Public announcement: Talk of a merger between the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences and LUT University is premature
Over the past month, there has been extensive media coverage about the potential merger between South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (XAMK) and LUT University. The reporting has been inconsistent, and we, as the Student Union Kaakko, want to help clarify the situation. At this stage, we would like to remind every student at our university that no decisions have been finalized—discussions are still ongoing. The Chair of the Student Union Kaakko Board was also interviewed and asked to comment on the situation. Student Union Kaakko is committed to actively participating in these discussions, as advocating for the interests of our students is our primary responsibility. In summer 2023, the Trade Union of Education in Finland (OAJ) published a report on the functionality of universities of applied sciences operating as limited companies. This report highlights concerns that we share: the power held by owners can, in the worst case, be misused. An inappropriate ownership structure could, in the long term, be detrimental to the quality of higher education and to our own university of applied sciences. The report draws attention to Section [...]
