IN ENGLISH
Student parliament elections 2015
The questions for the candidate matcher for the student unions’ student parliament
elections offered by SYL.
The technical service provider is ZEF.
You can comment on each of your answer (max 1000 characters).
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1. Basic degree programmes should be free of tuition fees for all
students.
scale: agree…………….disagree
Information box: Currently, education in Finland is free for all students, regardless of
their nationality, number of degrees or study places or duration of studies. The
Finnish government wants to introduce tuition fees in higher education for students
from outside the EU and EEA region.
2. The means by which students can influence university operations
should be developed principally (choose max two):
alternatives:
a. by making it easier for students to discuss their studies with staff
b. by developing the feedback system of the university and by strengthening
the status of student feedback
c. by a stronger inclusion of students in curricula work
d. by increasing the ways in how student societies can influence
e. by strengthening the position of students in the preparatory working
groups at the university
f. by strengthening the position of students in the formal decision making
bodies of the university
g. none of the above
Information box: As a student, there are a number of ways for you to participate in
preparatory work and decision making at the university: eg by participating in the
curricula work for your subject or in development work done by preparatory working
groups at the faculty or in other corresponding units. Official decision making bodies
of the university include the faculty boards, the university collegium, and the
university board. Student representation and how representatives are elected is
defined in the Universities Act and in the rules and regulations of the university.
Preparatory working groups do not have formal status and student representation is
therefore not a given in these.
3. Some fields of study or subject at my university should be
discontinued.
scale: agree…………….disagree
information box: The Ministry of Education and Culture has shown a strong will to
see structural reforms implemented in Finnish higher education. The ministry aims
at eliminating overlapping education supply, which may require some universities to
discontinue certain programmes or disciplines. There may also be a need to merge
some fields within the university or with other universities.
4. In the future, more students should graduate for work life with a
bachelor’s degree.
scale: agree…………….disagree
Information box: In 2005, the higher education degree system in Finland became a
two-tier system. Usually, students are awarded the right to study for a master’s
degree, whereas the basic higher education degree in many other countries is a
bachelor’s or corresponding degree.
5. The student union can take a stand in also other issues than issues
directly related to education, universities and social policy (eg student
financial aid, housing).
scale: agree…………….disagree
6. The housing situation for students should be improved primarily by
(choose one):
a.
b.
c.
d.
Building more student apartments
Raising the housing benefit for students
Promoting the availability of reasonably priced rental apartments
None of the above
Information box: Approximately one-quarter of students currently live in student
apartments. The majority of the other three-quarters rent on the open market. Housing
expenses is the single largest expense for students. In Finland, housing expenses swallow
around half of students’ disposable income, which is the second highest number in a
European context.
7. If you could choose only one as the first alternative to improve the
situation for students with children, which of the following would it be?
Alternatives:
a. A supplement to student financial aid for students with child custody
b. Flexible ways of studying
c. Services for students with children, provided by the student union other university, eg
temporary child care services
d. None of the above
Information box: One in six of the students in higher education has a child or children.
Students with children have wished for a stronger feeling of community from their studies.
They have also asked universities to pay more attention to course requirements, eg ways
of completing courses and mandatory attendance. Completing courses where attendance
is mandatory can be a challenge when the student has children. Up to 60 per cent of
students with children live below the poverty line. The current student financial aid differs
from other causal social benefits in that the number of children or being in custody of a
child does not affect the amount. The custodian allowance was removed from student
financial aid in 1992.
8. The development cooperation work of the student union should include
(choose max two):
a.
a voluntary donation to development cooperation, collected when the
membership fee is paid
b.
the student union’s own project/s
c.
participating in the development cooperation week with other student unions
d.
arranging events on the topic
e.
taking part in the universities’ higher education cooperation with higher
education institutions from developing countries
f.
the student union should not do any development cooperation work
information box: SYL and the student unions together realise different development
cooperation projects and promote awareness on development issues eg by arranging a
Development Cooperation Week each autumn. The motivation for doing development
cooperation work has been seen to be in section 46 of the Universities Act, according to
which: The student union shall participate in the performance of the educational mission of
the university ... by preparing students for an active, cognizant and critical citizenship.
9. The student union offers international students enough opportunities
to participate
scale: agree…………….disagree
Information box: International students are also members of the student union. Has the
student union, in your opinion, offered them adequate opportunities to get involved in
activities? Are international students considered by, for instance, communicating in English
or has the student union invested enough in multilingual operations?
10. The primary responsibility for including international students as part
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
of the university community lies with (choose max two):
the university
the student union
the subject associations
organisations for international students (eg ESN)
other student organisations
none of the above
information box: The university community consists of both students and staff. Who do you
think carries the main responsibility for making sure that international students are
considered and seen as equals at the university?
11. There are no sufficient grounds for the automatic membership in
student unions.
scale: agree…………….disagree
Info box:
The automatic membership in student unions has its roots in the 17th century and in the
Royal Academy of Turku, where every student was to be a member of a student nation.
The current automatic membership is now justified on the grounds of the specific duties
assigned to student unions by the Finnish law. In accordance with section 46 of the
Universities Act, examples of these duties include participating in the organizing of student
health services and selecting student representatives to university administration.
12. The University of Tampere should promote the Tampere3 project.
scale: agree…………….disagree
Info box:
Tampere3 is a cooperation project between the University of Tampere, Tampere
University of Technology and Tampere University of Applied Sciences, which aims to
establish a new type of a university to replace the current three higher education
institutions in Tampere.
For more information, please see: Tampere3Info blog https://tampere3info.wordpress.com
(in Finnish)
13. The degrees awarded by universities should remain separate from the
degrees awarded by universities of applied science.
scale: agree…………….disagree
14. The Student Union should focus on the following areas (Select a
maximum of three options):

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








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Supervision of the interests of international students
Supervision of interests in academic affairs
Promoting environmentally-friendly behaviours
Supporting student and hobby associations
Developing Tampere towards a more student-friendly city
Participating in the wider social debate
Offering students connections to working life
Promoting student health and welfare
Development cooperation
Promoting cooperation between members of the University community
Promoting students’ livelihood
Organizing events to all members of the Student Union
15. The Student Union should focus less on the following areas (Select a
maximum of three options):












Supervision of the interests of international students
Supervision of interests in academic affairs
Promoting environmentally-friendly behaviours
Supporting student and hobby associations
Developing Tampere towards a more student-friendly city
Participating in the wider social debate
Offering students connections to working life
Promoting student health and welfare
Development cooperation
Promoting cooperation between members of the University community
Promoting students’ livelihood
Organizing events to all members of the Student Union
16. How should Tamy primarily support the associations operating within
it? (Select only one option.)
a) By organizing training
b) By providing financial support
c) By organizing meetings and get-togethers for active association members
d) By providing working spaces and equipment for the use of the associations
e) Not in any way
17. How should the activities of the Council of Representatives be
developed? (Select only one option.)




By focusing on transparency and communication in decision-making
By meeting more often to discuss current affairs
By replacing the Council of Representatives by a common Student Union meeting
based on direct democracy
By increasing cooperation with the Executive Board and committees of the Student
Union
18. Direct action is a good way to promote the goals of the Student Union.
scale: agree…………….disagree
Info box:
Direct action refers to demonstrations, protests, events, etc. that the Student Union
organizes or is otherwise involved in.
19. Tamy should maintain relations with political parties in order to increase
the effectiveness of its supervision of interests.
scale: agree…………….disagree
Info box:
Political relations refer to cooperation with MPs, ministers, local councillors, etc. both at a
local and national level. This category may also include direct contacts with political parties
as well as their youth and student organizations.
20. Which of the following would be the best solution to improve students’
livelihood? (Select only one option.)

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●
●
●
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Increasing the government guarantee for student loans
Raising income limits
Basic income
Guaranteeing the availability of affordable rental apartments
Increasing the amount of study grant
Extra parental allowance