We, the undersigned Student Union of the University of Lapland and subject associations, are strongly opposed to the Finnish Government’s proposed policy in its mid-term session on 22.—23.4.2025, according to which open universities could be granted the right to grant degrees. This would be a historic and detrimental change for higher education in Finland as a whole — but it would be particularly serious for the University of Lapland. 

The Open University of the University of Lapland is still relatively small and in a complementary role. Transforming its role into a provider of degree education would require a major increase in educational offerings and administrative development. This development would inevitably be removed from the degree education of the University of Lapland, which is already operating with limited resources.  

If a degree could be completed on a fee basis at an open university, the cornerstone of Finnish education would be undermined at the same — studies which are free of charge. The conversion of a degree education into a paid one would make it a privilege for the few. It would increase inequality, especially for us in the north, where social and regional disparities are already significant.  

The University of Lapland is strongly built on communality, accessibility and based on the interaction of present teaching. Teaching must be personal and students must be faced as individuals. The right for Open Universities to grant degrees does not support this model, but threatens to decentralise teaching, distance students from the academic community, and push responsibility for learning to the student alone. At the same time, the quality of teaching is compromised and already scarce resources are depleted.  

In addition, the proposal raises legally and administratively difficult questions: what is the status of a degree student in an open university? How to ensure educational social rights, representation and equal treatment? It is unsustainable to create a situation where students have responsibilities but not the same rights as others. We students demand that the University of Lapland opposes the government’s proposal to extend the Open University’s degree right. Free, accessible and equal higher education is a value we should not give up — neither now nor in the future.