The application for the TYY Board for 2025 is now open - apply by 10th November!
The TYY Executive Board is elected annually to implement the Student Union's objectives. It is responsible for implementing the action plan, representing the Student Union and exercising general executive powers within the limits of the rules and the decisions of the Council. In addition, the Board is responsible for the activities of different sectors. These sectors include academic, social and international affairs, organizations, student culture, tutoring, Satakunta campuses, communication, corporate cooperation, development cooperation, volunteers, sustainable development as well as city relations.
Now is your chance to work for the Student Union and all its members! We are looking for a Chairperson and six members of the Excecutive Board, to whom we offer a wide range of opportunities on student advocacy and the activities of TYY. As a member of the Board, you will be able to influence the learning conditions at the University of Turku and develop our common student culture and community. You will work regularly with the University's management, campus communities and other key stakeholders to make the University of Turku an even better place to study. You will also get to participate in national advocacy with other student unions and work to make studying the best time in life for everyone.
Board work is a full-time position, where you work together with the rest of the Board and the experts working at TYY. The work is focused on office hours, but also includes evening and weekend work. In return, Board members are not required to be in the office from dawn to dusk every day, with the flexibility to work remotely when possible. Board members are paid a remuneration, which in 2024 has been € 9 608.40 for the whole year. In 2024, the remuneration was paid monthly, amounting to approximately € 800 per month.
Working in the Executive Board requires a well-organized approach to work, the ability to work under pressure and good interpersonal skills. It also requires the ability to compromise and get along with different people.
When selecting Board members, the Council pays particular attention to motivation and interest in the role, breadth of previous experience, presentation skills, learning and reflection skills, as well as teamwork and cooperation skills in general. Attention will also be paid to the candidate's awareness of what they are applying for: for example, a realistic understanding of the job description and a willingness to commit to the role and to devote sufficient time to it. On the other hand, the diversity and representativeness of the candidates and the overall composition of the Board will also be taken into account. As a public administrative organization, TYY follows gender parity in the selection of its Board, i.e. 40% of the Board must be women and 40% men, unless there are specific reasons to the contrary.
The term of office is one calendar year, with the new Board taking office at the beginning of 2025.
How to run as a candidate for the TYY Executive Board?
The 2024-2025 TYY Council will elect the 2025 Board at its November meeting on Wednesday 27 November 2024. Proposals for the composition of the Board come from the Council's representative groups.
Please contact the group of your choice and express your interest in working for a better student union and university community. Please also read the application process described below.
It is advisable for those interested in serving on the Board to familiarize themselves beforehand with the documents that govern the activities of the Students' Union. Important documents include the Student Union's strategy, action plan, policy paper and budget. Please note that the 2025 action plan and budget will not be adopted until the Council meeting on 27 November 2024, but you can view the draft documents here. The strategy and the policy paper adopted in spring 2024 can be found here.
It is also a good idea to contact the current board and staff and ask about topical issues and useful orientation materials. Feel free to contact the board members by email to arrange a time for a discussion!
We will also be holding a board application briefing on Wednesday 6th of November online on Zoom: utu.zoom.us/j/69072327377 (Meeting ID: 690 7232 7377). Attending this meeting does not bind you to applying for the board.
Application process
The application process for the TYY Board includes the following steps: submitting an application, a short individual interview and a panel discussion.
Application
Please attach the following items to your application:
- Basic information:
- Your photo
- Name
- Gender (female, male, other) (not to be published)
- Email (not to be published)
- Phone number (will not be published)
- Group of representatives presenting
- Text (max. 2,500 characters including spaces):
- Who are you?
- Why are you applying for the TYY Board?
- Which sector(s) are you interested in working with?
- List:
- Relevant positions and work experience
The list does not count as part of the character limit, as it is a separate section. Do not count the list within the 2,500 character limit.
Applications should be submitted by e-mail to the Chair of the Council, Selmi Holopainen, at selmi.e.holopainen@utu.fi by 23.59 on Sunday 10 November at the latest.
We will publish the information and photos of the candidates who applied for the post on TYY's website. If there is any content in your application or list that you do not wish to be published, please let us know when applying. Applicants' contact details, i.e. telephone number and e-mail address or gender, will not be published on the website.
Interview
As part of the selection process, board candidates will be invited for an interview. More detailed instructions will be sent to applicants after the deadline for applications on 10 November. Interviews will, in principle, take place face-to-face.
Panel discussion
After the deadline for applications, TYY organizes a panel discussion open to all applicants. Any TYY member can come and follow the discussion either live or online.
The panel discussion will be held on Monday 18th November at 16.30-18.00 in the Natura X lecture hall in Turku.
Board negotiations
A proposal for the composition of the TYY Board will be prepared through negotiations between the representative groups. Delegates from the representative groups will gather before the meeting to discuss the applications and put together the best possible mix of applicants. The negotiations are convened by the Chairs of the Council and are conducted in confidence. However, the formal election of the Chairperson and members of the Board will only take place at the Council meeting.
Good luck with the application process!
Additional information
Selmi Holopainen
Chair of the TYY Council