At the end of the year, we conducted a METKA2024 survey to find out your views on METKA’s activities. The responses will be used to develop METKA’s activities in 2024. We received 63 responses in total, thank you to everyone who responded! Gift card draw winners have been notified personally.
General information
The respondents study fields divided as follows:
- Social and health field 44,4 %
- Technology 30,2 %
- Business 14,3 %
- Culture 11,1 %
The respondents main campus:
- Myllypuro 49,2 %
- Myyrmäki 28,6 %
- Arabia 11,1 %
- Karamalmi 11,1 %
The respondents membership status:
- Yes 77,8 %
- No 22,2 %
The respondents views on membership fee:
- Suitable 69,8 %
- Too high 28,6 %
- Too low 1,6 %
Respondents were asked to rate the sectors on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = very dissatisfied and 5 = very satisfied.
- Communications 3,65
- Advocacy 3,68
- Tutoring 3,89
- Events 3,90
Respondents were asked to choose between 1 and 3 of the 12 sectors they considered most important.
- Advocacy: 22,9 %
- Events: 15,3 %
- Member services: 13,5 %
- Tutoring: 11,8 %
- Stakeholder cooperation: 6,5 %
- Zone Sports Services: 6,5 %
- Metka Cafe: 5,9 %
- Clubs: 4,7 %
- METKA’s projects: 4,7 %
- Communications: 4,7 %
- Business Cooperation: 2,4 %
- METKA’s Speksi: 1,2 %
Open feedback
What else did we found out from the METKA2024 survey? In this section, we will respond to a few comments received through open feedback.
People would join if it offered more good benefits
Ask and you shall receive! METKA is currently recruiting a Business cooperation and membership specialist. With this METKA will have more resources to negotiate different benefits. While we wait, you can scroll through Pivo’s thousands of discounts. On the other hand, if you like events, the membership pays for itself pretty quickly in the form of discounts.
Zone Sports Services are not available on all campuses
Not all of Metropolia’s campuses have these services, which is a shame, but fortunately, you can do sports at any of the five locations (Myllypuro, Myyrmäki, Tikkurila, Pasila, Malmi). However, some form of exercise is available on all Metropolia campuses. For example, Metropolia On The Move project has funded a yoga space and office pedals in Arabia, and there are some interesting plans going on for Karamalmi!
METKA’s activities should be more visible on all campuses
We strive to organize activities on all campuses. However, Myllypuro is where our office and e.g. our storage (i.e. all our stuff) are located. That’s why the activities are focused a lot on Myllypuro. Unfortunately not all services are available on all campuses due to the limited space, but fortunately e.g. the campus lounges implemented in the MMKK project can be found equally on all campuses!
METKA’s activities should be more visible to all students, including those who are not involved in student activities
Everyone is welcome to join METKA’s activities. However, we do recognize that those who are student actives may follow METKA’s communications more closely and have interdisciplinary friends across campuses and there is a lower threshold for participation in e.g. events. However, we strongly encourage you to participate in a way that suits you. You can become a tutor, student representative, Representative Council member or participate in events – there are plenty of them to all tastes!
The price is too high
The price was just reduced last autumn. The price of one year’s membership was 52 euros before and 39 euros now. The student union is a statutory part of the university of applied sciences. Several tasks have been defined for the student union in the UAS Act and also in the Associations Act. Promoting the rights, well-being and community spirit of Metropolia’s 17,000 students requires both active trustees and paid employees. That’s why we can’t sell membership at the same price as many student associations.
METKA’s communication does not reach everyone, as not everyone use social media
Good point! To some extent, we print posters or table triangles. Although we primarily aim to use digital channels instead of paper ones, posters also have their place. During this year, we will get more digital advertisements for campuses, because new info screen are tested on each campus as we speak!
Respondents had a wide range of communication ideas: statements, event photos, student rights and more. People liked TikTok!
We are already posting quite a wide range of topics, but we would love to have more pictures of the events! We will definitely take this into account when planning events. We are definitely posting statements, opinions and advocacy tips again this year! TikTok is our newest channel and it’s been a pleasure to create content for it! Go and follow METKA’s account for us to get even more visibility for our audiovisual art!
Advocacy is not visible to the outside
True, as cases between METKA’s advocacy team and the student are confidential. However, we can tell that during the last year we handled 87 cases. Sometimes it is enough to direct the student to the right person and help e.g. with the interpretation of the Degree Regulations. Sometimes we organize meetings with students and teachers. In addition to these cases, we do a lot of invisible work in the form of influencing in working groups, monitoring student politics and working with student representatives. We also write statements and opinion papers, which we share here on social media. More info about advocacy is coming soon!
People are not satisfied with the services of Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS)
The queue situation at FSHS has been an issue ever since UAS students joined FSHS. The resources of FSHS have not increased at the same pace as the number of students in higher education. For 2024 FSHS requested larger government funding and the aim was to better reflect increased student numbers. However FSHS did not get the increased funding. 77% of FSHS funding comes from the government and 23% from student healthcare fees. METKA cannot directly influence these matters, but we do have a position on the FSHS Southern Region Management Group. In addition, METKA and our umbrella organisation SAMOK are actively following the debate on this issue.
The Anti-harassment contact person activities are seen as very important
That’s how we feel too! METKA has two trained anti-harassment contact persons and every year METKA trains anti-harassment contact persons for student associations as well. Every harassment report is carefully handled and we learn more from each one so that we can deal with situations even better in the future. Earlier this year, we also prepared METKA’s Safer Space Principles, which everyone involved in METKA activities must respect.
Respondents wished club activities to be more visible and that there would be more clubs
Clubs are hobby activities from students to students. Anyone can start their own club. You need two other Metropolia students besides yourself. After that, you need a foundation meeting and the club is ready to start! The number of clubs varies from year to year, because sometimes e.g. the club leaders graduate and there is no successor.So are you interested in e.g. making art together? With 17 000 students, there are bound to be people interested in joining a club! METKA can support the club’s activities with a small amount of money and by advertising the club’s activities through its channels.
There was a need for some programme or events in the Campus Lounges to encourage more frequent visits
The lounges are free for students to use and are intended for student living rooms, hanging out, playing games, events, etc. In November-December Christmas holiday pre-parties were organised in the lounges of each campus. Earlier we celebrated lounges’ “opening” with student associations and other campus actors. Tutors are encouraged to use the campus lounges to organize joint small events. We would also love to hear your ideas on what kind of programme could be organised in the lounges!
You don’t see many tutors after orientation
Tutoring is naturally most visible during orientation days and in the Fresher’s Party. In practice, tutoring should last at least one semester. However, it is good to remember that tutors are students themselves. Sometimes their studies can take more time too. However, you can contact tutors at any stage of your studies. However, we also encourage freshers to actively communicate with their tutors and fellow students. If needed, METKA also helps with the twists and turns of studies.
The process to get study credits of tutoring is tricky and the workload is heavy
Metropolia has estimated amount of hours per credit. Also tutor’s planning and communication is included with those hours. Also the study plan reform will lighten the Tutor report. However, it’s good to consider whether credits are the only motivator to become a tutor. After all, there is so much more to tutoring than just credits. Many people have found the best friends of study time through tutoring. Tutoring also gives you a huge amount of knowledge and skills for working life.
Information about events should come earlier
We are trying to develop the timing of our communications! However, regarding the events, the dates, ticket prices or other relevant information are often confirmed very late for reasons beyond our control.
The responses revealed a wide variety of wishes for events: some wanted sports and tournaments, others sitz and bar crawls, others checkpoint races and others workshops and networking
For an UAS the size of Metropolia, there are a lot of events! There are 15 student associations on different campuses, so there are sitz, bar crawls and bar parties almost every week! The student associations also organize a lot of company visits for students in their field and they know the companies, internships and other opportunities. METKA organises several sport events a year, including SportAppro, MetroSport and Zone’s events. For international students, there are events organised by the Erasmus Student Network, and you can meet Finnish students through the Buddy Lunch concept, for example.
More alcohol-free events are wanted
This wish is often expressed. However, non-alcoholic events ultimately do not attract as many visitors as alcoholic events. However, we definitely want to develop all events to make them as fun as possible, even when non-alcoholic. For example, for bar crawls and bar parties, we are looking to provide more non-alcoholic options, such as mocktails. We’d also love to hear students’ ideas about non-alcoholic events, so don’t hesitate to contact us about it!
METKA is wanted more on campuses, for example to set up a stand. There is also a desire for more posters or other advertising around the campus.
The stands will focus on orientation weeks and events such as Student Mental Health Week. Although stands are fun, there are not enough resources to do them very often. Instead of posters, we will try to use the new info screens that have been installed in several places on each campus. The screens have been installed in places where students move around the most. We will certainly continue to have posters, but unfortunately they are allowed to put up in very limited places.
METKA’s finances and membership fee
Back in the days, about half of the Metropolia students were members of METKA. As a result, operations were broader and, in a sense, more established. student card and benefits were only available by purchasing the student union membership.
In 2018, METKA’s Representative Council made a well considered decision to make the student ID available to all students. This led to a decrease in the number of members and at the same time an increase in the membership fee.
The decision was due to the decision made by the Ministry of education and culture in 2015 to create a data register in which information related to the studies of all Finns is collected and from which the student can check their student status. Because the student ID can be presented from this online service (Virta), it would have been questionable to keep student cards behind METKA membership.
The amount of the membership fee is not made up. it is based on calculations and predictions of how much euros METKA needs to function well. This is what the membership fee currently consists of:
- Operations maintenance 16,80 €
- Self-financing of Projects 4,00 €
- Zone Sports Services 6,00 €
- National Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences – SAMOK 5,50 €
- OPKU+ 6,00 €
- Finnish Student Sports Federation OLL 0,60 €
- World Student Capital WSC 0,10 €
Total 39 €
Income and expenses
Income
- Funding and cooperation agreements 45 %
- Project funding 20 %
- Events 10 %
- Membership fees 10 %
- Other 15 %
*) Figures are rounded and will change slightly during the year due to changes in a number of members, as projects come to an end and as event income is confirmed.
The most money will come from funding and co-operation agreements. This means funding received from Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, which is used by METKA, and funding received from the 3AMK strategic alliance, which is used by Zone Sports Services. In addition, METKA receives money in the form of project funding and event revenues.
Membership income accounts for about 10-15 percent of METKA’s annual income, depending on a year, but on the other hand, membership fees play a key role in the scope of activities METKA is able to organize: do we only do the statutory tasks, or more?
Expenses
- Staff Expenses 50 %
- Administration 20 %
- Operations 17 %
- Events 8 %
- Board Member Rewards 5 %
*) Figures are rounded and will change slightly during the year due to staff changes and other factors.
Most money is spent on hiring employees. METKA and Zone currently has 7 persons who receive monthly salary. The Board and the chairpersons of the Representative Council receive a reward for their trustee position, but the amount is not comparable to the salary. The trustees study more or less normally, and possibly also go to work.
In addition, money is spent on running all activities, such as banking services and telephones. METKA is also a member of SAMOK and the Finnish Student Sports Federation. These organizations are paid an annual fee based on the number of METKA members.
Thanks for reading this far! Feedback and ideas can be given all year round, for example by e-mail metka@metkaweb.fi or with Metku Mail form.
This post is also available in Suomi.