HUMAKO Board Recruitment for 2027
A new Board for the Student Union of the University of Applied Sciences Humak (HUMAKO) will be elected for next year at the newly elected Representative Council’s constitutive meeting on 18 November 2026. Could you be the right person to lead the Student Union next year?
Applications for Board positions are open from 2 November to 16 November 2026.
How the Teams Work
HUMAKO’s Board operates through three teams, which form the core of the Student Union’s activities. These are the Local Activities Team, Advocacy Team, and Services and Events Team.
All three teams are supported by the Executive Team, which is responsible for the Student Union’s administration, stakeholder cooperation and overall operations.
Board members are assigned to the different teams, which are led by HUMAKO’s employees and the Board Chairpersons. HUMAKO has two full-time employees supporting the Board: the Executive Director and the Specialist.
Advocacy Team
The Advocacy Team is led by the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson of the Board.
The team is responsible for influencing decision-making at the university, promoting students’ interests and advancing equality and non-discrimination.
The team’s practical responsibilities include collecting student feedback and using it to influence decision-making, coordinating harassment contact person activities, coordinating student representatives in Humak’s working groups, and representing HUMAKO in its national umbrella organisation, the Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences (SAMOK).
The Advocacy Team’s work is guided by HUMAKO’s strategy and political programme.
Local Activities Team
The Local Activities Team is led by HUMAKO’s Specialist.
The team is responsible for planning, developing and coordinating HUMAKO’s local tutor activities, associations and team activities.
Throughout the year, the Local Activities Team organises several training sessions for local student representatives, discusses current issues with them in online meetings and maintains regular contact with them.
The objectives of local activities are based on HUMAKO’s strategy.
Services and Events Team
The Services and Events Team is led by the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson of HUMAKO.
The team is responsible for member services provided both at HUMAKO’s office and online, organising events, managing the online store and developing the product selection, among other things.
Executive Team
The Executive Team consists of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Executive Director of HUMAKO.
The Executive Team meets weekly and is responsible for stakeholder cooperation, preparing Board meetings, maintaining and developing the Student Union’s administration, and monitoring its overall finances.
The Vice-Chairperson’s responsibilities within the Executive Team include overseeing advocacy and influencing activities.
The Chairperson is responsible for developing the Student Union’s operations, overseeing decision-making and monitoring the overall activities of the Student Union.
Working on the Board
Although the Board is divided into teams with their own areas of responsibility, the work is carried out collaboratively.
The entire Board meets regularly in Helsinki for planning days, team days and meetings of the joint student union network. These gatherings take place approximately 6–10 times throughout the year.
Board members also have the opportunity to participate in events and training sessions organised by HUMAKO’s umbrella organisations and cooperation networks, representing HUMAKO.
In addition, the Board holds regular online meetings to prepare for decision-making and discuss in more detail the matters to be decided at official meetings. At HUMAKO, formal Board meetings are held in person in connection with planning days and otherwise online.
Board work at HUMAKO typically requires an average of 5–20 hours per week from each Board member. The workload may be higher for the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.
The workload is lighter from Midsummer until the beginning of August.
Board members have the opportunity to earn academic credits for their Board work as part of their studies. During the year, members can earn 10–40 ECTS credits for their work at HUMAKO. The number of credits depends on the member’s responsibilities and the number of hours worked.
For more information about recognising Board work as part of your studies, please contact the Executive Director.
The Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson receive a monthly compensation for their positions.
Term of Office and Important Dates
The Board’s term of office is the calendar year 2027, but the onboarding process will begin in late November, shortly after the elections.
If you are applying for a Board position, please make sure that you are available to attend the in-person onboarding in Helsinki on 30 November – 1 December 2026.
Before the retreat, the Board will also have a few online evening sessions introducing the general responsibilities and practices of Board work.
How to Apply
You can apply for a Board position by submitting an informal application and, if you wish, your CV through the Forms application by 16 November 2026.
Please remember to indicate whether you are applying for the position of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson or Board Member. You can also mention in advance if you already know which team you would be interested in joining.
All applicants will be interviewed at the Representative Council’s constitutive meeting on 18 November 2026 in Helsinki.
We recommend attending the interview in person, but remote participation can also be arranged if necessary.
At the meeting, you will have the opportunity to introduce yourself to the Representative Council. Its members will ask applicants questions to clarify their applications and assess their suitability for the positions.