Apply for JYY’s Presidency for 2027!

Uncategorized / 19.10.2026

The highest decision-making authority within JYY is exercised by the 39-member Representative Council, elected through student union elections. The Representative Council is led by the President of the Student Union.

The President of the Student Union leads and coordinates the work of the Representative Council together with the Vice President of the Student Union. The President and Vice President work closely with the Student Union Board and staff.

The President’s key statutory responsibility is to convene meetings of the Representative Council and serve as their chair. The President is also responsible for ensuring that the Student Union’s activities comply with all applicable rules and regulations. When necessary, the Vice President deputises for the President in carrying out these duties.

In addition to their statutory responsibilities, the President and Vice President actively participate in planning and organising the Student Union’s activities. Other responsibilities of the Student Union’s President and Vice President include:

• Coordinating the work of the Representative Council (e.g. planning orientation sessions for Representative Council members and organising informal activities for the Representative Council)
• Supporting the Representative Council groups and their group coordinators (e.g. organising meetings for group coordinators)
• Preparing Representative Council meetings together with the Executive Director and the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board
• Planning and implementing communications related to the Representative Council
• Representing the Student Union, together with the Board, in relations with various stakeholders
• Serving as the Chair and Vice Chair of the Finance Committee and coordinating its activities
• Serving as the Chair and Vice Chair of the Central Election Committee (in odd-numbered years)
• Serving as the Chair and Vice Chair of the General Selection Committee and Special Selection Committees (primarily in odd-numbered years, when new student representatives are selected for the University’s administrative bodies)

When evaluating applicants for these positions, we particularly value:

• Motivation to develop the activities of JYY and the Representative Council
• Ability to engage with different people and build trust
• Ability to find compromises
• Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills
• Knowledge of meeting procedures and familiarity with the Student Union’s decision-making system
• Strong self-management and organisational skills, as well as initiative

The administrative language of the Student Union is Finnish, but the Representative Council operates bilingually in Finnish and English. Consequently, proficiency in both Finnish and English is expected from the President and Vice President of the Student Union.

The President of the Student Union receives an annual remuneration of €2,500, and the Vice President receives an annual remuneration of €2,000. (The Representative Council will consider the 2027 budget on 26 November 2026 and confirm the remunerations of the Student Union’s President and Vice President at the same time. The amounts stated above are those included in the proposed budget.)

The newly elected President and Vice President will be introduced to their duties during December 2026. In addition, they will, where appropriate, be invited to participate in the orientation and training sessions organised for the new Board.

Application process, negotiations and selection

If you’re interested in applying for a position of trust within JYY, it’s strongly recommended that you first contact one of the Representative Council groups. This gives you the opportunity to gain the group’s support during negotiations and to discuss the application process with them in advance. It is possible to apply as an independent candidate, that is without the support of any Council group, but the possibility of becoming elected that way is small. You can find the Representative Council groups here: https://jyy.fi/en/get-involved/representative-council/

Application process

The application period for the President and Vice President of the Student is open until Monday 9 Nov 2026 at noon.

According to the rules of the Student Union, the candidates of the 2025 Council elections who are members of JYY can apply for the Student Union’s Presidency positions.

JYY’s positions of trust are applied to on a Webropol-form through which the applicant sends in their application and CV.

Content of the applications

Those applying to be President or Vice President of the Student Union

Those applying for the President or Vice President of the Student Union must answer the following questions in their application:

• Applicant’s short introduction
• Why would you be the right person to be the President or Vice President of the Student Union?
• How would you develop the Council’s decision-making and activities?
• The Presidency of the Student Union works in cooperation with the Student Union’s Board and staff. Give an example of how you would develop the cooperation especially with the Board.
• The Presidency of the Student Union coordinates the activities of a Council that is made of different groups, members, and deputy members and that has many diverse views. How do you maintain a constructive discussion culture and support high-quality decision-making?

In addition, prepare to hold a speech of maximum of three minutes at the interview, that you would hold at the next opening ceremony for the academic year of the University of Jyväskylä. The opening ceremony of the academic year is attended by members of the University’s academic staff, the University’s stakeholders, and representatives of the Student Union. The ceremony includes speeches by the Rector and the students. By established tradition, the student speech is delivered by the President of the Student Union.

Interviews and negotiations

All applicants for the positions of trust are interviewed at the Student House Ilokivi, on Tuesday 17 Nov 2026 beginning at 17:00. The event is open for everyone, and you can watch it on a livestream (the video will not be available afterwards). Before the interviews begin, the interview and negotiations process in its entirety is gone over with the candidates.

The day after the interviews on 18 Nov 2026, negotiations will be held at the Student Union house Ilokivi beginning at 17:00. The negotiators named by the Council groups will negotiate the Presidency of the Student Union and the composition of the Board. The President of the Student Union Heli Ylikoski facilitates the negotiations, to which each of the 2026-2027 Council groups has had a chance to name two negotiators. In addition, the applicants for the Chair of the Board have a chance to present their view on the composition of the future Board.

Applicants will be informed of the result after the negotiations end. The result of the negotiations acts as the base proposal at the organization meeting of the Council.

Selection

In its organization meeting on Thursday 19 Nov 2026, the Representative Council selects the President and Vice President of the Student Union. The selection takes place according to the rules of the Student Union.

More information on the Board and JYY’s activities

Aukusti Heilakka
 Chair of the Board
 hpj@jyy.fi

Teemu Vasama
 Executive Director
 teemu.vasama@jyy.fi 

More information on the Representative Council and the selection process

Heli Ylikoski
 President of the Student Union
 epj@jyy.fi