"Quite a way to wrap up the final ceremony of completing a degree when you have to print it on basic A4 paper yourself. Quite an anti-climax."
"It would be nice to have something tangible to mark the completion of studies, especially since the final push is often quite laborious. The motivation to participate in the public defense is pretty much zero if all you get is a rose handed to you."
Comments from students regarding the electronic diploma on the anonymous discussion app Jodel.
Since autumn 2023, students at the University of the Arts Helsinki have only received electronic diplomas upon graduation. The reasons for transitioning to electronic diplomas are somewhat valid in terms of archiving and future use, but students have not been offered the option to receive a physical diploma. The Student Union of Uniarts Helsinki (TaiYo) demands discussion on the topic and the possibility of paper diplomas.
"In many Finnish universities that have transitioned to electronic diplomas, there is still the option to request a physical diploma. It's important to respect students' hard work, and a physical diploma is the least the University of the Arts Helsinki can do to show this. The diploma is not just a bureaucratic document; symbolically, it holds great significance for the student's years of dedication to their studies," comments the educational policy officer of the University of the Arts Helsinki Student Union (TaiYo), Erkki Huilla.
"I wasn't even interested in logging into the system to download that diploma, but at the end of my previous studies, I traveled over 400 kilometers to attend the graduation ceremony and receive my diploma. An electronic diploma doesn't give the student the feeling of achieving a great accomplishment; it feels more like completing a simple course," says the educational policy officer and vice chair of TaiYo, Artturi Vuorinen.
"We believe that there hasn't been any discussion at the University of the Arts Helsinki regarding the transition to electronic diplomas with the students. It would be important to have open discussions with students about matters that affect them, such as the abandonment of physical diplomas. In other universities, students still have the option to receive a physical diploma," conclude Huilla and Vuorinen.
More information:
Artturi Vuorinen Lauri Grünthal
TaiYo:n hallituksen varapuheenjohtaja TaiYo:n pääsihteeri
(koulutuspolitiikka, jaostot ja järjestöt, tuutorointi) taiyo-paasihteeri@uniarts.fi
artturi.vuorinen@uniarts.fi +358 40 710 4296
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