Responsible use of freetime contributes to more contact teaching in higher education institutions and a swift return to normal conditions

Message from the Ministry of Education and Culture, Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) and the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Finland to international students, their associations and ESN sections:

With this communication, we would like to emphasize the importance of slowly getting back to a more open society and student life while following the recommendations from the national health authorities in Finland. The absence of face-to-face contacts between students can be harmful on the mental and physical health of students. We understand that contact learning and safe face-to-face events are a crucial part of student life. 

When you organise student events, please remember to take into account the regional and local regulations, guidelines and recommendations. It is important

• that even those who have been vaccinated wear a mask
• to avoid physical contact and respect safe distancing, especially indoors
• to have adequate ventilation in place
• to not seek the company of others if you have any symptoms indicative of COVID-19 and take the COVID-19 test instead
• that students receive a full course of COVID-19 vaccines.

By organising safe events while following the recommendations and restrictions we will be coming back to a more open life in campus as the semester proceeds.

It is in everyone's interest to grant students’ safety from the viewpoint of both physical and mental health. From the Ministry of Education and Culture, Finnish National Agency for Education and the Erasmus Student Network Finland we want to thank all the volunteers that have kept the organisations operative and helped the international students through the pandemic. Studying in a foreign country is always a challenge, more if we add the current situation. We encourage you to keep working in the same innovative direction and keeping up with responsible study activities. 

Up-to-date regional restrictions and recommendations are available on the Government website. The website also has links to the webpages of hospital districts, which provide more detailed regional information:

Regional COVID-19 situation and restrictions on the hospital district websites

Contacts:

• Erasmus Student Network Finland: Communication manager Alberto Monroy Trujillo, 0452549501, [email protected]
• Finnish National Agency for Education: Programme Manager Anni Kallio, +358 295 338 696, [email protected]
• Ministry of Education and Culture: Senior Ministerial Advisor Kaisu Piiroinen, +358 50 575 4956, [email protected]