Jyväskylä, the Athens of Finland, is a city of lakes, culture, and exceptional natural beauty—one of the best places to live in the country. Yet, we face a pressing crisis: a brain drain that threatens our city’s future. Only 30% of university students in Jyväskylä believe they can find jobs in their own field after graduation. We invest in educating talented professionals, but we fail to retain them. It is time for bold action to make Jyväskylä a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and opportunity.
“Our aim should be to become the Silicon Valley of Finland,” says Habibur Rahman, JYY’s International Affairs Representative. “Jyväskylä has everything needed to foster innovation—an active student population, a strong university, and a city eager for growth. Now, we need policies that make this vision a reality.”
The solution starts with creating more internship opportunities and strengthening collaboration between universities, businesses, and policymakers. We need proactive policies that encourage entrepreneurship and remove unnecessary bureaucratic barriers. If Jyväskylä becomes the most startup-friendly city in Europe, we can keep our talented graduates here and drive economic growth.
International students are also an untapped resource for Jyväskylä’s economy. The city must commit to inclusive hiring practices. One concrete first step is implementing a policy to interview at least one applicant with a foreign background for jobs where Finnish proficiency is unnecessary. City of Jyväskylä and the Central Finland well-being services county must also use anonymous recruitment whenever possible. These simple yet effective policies can help make Jyväskylä a truly international city that benefits from diverse perspectives and expertise.
“Given Finland’s current economic situation, we know this is a challenge,” says Rahman. “But this is also an opportunity—to be bold, take risks, and think outside the box. JYY is ready to work with the city to make Jyväskylä the best place for students and professionals.”
Jyväskylä cannot afford to lose its brightest minds. We can transform our city into a thriving innovation hub by investing in students, supporting entrepreneurship, and embracing international talent. The time for action is now. Together, we can shape a future where Jyväskylä is not just a great place to study but the best place to build a career and a life.