Kuopio introduces a new way to engage with international students
Today, more and more languages can be heard spoken on the streets and campuses of Kuopio. There are already over 2,000 international students in Kuopio, and this number is predicted to grow. The question is how to ensure that the voices of this growing group are heard in Kuopio.
“International students have many good and innovative ideas, but they don’t know where to share them.” This is how Mohammed Salem Ba Shoaib sums up the problem. He arrived in Kuopio from Yemen and recently completed his master’s degree in Public Health at the University of Eastern Finland.
Together with Noor e Sehar Butt and Farheen e Sehar, the trio has founded a new association with the aim of increasing dialogue between international students, the city of Kuopio, and other actors. The association is known as the Kuopio International Student Council (KISC).
The association’s activities began through the Kuopio Student Affairs Advisory Board (Opiskelija-asioiden neuvottelukunta), which recognized the need to create a more permanent channel for discussions with international students. The chair of the advisory board, Deputy Mayor Pekka Vähäkangas, states that very important for Kuopio to invest in the integration and employment of international students:
“All cities are competing for international students, but the window for integration is short. I see it as very important that Kuopio invests in helping international students settle in, find employment, and build a smooth everyday life,” he says.
New association gives international students the power to decide what is discussed in Kuopio
Noor e Sehar, who moved to Kuopio from Lahore, Pakistan, a city with a population of 14 million, serves as the association’s president. Shortly after arriving in Finland, she noticed that international students are easily excluded from the rest of society.
” When I moved to Finland, one of the first things I noticed was that Kuopio has plenty of events and activities—but international students are often missing from them. When we live apart from the local community, we miss out on shared experiences, new ideas, and the chance to create better ways of doing things together,” she says.
The core of the association’s activities is to address this problem. It aims to increase the voice and influence of international students when services related to them are being developed in Kuopio. The association’s active members have already attended several meetings and working groups to present the students’ views.
“We listen to our members’ concerns and bring those topics forward in our joint discussion with the city of Kuopio and other stakeholders,” Noor e Sehar says of the association’s operating principles.
The active members of the association are pleased with how positively the City of Kuopio, educational institutions, and other parties have received it. They consider it very important that international students themselves bring their perspectives to the discussion and have a say in how Kuopio becomes more international.
“The job situation in Finland is currently difficult, and cooperation on this issue is needed. If we don’t find solutions now, international students may leave Finland in search of better job opportunities and a better life,” she says.
Focus on increasing membership and new opportunities for cooperation
The association’s activities began in the autumn. At the moment, around 60 university and university of applied sciences students are part of the association’s WhatsApp group. The goal is to increase this number through active communication and participation in various events. Upcoming activities include an open football event for everyone and career-related activities designed for international students.
The active members of the association have plenty of enthusiasm and ideas for developing their work. One key goal for the coming year is to increase both the number of active members and overall membership. Vice president Ba Shoaib encourages other international students to get involved:
“Integration doesn’t just mean staying in the area, it means becoming part of the community. We international students can help make Kuopio a more international city,” he says.
The active members are open to different forms of collaboration and are currently looking to build new networks. They want to create connections not only with the city and educational institutions but also with companies and organizations.
“We’re interested in all kinds of cooperation that helps international students find their place in Kuopio and brings different actors around the same table,” Noor e Sehar says.
Cities need new ways to listen to their growing international population
Jouko Miettinen, the City of Kuopio’s immigration coordinator, has served as a contact person for the group. He has guided the students in understanding Finnish decision-making processes and directed them to the right forums and people.
Miettinen has a clear view of how municipalities should act as the number of international residents increases.
“In the future, municipalities will have to get much closer to their residents. The way things have been done in the past has been okay, but today’s world has changed.”
Although the association has only been active for half a year, Miettinen considers the progress promising. Discussions between international students, city officials, and other stakeholders have increased mutual understanding and taught everyone involved a lot.
“This isn’t rocket science – it’s about people meeting each other. When working with international students, you have to take off the bureaucrat’s jacket and join the conversation with an open mind,” Miettinen concludes.
