Student seminar brought clarity to the upcoming changes in the Jyväskylä Higher Education Group
What will the Higher Education Group between the University of Jyväskylä and Jamk actually mean for students? This question was at the heart of a student seminar organised by JAMKO and JYY on 17 September.
At the seminar, students from the University of Jyväskylä and Jamk University of Applied Sciences had the opportunity to learn more about the preparations for the Higher Education Group and to share their own thoughts, concerns and ideas about the future of the two institutions. Vice Rectors responsible for education, Minna-Maaria Hiekkataipale from Jamk and Marja-Leena Laakso from JYU, also explained why the Higher Education Group is being developed and how the preparations have progressed so far.
The ideas gathered during the seminar workshop will be used to support the development of the Higher Education Group and to bring students’ perspectives into the preparation process.
What will the Higher Education Group mean in practice?
In practice, cooperation between the University of Jyväskylä and Jamk will be strengthened in areas such as education, services, research and development. One of the aims is to strengthen the competitiveness of the higher education institutions. For students, closer cooperation could mean more flexible study paths, better opportunities to make use of the course offerings of both institutions, and stronger links with working life.
The upcoming changes were discussed in a panel featuring Jarkko Pirkkalainen, Director of Development at JYU; Piia Honkanen, Development Manager at Jamk; Heta Koski, Service Manager at JYU; Sirpa Tuomi, Head of Educational Services at Jamk; and Katja Sorri, Director of Human Resources at JYU.
Studying across institutional boundaries will become easier
One of the key changes for students will be better opportunities to include studies from the other institution in their own degree. Both the University and Jamk are revising their curricula and degree regulations to support more flexible cross-institutional studies. Individual study arrangements are also being reviewed from the perspective of closer cooperation between the two institutions.
However, the changes will not happen all at once. The effects of the Higher Education Group will gradually become visible in students’ everyday lives. For example, from autumn 2027 onwards, both institutions will follow the same academic year schedule. The changes related to education will become most concrete in 2028, when new students are expected to begin their studies under the revised curricula.
Students want clear practices and better information about study opportunities
Students were particularly interested in how cross-institutional studies will work in practice. Opportunities to study at the other institution already exist, but students would like the information to be clearer and easier to find. What new opportunities will the cooperation create for studies, services and the wider higher education community, and how can students actually make use of them?
The different study information systems used by the two institutions also raised practical questions. Students wondered how smoothly study planning, course registration and the transfer of completed credits between systems will work in the future. The panel stressed that developing the systems will be essential to make studying across institutional boundaries work smoothly.
Building a shared higher education community together with students
Students responded positively to the idea of building a stronger shared higher education community. Students from both the University and Jamk saw opportunities for closer cooperation, interdisciplinary encounters and activities that bring students together across institutional boundaries. Shared spaces, events, workshops and other low-threshold opportunities to meet students from different fields attracted particular interest.
Many details are still to be decided, which also means that this is an important time for students to have their say. Both the panel members and Vice Rectors Minna-Maaria Hiekkataipale and Marja-Leena Laakso encouraged students to take part in the planning process. Student perspectives are needed both in major decisions concerning education and in smaller practical matters that affect everyday student life.
Jamk provides updates on the Higher Education Group through the Elmo intranet, while JAMKO also follows the process and shares information through its own channels. If you have questions, concerns or ideas, feel free to get in touch with us.
Eetu Kinnunen
Communality coordinator
eetu.kinnunen(a)jamko.fi
Stella Palassalo
Guidance and Well-being advisor
stella.palassalo(a)jamko.fi