General Assembly statement: Cooperation does not require ownership structures – clear rules must be established for higher education consortia

In recent years, consortia between universities of applied sciences and universities have been formed at an accelerating pace, and we have seen different acquisition and ownership initiatives being announced. The National Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences – SAMOK has been following this rapid wave of change with concern. Higher education institutions are making significant structural decisions in a situation characterised by fluctuating steering: no national frameworks exist, and no open impact assessments have been made. No one seems to have a clear idea of the direction in which the whole system is being taken.

SAMOK supports cooperation between higher education institutions. At best, it opens flexible study paths for students, diversifies the study offering and enhances RDI activities. However, a consortium structure is not the only or the best model for everyone. Cooperation can also be effectively deepened by means of equal strategic alliances and networks. Instead of administrative integration and share transactions, the real worth of cooperation derives from new opportunities that make students’ everyday lives easier. The General Assembly rejects the publicly discussed proposals for a joint business ID for higher education institutions, as it would jeopardise the autonomy of universities of applied sciences and make room for covert mergers.

“The joint business ID is not about adjusting a minor administrative technicality but about stripping the universities of applied sciences of their autonomy and dismantling the dual model through a back door. We do not need a shared business ID but a genuine and equal partnership where each higher education institution retains its own identity and decision-making power,” Helena Maijanen, President of SAMOK, points out.

A vision for higher education and research for 2040, published in summer 2026, calls for bold reform of the system and states that the opportunities to utilise consortium structures have not yet been fully exploited. However, when making reforms, it is important to remember to maintain a sense of proportion. The university of applied sciences system has been in existence for no longer than 30 years and is still finding its place in the higher education system. Therefore, its development should not be subjected to hasty structural integration decisions. The dual model is the cornerstone of Finnish higher education where the applied research and working life-oriented teaching of universities of applied sciences holds an equal position alongside the scientific research and academic teaching of universities.

From the perspective of students, the consortium structures between universities of applied sciences and universities are a cause for concern, especially in terms of decision-making and representation. When several tens of thousands of students from possibly several different higher education institutions are collected under one consortium, there is a risk that the voice of the students will be lost under the administrative noise. The giant consortium structures threaten the everyday life and voice of students. Therefore, the genuine representation of students and the actual autonomy of universities of applied sciences must be secured in the already established consortia.

The autonomy of universities of applied sciences must be strengthened in order to maintain the students’ local services and everyday advocacy. The harmonisation of services at the consortium level must not lead to the everyday life of students becoming more difficult. The library and other critical support and well-being services must be available on each student’s own campus even in the future. 

Structural reforms carry a great risk of attention being shifted from core activities and students’ everyday lives to running heavy administrative models. If services are centralised and opportunities for representation crumble, the whole higher education community’s well-being and ability to study will suffer. For this reason, the focus of reforms must always be on people and high-quality teaching instead of structures. 

“A functional study environment and easily accessible services are an essential precondition for students to do well and graduate on time. In preparing reforms to higher education structures, students must be involved extensively at all stages of the process. Students and high-quality teaching must be at the core of the reforms,” says Atte Mannila, the 2027 President of SAMOK. 

 SAMOK’s solutions for sustainable higher education cooperation:

• Retain the current dual model without a shared business ID. 
• Establish clear common rules for higher education consortia, where transparency, the voice of students and the autonomy of universities of applied sciences are secured. 
• Carry out an independent assessment of the current situation and an impact assessment of the actual impacts of the current consortia on students’ everyday lives, the content and quality of teaching and the administrative costs. 
• Instead of focusing on structural changes, attention should be paid to other, deeper forms of operational cooperation, such as equal strategic alliances and joint RDI projects. 
• Strengthen regional centres of excellence and flexible study paths between vocational upper secondary education, universities of applied sciences and universities to ensure smooth transitions and regional vitality.

Further information:

Helena Maijanen, SAMOK Board Chairperson 2026, 
tel. +358 50 389 1000, [email protected]

Atte Mannila, President of SAMOK 2027 
tel. +358 50 599 3730, [email protected]