The year 2016 will be exceptional for the University of Helsinki: it will simultaneously implement a new service organisation and make considerable financial cuts.

On December 18th, 2015, Vice-Rector Keijo Hämäläinen signed a decision that outlines the measures to ensure key services for students in the changing circumstances of the University.

The key services for students are:

• Student guidance and counselling, i.e. measures related directly to the progress and completion of students’ studies (particularly the registration of completed studies, the issuance of diplomas and the tutoring of new students)
• Implementation and introduction of electronic systems for studies and teaching as well as their planning (read more here)
• Preparation of the Big Wheel education reform (read more here)
• Student admissions in summer 2016

Through the Vice-Rectors decision 12/2015 signed in December some duties and other University-level functions assigned by rector’s decision will be disregarded in 2016. There are mainly two things that have a direct impact on students:

• The study progress of Bachelor and Master’s students will not be monitored in line with the Etappi system between 2016 and 2017. Read more in the notification on Flamma dated 8.12.2015.
• Beginning on January 1st, 2016, the faculties will no longer issue English- or Swedish-language translations of a Finnish-language diploma. Read more in the Degree diplomassection on Flamma. However, section 26 of the Government Decree on University Degrees stipulates that universities must issue a Finnish- or Swedish-language diploma to students who have completed a degree in a language other than Finnish or Swedish. This means that if the original diploma you receive from the faculty is issued in English, then you are entitled to a copy of the diploma also in Finnish or Swedish.

A complete list of all duties that will be disregarded in 2016, according to the Vice-Rector’s decision made in December, can be found in the decision document.

More information is given by the Head of the Academic Affairs unit, Ms Päivi Pakkanen (paivi.pakkanen@helsinki.fi).