OLL General Assembly: University sports services must be protected from cuts
We must look after the physical activity and wellbeing of university students by guaranteeing sufficient funding for university sports services and active university environments, demands the General Assembly of the Finnish Student Sports Federation (OLL). The Federation, which celebrates its centenary this year, reminds decision makers that looking after the wellbeing of students will save the Finnish state a pretty penny in social and health care costs and ensure that the employees of the future can remain at work for many years.
“Prime Minister Orpo has promised special protection for education, so university sports must also be kept safe from the economic adjustment of the state finances. Students are a special group within the sports and wellbeing services , and they should be recognised better alongside children, young people and other special groups,” says OLL's President Mio Kortelainen.
Investing in the physical wellbeing of university students is not only the decent thing to do, but also an investment in the future. There are more than 330,000 students at Finnish universities and universities of applied sciences, and for the majority of them this is an important phase of life. The ability to study and the skills to maintain it that students learn during their studies build a foundation for their future ability to work.
Exercise prevents physical and psychological health risks and therefore reduces the pressure on health care services and the costs to society. Currently more than half of students don’t exercise enough for their health, and students can sit for up to 11 hours per day (THL 2021).
“The routines created as a student will follow into later life stages, and a healthy lifestyle is also passed on to younger generations. That is why it is important that the permanent funding for universities includes sufficient incentives to offer equal opportunities to adopt an exercise routine and a healthy lifestyle,” says Akseli Haanpää, who was elected President of OLL for 2025.
The General Assembly of OLL, which represents all university students in Finland, was held at the Vantaa campus of Laurea University of Applied Sciences on 20–21 November.
More information:
President Mio Kortelainen, firstname.surname@oll.fi, +358 44 7800 210
President for 2025 Akseli Haanpää, akseli.j.haanpaa@gmail.com, +358 44 2534875
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Page last updated 24.11.2024