to degree students. Teachers have the possibility to complete supplementary pedagogical training. • The quality of teaching in English is ensured by offering the teaching personnel sufficient opportunities to develop their language skills and to participate in longer teacher exchange programmes. • The university staff can focus on teaching, research, or both. Teaching at the Uni- versity is as significant a criterion for the staff’s career development as research.

Degrees ● The degrees are developed with the needs of the discipline in mind. ● The curriculum is primarily developed from the perspective of degree education. The curricula and study modules should be planned in cooperation at least in those fields where the higher education institutes already produce similar skill profiles. ● Students are granted a right to study for both the bachelor’s and the master’s degrees. The bachelor’s degree can only be the student’s final degree out of their own choice. ● The number of study points that can be included in a degree is not limited.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

● Students are offered opportunities to develop their competences in many ways and to create different personalized degrees. Students can complete optional studies across disciplines and institutions. ● Broad-based degree programmes are desirable when they are based on a functional combination of compatible scientific disciplines. Degree programmes that combine different disciplines should only be created for good reasons. Broad-based degree programmes are prepared within the faculties in cooperation between the degree programmes. If the initiative to create a new degree programme comes from out- side the degree programmes, the degree programmes in question are given a cent- ral role in decision-making and preparation. The content of the broad-based degree programmes is logical, and their different parts complement each other. ● When the students begin their studies, they are aware of by which criteria and at which stage the specialization should be decided, and of how to proceed if they are not admitted to the specialization of their choice. ● Students can easily complete cross-institutional studies between the University and the University of Applied Sciences. They are informed about acquiring study credits from the other higher education institute.

Recognition of prior learning and transitions ● Recognizing prior learning and giving study credits for working in positions of trust are considered important at Tampere University. The acquired study credits can be transferred to the degree. ● Students have the right to complete the study modules they began within a reasonable time period. When starting a study module, the students can be sure that they will be able to complete it according to the original plans. The progress of studies is ensured, and no one’s studies are delayed due to changes in degrees or curricula. ● If educational responsibilities are transferred from one university to another, the transitional period cannot be shorter than the target time for the completion of the degree. After the target time, the University guarantees the possibility to complete the degree in another university. When applying for studies, applicants can trust that they will be able to complete their studies according to the information given at the time of application.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

Flexible and competency-based studies ● Studies and teaching are planned and carried out according to the principles of competency-based learning which is understood, from a student-oriented viewpoint, as the recognition, identification, and verbalization of the student’s competences. Concrete learning outcomes are set both for field-specific knowledge and for general skills acquired at the University. ● Students are helped to identify their motivation and to set their own learning objectives. The studies emphasize and illustrate the fact that competences acquired el- sewhere are an important part of study modules on the path to becoming an expert on the field. ● The teaching methods and arrangements meet the course contents. ● Flexible completion of studies is at the core of university education, which can be seen in the variety of studying and teaching methods. When planning the curricula, special attention is paid to the flexibility of studies. Flexible study possibilities allow studying regardless of the time and place, and at all hours throughout all seasons. The aim of developing flexible study methods is to complement contact teaching, not to reduce it. ● Teaching is accessible. Students are aware, from the beginning of their studies, about the possibility to apply for special arrangements. Special arrangements can be received without difficulty as needed. The University is responsible for ensuring that the teaching personnel can provide accessible courses by offering, for example, distance learning possibilities and lecture recordings. ● For each degree, study module, and course, qualitative feedback is gathered regu- larly and over a long period of time. As a part of the feedback system, students ref- lect on their own learning and competences. Feedback is always processed confi- dentially, and it plays an important role in the planning of teaching and in internal decision-making. The teaching personnel are required to respond to the feedback.

Academic counselling and guidance ● High-quality academic counselling and guidance are offered throughout the study path, especially in the beginning of studies and in transition phases. Guidance given at transition phases takes into consideration how the choices made during the studies affect the career path. Students are offered career planning services in both Finnish and English. The teaching personnel are aware of their role as counsellors. Counselling and guidance are included in all courses. Peer counselling and tutoring

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

are organized and developed as a part of counselling and guidance. The University and faculties guarantee resources and support for counselling and guidance. ● The University has common and public criteria for thesis counselling. The counselling is competent and given on a regular basis. At the time of postgraduate student selections, an evaluation is made on the language resources necessary for providing counselling in the language of studies. ● The study services also offer students guidance to help them identify their skills, both as a part of the University Services and as study modules. ● The study psychologists have enough resources to provide the necessary services on all campuses. Appointments can also be directly offered to students.

Language and communication studies ● The University has a well-resourced language centre to enable flexible language studies. Students are able to complete the compulsory language studies included in their degree within the time frame set in the curricula. ● A variety of language and communication courses can be taken on all campuses. The students’ wishes are taken into consideration when planning language courses for each campus. ● Finnish students have a low threshold for participating in courses organized in Eng- lish. These courses promote interaction between Finnish and international students. ● Foreign language courses can also be completed with English as the language of instruction. International students are offered a sufficient number of Finnish language courses at a level which corresponds to the actual needs of education and working life.

Internationalization ● All interested students can include internationalization in their degrees. The Uni- versity allocates enough resources to international services. ● Students are sufficiently informed about completing a period abroad. Students can easily include studies from other institutions in their degrees. ● The internationalization module can also be completed in Finland. The University provides a sufficient amount of information about internationalization at home and about how to include it in a degree.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

Career services ● The University has well-resourced career services. These services, individual counselling included, are offered to both Finnish and international students to support them in finding employment in Finland or abroad. ● The University recognizes the special needs of international students in terms of career planning, providing them clear information about available services. ● All interested students can acquire working life skills and contacts during their studies through, for example, an internship or a thesis. The University maintains contacts to businesses as well as public and third sector employers by, for example, organizing recruiting events. ● The University offers university internship grants on fields where it is necessary. Internships included in the studies can also be completed abroad, and the Univer- sity offers financial support regardless of whether the employer is Finnish or foreign.

Associations • The Student Union supports its interest, subject and hobby associations by offering them, according to their needs, guidance and training as well as financial and com- municational support. • The Student Union supports the associations in organizing international activities and encourages them to acknowledge students who do not understand Finnish. • The Student Union helps improve the associations’ abilities to supervise the students’ interests in their discipline through guidance, communication, and training. In order to ensure mutual communication, the Student Union encourages the associations and the student representatives from corresponding disciplines to actively communicate with each other. • The Student Union offers support to the associations in equality matters and provides training for association organizers. • The Student Union encourages the associations to take accessibility into account in their activities. • Student activities encourage people to take care of their own and other people’s well-being. Associations organize sober activities, and students can participate in all events without being pressured into using alcohol or drugs. • The associations are encouraged to organize low-threshold sports events and activities.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

• The associations working under the Student Union are the most important link between the Student Union and its members. For this reason, they play a meaningful role in the activities of the Student Union. • The associations and the Student Union communicate directly and often. Associati- ons find the Student Union easy to approach. • With the help of its associations, the Student Union is able to strengthen its ties to the student community. It is also able to offer the students a variety of opportunities to learn by doing and to spend their free time with others, both to support their education and to help balance their life and studies. • The associations’ financial aid, as defined in the Association Standing Order, encourages the associations to organize activities that are in accordance with the Stu- dent Union’s objectives.

Facilities • All University campuses and facilities are accessible to both students and teachers. Accessible facilities are clearly indicated with signs. Students are also able to move around and attend lectures unassisted. ● The University has high-quality physical and electronic learning environments that are accessible and multi-functional. ● Entrance exams are held in accessible rooms, and applicants are not required to apply for special arrangements for mobility restrictions. ● Ergonomics are taken into consideration when new facilities are being designed. ● The new higher education community should be a pioneer in testing and using electronic and physical learning environments. The facilities should enable contacts and interaction between students and staff.The staff receives training in current and future electronic systems. ● The University’s learning, sports and hobby facilities can be accessed during all hours and seasons. ● Campuses offer plenty of facilities for student associations to organize a variety of activities. All associations have a right to these facilities. The University takes the need for student facilities into account when renovating or constructing buildings and rooms. ● The University facilities are safe. University staff and students are able to recognize threatening situations and know how to respond to them. ● All University buildings have gender neutral and accessible bathrooms.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

Sports ● The higher education sports fees are in proportion to the students’ level of income. ● Students can easily access the sports facilities on all campuses. The sports services are on the same level on all campuses. Access to the sports facilities is guaranteed 24 hours a day. ● The management of sports services and the distribution of costs should be developed. ● The sports services take low-threshold activities and different levels of physical ac- tivity into consideration. Gender diversity is taken into consideration when organizing changing rooms and washing facilities. ● Sports services are considered to be part of maintaining the students’ ability to work and study. The University and its campus environments support both low- threshold exercise and competitive sports.

Sustainable development ● The Student Union takes environmental issues into account in all its activities and advocacy efforts. ● Tampere University profiles itself as a pioneer in matters related to sustainable development. ● The Student Union assumes their share of the global responsibility in promoting sustainable development. The Student Union participates in development cooperation. The members and associations find it motivating, and it is an opportunity for students to benefit from their skills. ● The University and the Student Union require that their activities and investments, as well as the companies they own, are in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. The practices of the Student Union’s partners’ should not regu- larly fail to comply with the Student Union’s policies.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

City and society

Education system Higher education system and universities • The universities have autonomy to guarantee their freedom of research and teaching. • All students taking a lower or higher basic degree at Tampere University are members of the Student Union. The Student Union may also admit other students of Tampere University as members. • The degrees from universities and universities of applied sciences have their own profiles, and the closer education cooperation does not mean that entire degrees or study modules can be outsourced from one sector to another. The dual model is maintained. Cooperation is based on improving the quality of education and research, not on saving resources. • The universities work in close cooperation with each other in terms of both teaching and research. Education cooperation is also done across sectors. On those fields where the degrees provided by different higher education institutes already produce similar skill profiles, flexible study paths are formed to allow the students to flexibly change from one degree system to another. • The student is granted the right to study for both the bachelor’s and the master’s degrees. The bachelor’s degree can only be the student’s final degree out of their own choice. The level of education is not lowered. • The national financing model of the universities is transparent and predictable, and it ensures a core funding for the execution of basic tasks on all fields. The financing model rewards the quality of teaching, research, and societal influence. The university index is kept. The financing and control system gives the universities room to operate, and it supports the autonomy and long-term development of science and teaching. University funding does not depend on the amount of collected tuition fees. • Universities should have sufficient resources to fulfil their task of continuous learning. The university financing model rewards the universities not only for completed degrees but also for study credits. This way, the model encourages the universities to offer a variety of courses and lifelong learning opportunities to students from other universities as well.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

Accessibility in the education system • An accessible education system guarantees social equality and allows the social mobility of individuals. Education is an entirety which includes lifelong learning possibilities and a truly free early childhood education as well as basic, secondary, and higher education. • Special attention is paid to the education of underrepresented groups. The level of involvement of these groups increases. Immigrants are offered sufficient study opportunities and ways to have their prior education and skills recognized. Gender only has a minor effect on the individuals’ educational choices. Normative ideas of gender do not pose restrictions to applying for studies or professional training. • Basic and secondary education provide all pupils with sufficient abilities and equal opportunities to apply for higher education. This requires a geographically comprehensive school network of high quality. People are offered a sufficient amount of support and guidance for making educational choices. • The student admission system in higher education is equal: it does not discriminate against applicants based on their prior education, socio-economic background, or wealth. The admission system does not create a demand for fee-based preparatory courses. The quotas for first-time applicants are discontinued. Transfers are facili- tated. • Student admissions and the admission procedure focus on the applicants’ suitabi- lity and motivation. Student admission procedures, such as entrance exams, should be organized as joint selection procedures, while still taking the specificities of different fields into consideration. A certificate of matriculation or other success in secondary education is not the primary admission criterion.

Free education and lifelong learning • Degree education is free of charge for all students taking a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or a doctoral degree. The tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students are also discontinued. • Free lifelong learning opportunities are part of the higher education system alongside with degree education, paid adult education, and continuing education. These lifelong learning opportunities must be accessible to adults, regardless of their educational background, socio-economic position, or labour-market status. • The Open University allows individuals to update their skills. However, the Open University, continuing education, and made-to-order education are not a way to

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

avoid the entrance examination system by paying. Degree students are not directed to fee-based education if the degree programme lacks resources. The Open university must be kept separate from continuing education and made-to-order education according to customers and demand. Path studies should be kept free of charge for people lacking a degree and low-priced for others. Paying students cannot enjoy special privileges over other students.

Livelihood Students and the social security system ● The student’s financial situation or income does not present a hindrance to studies or enrolment. It is economically possible to combine studies with work, family, illness, and other situations and changes in life. ● Students are included in all social security reform projects. ● Comprehensive social security reforms facilitate lifelong learning and studying regardless of the students’ situation or stage of life. The aim of these reforms is to help the students to flexibly combine studies with work, entrepreneurship, illness, and family life without the risk of damaging their income. Students’ financial aid ● The study grant and housing allowance are enough to cover living expenses during studies. ● There are no restrictions as to how and by which date the student should use their study grant. The two-part structure of the study grant is ended to enable more flexible study paths. ● The financial aid systems do not restrict the students’ options without good reasons. Kela cannot decide to withhold parts of the study grant without the student’s consent. ● The annual income limit of the study grant is high enough to allow working during studies. The income limit regulation is clear and flexible, and the financial aid can be paid back in parts. ● A sufficient parental allowance is connected to the study grant so that having a family during studies does not result in an unbearable financial burden. ● The students’ financial aid is primarily improved either by increasing the amount of the study grant or the number of months of financial aid. ● The student loan is an optional addition to the students’ income.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

Social assistance ● Students have the possibility to receive social assistance for paying compulsory study-related fees, such as the FSHS fee or the Student Union membership fee. ● Undrawn student loan is not counted as income when the student applies for social assistance. Instead, the student loan is an entirely optional addition to the student’s income. ● The basic amount of social assistance of full-time degree students is not reduced if the studies progress according to the target time.

Housing allowance ● Housing allowance is paid individually: the income of other people living in the same household does not affect the amount of housing allowance. The housing allowance system treats different types of households in an equal manner: the allowance is equally paid regardless of whether the student lives alone or with flatma- tes. ● The housing allowance meets actual housing costs and is increased in proportion to them. The income limits of the housing allowance take irregular income into account.

Health and well-being Accessibility of services ● All students, regardless of their life situation, income, or other circumstances, have equal opportunities to pursue well-being, health, and sports. ● All students are treated equally as service users in terms of the health care fee and the accessibility of the health services. ● The accessibility of mental health services is guaranteed by ensuring sufficient resources and by developing the division of responsibilities between different sectors. ● Students can access social services without difficulty as needed. Social workers have sufficient knowledge of student matters. ● The cooperation between students and the most important health, well-being and sports service providers, such as the FSHS, social services, and the University, works seamlessly. Students are always involved in the development of these services. If necessary, the different service providers are able to direct students to services offered by another service provider.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

Finnish Student Health Service ● Students are provided timely health care. The threshold for seeking health services is low, and treatment can be received quickly. ● The services of the FSHS are constantly improved to better promote the students’ health. The FSHS provides general, mental and oral health services as well as cer- tain specialist services. The FSHS provides acute treatment and preventive health care services, and it also works in health promotion. ● The cooperation between the FSHS and other health care services is functional, and their service chains are efficient. Students can easily access follow-up treatment and specialized care through the FSHS. ● The annual fees and the service fees are directed so that the most underprivileged students are not burdened. Payment schedules can be agreed upon individually. ● The long-term objective is to provide free healthcare that is specialized in students’ health issues. ● The electronic services of the FSHS are improved, by using preventive support services and electronic contact services, to free up resources for actual health care work. ● An even larger number of students answer to the electronic health inquiry of the FSHS. The inquiry and the utilization of its results are developed in multi-professional cooperation and together with students. The electronic health inquiry helps in making functional interventions and in preventing problems and social exclusion. ● International students with access to the services of the FSHS can easily receive health care services in English.

City advocacy and housing ● The City of Tampere asks the students for their opinion and listens to them when making decisions that affect students. The university students of Tampere engage in advocacy efforts in matters concerning them. The City of Tampere makes an ef- fort to be the most student-friendly city for all kinds of students. ● The City’s planning and housing policies respond to the students’ needs. The locati- ons of the student apartments are attractive. ● The number of parking spaces near the student apartment buildings is limited to what the students need. In the centre and near the tram network, apartment

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]

buildings can be designed without parking spaces. The parking space requirement is first removed from student housing and then entirely. ● Bicycle shelters and cycling are invested in and promoted in student housing. ● The City of Tampere invests in cost-effective preventive services. ● The City of Tampere offers free-of-charge contraception for all young people under the age of 25, and provides all students enough information about this option. Con- doms are also offered as an option. ● The urban environment and outdoor recreation areas and facilities encourage students to engage in sports, hobbies and community activities. ● Mobile payment can be used in public transport in Tampere. ● All students are given good public transport discounts. ● Students can easily move from one campus to another by public transport, by bicycle, or on foot. Cycling and walking routes are of a high quality and they are kept open all year round. ● The social services of Tampere have expertise in student matters, and they help students who are at risk of social exclusion. The City offers free debt counselling and social loans. ● Student families are supported by offering flexible day care possibilities.

Tampereen ylioppilaskunta • Rakennustalon L-siipi 3. kerros, Tampereen yliopiston Hervannan kampus Korkeakoulunkatu 5, 33720 Tampere • [email protected]