Press release 15 November 2021
For immediate release
The two-day General Assembly of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL) will be held at Hotel Korpilampi in Espoo on 19–20 November 2021. The General Assembly wields the highest decision-making power in SYL and elects a new President and six Board Members for the Union for 2022. In addition, the Assembly outlines the objectives and activities of SYL in 2022 and decides on changes to SYL’s Policy Paper. The Policy Paper directs all advocacy work of the Union.
All 14 student unions will be represented at the General Assembly. The unions represent around 130,000 university students in total. Altogether, the student unions elect 139 full representatives to the General Assembly. The number of participants will total around 300.
SYL’s Plan of Work for 2022 focuses on recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on students’ well-being, income and studies. Next year, our activities focus on assessing and addressing these consequences. SYL’s President Annika Nevanpää says: “The coronavirus pandemic has had devastating effects on student life. Next year, it is important that we invest in improving students’ well-being and sense of community. In 2022, we will also start preparing for the parliamentary elections in 2023.”
The General Assembly will start on Friday 19 November at 9.30 a.m. and continue on Saturday 20 November at 10 a.m. On Saturday, the speech to the General Assembly will be made by Li Andersson, Minister of Education.
The election of SYL‘s President will take place at the General Assembly on Friday, and the elections for the Board will be held on Saturday. We will announce the results as soon as we can after the elections. This year, there are three candidates for the post of President for SYL: Konstantin Kouzmitchev (AYY), Aleksi Murtojärvi (SONK) and Akseli Rouvari (HYY).
There are currently nine other candidates for the six posts of Board Members. The candidates nominated by the student unions are Oskari Heinonen (HYY), Katariina Henttonen (LYY), Olli Joki (OYY), Tuomas Karvonen (TREY), Elina Kuula (LYY), Suvituuli Lundmark (TYY), Sophie Nyyssönen (HYY), Tiina Pajukari (AYY) and Jenna Rautionaho (TYY). Candidates may be nominated until the elections take place at the General Assembly. You can read more about the candidates on SYL’s website at www.syl.fi/en/candidates-2021.
The media are welcome to follow the General Assembly at Hotel Korpilampi on both days.
Interviews are preferably given during the lunch breaks (Fri at 12–13 and Sat at 13–14) and after the General Assembly. Please contact SYL’s Communications Adviser for more information or scheduling interviews (siiri.nousiainen@syl.fi, tel. +358 41 515 2228).
SYL’s General Assembly will also be webcast live on SYL’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/sylvideot. The hashtags used on social media will be #SYLliittari and #StudentsOfFinland.
For further information, please contact:
Secretary General Sonja Raitamäki, tel. +358 40 741 1251
SYL’s President Annika Nevanpää, tel. +358 44 906 5007
During the General Assembly, we recommend that you contact our Communications Adviser Siiri Nousiainen, tel. +358 41 515 2228.
You reach us by email at firstname.surname@syl.fi.
Documents for the General Assembly are available at https://syl.fi/en/events/general-assembly/.
The online documents also include a more detailed schedule and rules of procedure for the General Assembly.
