The Student Union of Haaga-Helia – Helga and the local student associations are concerned about the future of Haaga-Helia’s wellbeing services. It is possible that significant changes to these services may take place at the end of 2026.
At present, Haaga-Helia’s wellbeing services consist of two (2) study psychologists, two (2) study coaches, and one (1) full-time special education resource shared between four individuals. These services work to improve student wellbeing, strengthen the conditions for learning and academic progress, support students’ ability to study, and prevent problems before they escalate. Their impact is visible across the entire higher education community through project work, workshops, guest lectures, courses, events, and network collaboration, as well as through individual guidance, health promotion, and referral support. The wellbeing services are also closely involved in Haaga-Helia’s Turvaamo, which has helped ensure and strengthen a safer space within the higher education community, as well as appropriate procedures in situations such as inappropriate behaviour.
Currently, part of the wellbeing services operates through fixed-term external project funding, which has particularly enabled the work of the two (2) study coaches over the past five years. The current funding is due to end at the close of 2026, and if continued funding is not secured or new solutions are not found, it is possible that the positions of the study coaches will come to an end. This would mean a reduction of up to 40 % of Haaga-Helia’s wellbeing services. This is therefore not a matter of an isolated cut, but rather the ending of a funding base that may make it impossible to maintain the services at their current scale.
For many students, the wellbeing services, and especially the study coaches, have been a crucial support in situations where studies have been delayed, motivation has weakened, or studies have been at risk of interruption. The impact of this support is visible not only in the daily lives of individual students, but also across the entire university community. Students become better engaged in their studies, working life skills and work ability are strengthened, and students graduate on time. As a result, drop-out rates decrease and Haaga-Helia’s quality and funding improve.
If external continued funding is not realised and Haaga-Helia is unable to maintain services at the current level, the effects will not only target study coaching but the entire wellbeing service structure and its continuity. This would mean less support for student wellbeing, academic progress, learning challenges, and crisis situations. We see that weakening these services would be a significant blow both to students and to Haaga-Helia as a higher education institution. Above all, this is about what kind of student support Haaga-Helia wants to provide in the future and how the institution intends to carry its responsibility for student wellbeing and equal opportunities to succeed in studies.
We, the representatives of Haaga-Helia students, demand that regardless of external funding, Haaga-Helia must continue to secure wellbeing services with current resources. A situation where the Helia Foundation decides to continue to financially support wellbeing services does not eliminate the fact that the university’s services and ensuring their continuity are the responsibility of the university.
Signatories
Student Union of Haaga-Helia – Helga
IDS Helga
ESN Haaga-Helia
Atkins ry
Talko ry
HSOY ry
Skuuppi ry
Sture ry
Myynnin Perhe
Pore ry
Hattara ry
HePo ry
Tahkon Talli ry
Further information
Otso Muhonen
Chairperson of the Board
Haaga-Helia Student Union Helga
[email protected]
