Akava Students
Getting the voice of students to be heard: Akava Students is responsible for supervising the interests of students and recent graduates at Akava.
Akava Students
Getting the voice of students to be heard: Akava Students is responsible for supervising the interests of students and recent graduates at Akava.
We also serve as a labour market organisation for students: Akava Students represents the student members of Akava affiliates. Together, they number more than 127,000.
Akava’s Student Council operates under the authority of the Board of Akava. The Council presents the student perspective as part of our decision-making and serves as the voice of Akava students in communication. It also provides a forum for discussion and cooperation for student representatives in Akava affiliates.
The Council is comprised of representatives of all member affiliates that have student activities. It convenes three to four times a year. The President of Akava Students is a member of Akava’s Board of Directors and the Vice President of Akava Students serves as deputy to the President on the Board.
The activities of Akava Students are managed by Akava Students’ Board, consisting of the President, Vice President and 4–8 Board members. The Board prepares and implements the decisions of the Council under the direction of its Presidency.
Kasper Laaksonen was elected as President of Akava Students for 2026 and Nelli Kortelainen as Vice President. Within our student activities, Laaksonen represents the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland and Kortelainen represents Akava Special Branches.
Diverse activities
Akava Students highlights topical themes for students in order to stimulate social debate and actively participate in discourse. It cooperates closely with, for example, student organisations and political youth organisations and participates in student advocacy projects.
Social influence in the interests of higher education students
Akava Students promotes the interests of students and recent graduates of universities and universities of applied sciences. We are not limited to any particular field of study or educational institution; rather, through its activities, Akava Students highlights the common national interests of all higher education students. The supervision of interests particularly focuses on matters related to education, labour force and social policy.
Akava Students actively communicates about its activities and objectives to student organisations, our member affiliates and their regional actors and stakeholders. It equally considers the perspectives of Akava affiliates representing both the university sector and the university of applied sciences sector in its activities.
Latest objective programmes
Read Akava Students’ parliamentary election goals
Read Akava Students’ Policy Programme 2025–2029
What does Akava Students do?
- promotes the rights and position of higher education students
- coordinates the student activities of Akava affiliates and supports membership acquisition
- provides advice on unionisation
- is seen and heard within both Akava and society
Join already as a student
Akava has a suitable trade union for almost every university student. When you join the union for your field already as a student, you ensure security and support for the duration of your working career.
Akava affiliates offer their members legal advice, insurance benefits, professional publications, training and career counselling as well as networks. When you join an affiliate of Akava, you gain the backing of all of Akava: Akava supervises the interests of the highly educated in working life and society.
More information is available from Akava student activity personnel.