International students are starving – and responsibility for this cannot be avoided

International students are starving – and responsibility for this cannot be avoided.

World Student Capital is worried about international students’ financial situation and calls for swift action to ease their distress. The World Student Capital network consists of student unions of higher education institutions operating in the Capital Region.

The financial situation of international students has become significantly more difficult in recent years. Students do not even have money for food, and they have become a familiar sight at municipal food aid distribution points. The article ‘Köyhät opiskelijat’ in Iso Numero describes the severity of the situation from the perspective of individual students.

Some international students do not have a realistic view of studying and living in Finland. The recruitment companies used by higher education institutions provide the students with an excessively positive image of the Finnish labour market situation and the students’ chances of getting employed alongside their studies. The recruitment process involves several different parties and intermediaries that find it easy to wash their hands of any responsibility.

International students are making important financial decisions on their future based on false information, with some finding themselves needing to ask their relatives, who have limited means themselves, for money for their studies.

Finnish society should take responsibility for the situation of international students already living in Finland and help them at least get some food for themselves. We should cooperate on this over sectoral boundaries. In addition to municipalities and higher education institutions, we also need to involve international students themselves as well as organisations from the voluntary sector.

We also call for a more ethical recruitment process for international degree students. Higher education institutions should take the role of social responsibility in recruitment processes seriously and ensure that prospective degree students are provided with accurate information and a realistic estimate of living costs and employment opportunities in Finland.

Signed:
Joel Kangasmaa
Chairperson of the Student Union of Haaga-Helia – Helga

Viena Pentikäinen
Chairperson of WSC*

*WSC is made up of the following organizations: Student Union of the University of the Arts (TaiYo), Arcada Student Union (ASK), O´Diako Student Union (ODIAKO), Haaga-Helia Student Union (Helga), Student Union of the Univerisity of Helsinki (HYY), Helsinki University of Applied Sciences Student Union (HUMAKO), Laurea University of Applied Sciences Student Union (Laureamko), Metropolia University of Applied Sciences Student Union (METKA).