Representative Council
The Representative Council is JYY’s parliament, which makes decisions on the most important matters concerning the Student Union. Students choose 39 members of the Council every two years in the elections.
What Representative Council?
JYY operates in an open and democratic manner. All students can influence JYY’s activities by voting in the Representative Council elections or by running for the council themselves. The Representative Council is JYY’s parliament, which makes decisions on the most important matters that affect the Student Union. Students elect the 39 members of the Representative Council in elections that are organised every two years. If a member of the Representative Council graduates during their term, they must resign and are replaced by a new member from the same Representative Council group.
The Representative Council decides on matters such as JYY’s regulations, budget, and loans. The Representative Council also elects the Student Union’s Executive Board, the Chair of the Executive Board, and JYY’s key staff members, such as the Executive Director, the CEO, and the Editor-in-Chief. The Representative Council meets approximately once a month, and its meetings are open to all students.
You can find the agendas and minutes of the Representative Council meetings here.
Representative Council 2026–2027
- The Green Left of the University of Jyväskylä (11 seats)
- The Union of Alvar (8 seats)
- The Greens of JYY (6 seats)
- PD (5 seats)
- Natural Scientists (4 seats)
- JYY Social Democratic Students (2 seats)
- National Coalition Students of Jyväskylä (2 seats)
- Centre Students of Jyväskylä (1 seat)
You can find more detailed information and the results of the last election here.
Representative Council groups
Decision-making at JYY is carried out by the members of the Representative Council, who are chosen in the Representative Council elections. Representative Council groups are open to all students, and through them you can influence JYY’s activities and higher education policy, meet new people, and bring up issues that are important to students. During the Representative Council term, you can influence the Student Union’s decision-making and bring up issues that are important to you by submitting initiatives or contacting the Council group’s members. Participation does not require prior experience, so feel free to join the Representative Council groups!
The current Representative Council includes the following groups:
The Union of Alvar is a politically independent Council group based in Seminaarinmäki, with an aim to promote democratic decision-making in the Student Union and to activate more students to join the Council’s activities. Our goal is to make all our students’ voice heard in our Student Union. Crossing subject association and faculty borders, without compromising the quality.
- Facebook: @Alvarin unioni
- Twitter: @AlvarinUnioni
- Instagram: @alvarinunioni
- Website: alvarinunioni.com
The Green Left of the University of Jyväskylä (Jyviva) is a student group that fights for environment, democracy and living culture in JYY and everywhere on our campuses. Most of the questions concerning students are political and we want to offer a strong green-left option. The Green Left also organizes reading groups, movie nights, trips and parties. With Jyviva, you have a chance to learn, hangout and do politics together, without committing to any party. Our events are open for everyone and all students from freshmen to post-degree students may join.
- Facebook: @Jyviva
- Twitter: @Jyviva
- Instagram: @jyviva
- Website: jyviva.wordpress.com
Centre Students of Jyväskylä, JOK, is a community of people interested in university politics and national advocacy work. We aim to create better and equal study possibilities for everyone. We are interested in societal issues and motivated to work together towards a better tomorrow.
- Facebook: @jyvaskylankeskustaopiskelijat
- Instagram: @jyvaskylankeskustaopiskelijat
- Twitter: @jok_ry
- Website: keskustaopiskelijat.fi
JYY’s Social Democratic Students is a group of students, committed to social democratic values such as equality, solidarity and wholesome wellbeing. We are connected by the will to develop the Student Union into a more equal community that focuses on the wellbeing of all students. Welcome in our team!
- Facebook: JSDN – Jyväskylän sosialidemokraattiset nuoret ja opiskelijat
- Instagram: @jdno_ry
- Website: www.jdno.fi
Natural Scientists is a party-politically independent group established by mathematic and science subject organizations. We act as a part of Järjestöjen ääni (Voice of organizations) group. We see scientific research and logical reasoning as an important basis for decision-making. JYY’s activities shall be be open for everyone and have their basis on genuinely listening to the students. We work towards focusing in the Student Union’s main tasks. Tutor activities, education policy and listening to our students are important themes for us. Student Union shall also support organizations and their activities, as organizations do valuable education policy work and create community.
- Facebook: @Luonnontieteilijat
- Instagram: @luonnontieteilijat
- Website: luonnontieteilijat.wordpress.com
National Coalition Students of Jyväskylä represents all students in our student union. We do that by focusing on promoting student rights in concrete ways both in education policy and in urban policy, by taking care of the sustainability of the Student Union’s economy and by doing sustainable and encouraging environmental decisions. You can easily join us, welcome!
- Facebook: @jyvaskylankokoomusopiskelijat
- Twitter: @tuhatkuntaJKL
- Instagram: @jyvaskylankokoomusopiskelijat
- Website: kokoomusopiskelijat.fi
Council group P&D was based on two subject organizations. According to our slogan, ”Voice of reason”, P&D does not make decisions based on party-political ideologies, but rather based on rational consideration. Our aim is to bring the voice of reason into the Student Union’s activities. We are here for our students, regardless of subject associations and the colour of your student overalls. P&D is a part of the Järjestöjen ääni (Voice of organizations) group, together with the Union of Alvar and Natural Scientists.
- Instagram: @edariryhma_pd
- Facebook: @edustajistoryhmapd
- Website: edariryhmapd.com
Focus areas for the Representative Council term
The goal for the 2026–2027 term of the Representative Council is to strengthen cooperation between JYY and the associations operating within its sphere and to encourage these associations to take a greater interest in JYY’s activities. With the formation of the university consortium, the Representative Council will define JYY’s relationship with Jamk’s student association field.
JYY will develop its financial responsibility through a reorganisation of its business operations and by establishing new practices for the orientation of trusted persons. The update of the financial policy paper will establish clear objectives and metrics for guiding the organisation’s operations.
JYY’s visibility will be improved by developing communication processes and communication management structures. Additionally, JYY supports active communication of representative groups towards members and organizations.
Chairpersons of the Representative Council
