In the spring of 2022, the Research Foundation for Studies and Education Otus carried out a study called ‘Tracking the Effects of Remote Teaching’, commissioned by the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL). The purpose of the study was to determine the extent of university students’ learning loss and skills gap due to pandemic-related special arrangements, and the effect of the exceptional circumstances on the students’ wellbeing, ability to study and transfer to working life. A total of 667 university students answered the survey.

The results highlight the importance of the student community. The community is not only for fun but also for building academic skills. Those who responded to the survey experience skills gaps in, for example, presentation and argumentation skills. 61% of the respondents feel that their ability to study and 71% that their well-being has weakened. Furthermore, 37% of the respondents are unsure if their degree meets the needs of working life.

The study was completed in June 2022 and SYL hosted a publication event during SuomiAreena in July. The results of the study can be found in full as a presentation in the PDF file below. The collected material will also be handed over to Finnish Social Science Data Archive where it is freely available for research purposes.

You can read the report here. Unfortunately it’s only available in Finnish.

Further information:

Konstantin Kouzmitchev
President, National Union of University Students in Finland
044 906 5007
konstantin.kouzmitchev@syl.fi

Heidi Rättyä
Education Policy Adviser, National Union of University Students in Finland
041 515 2231
heidi.rattya@syl.fi