Target Groups: Continuous studies student
MOOC and Continuing professional education
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC)
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) are online courses open to everyone. MOOCs are available via a Moodle-based online learning environment (DigiCampus).
MOOCs are based on the University of Eastern Finland’s study programmes, meaning that they are recognised as degree studies and Open University studies. Course materials and public exercises of MOOCs are available to everyone free of charge. However, students who wish to have their completed MOOCs and ECTS credits entered in their student register must enrol at the University of Eastern Finland’s Open University and pay the study fee for the course.
For students completing a degree at the University of Eastern Finland and persons who have been granted an alumni study right, the completed courses and ECTS credits will be entered in their study register free of charge.
Explore our offered MOOC courses.
Continuing professional education
Our continuing professional education courses are hands-on, flexible, research-based and planned in cooperation with the customer to meet the requirements of each industry. You can take individual continuing professional education courses or larger study modules.
Read more about continuing professional education.
Support for students and studying arrangements related to the war in Ukraine
Russia’s military attack on Ukraine is causing concern in the UEF community. At the same time, the international sanctions against Russia affect the studying arrangements of the university. This website contains information about support channels for students, arrangements related to studying and useful links to sources of information.
The university has set up a team to coordinate actions resulting from the situation in Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Besides coordinating necessary actions, the team is preparing support measures for the students and staff. The team is led by Rector of the university.
Ministry of Education and Culture will distribute up-to-date information about the situation to the Finnish universities, and the University of Eastern Finland will follow national and EU policies in its actions and inform the UEF community about them.
The university will distribute relevant information to the students on uef.fi website, in the News section on Kamu and in the students’ Yammer group (signing in with UEF credentials required), and on Heimo website for university staff and students (UEF login required). Changes in the restrictions and sanctions may occur rapidly.
Support channels for students
If the war causes concern and students need help and support, the university offers its students a variety of support channels. We have compiled providers of help and support on the Kamu service. The students may utilise the services of FSHS, campus chaplains and educational psychologists.
In addition, providers of help include several national services such as crisis counselling by MIELI Mental Health Finland. Familiarise yourself also with the online material of Mielenterveysseurat.fi here and here Serenas materials.
Educational psychologist Katri Ruth has written about living with the feelings of concern and anxiety in the Puheenvuoroja blog of the university. The blog text mentions support channels and options for further reading.
The University of Eastern Finland emphasises that hate speech will not be tolerated in our international scientific community.
Questions about students and studies can be sent via email: studysupport@uef.fi. General questions relating to the situation in Ukraine and the security can be sent to email: ukraine@uef.fi.
Study-related arrangements
In the current situation of war, student mobility programmes to and from Russia are suspended. For the present, no scholarships are available for student mobility to Russia and Belarus.
Due to the sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus, the University of Eastern Finland will block access to its electronic services requiring authentication with the university’s username and password from the Russian and Belarusian territory, effective from 23 March 2022.
Travelling to Russia and Belarus is not recommended in the current time of crisis.
As for Ukrainian students studying in Finland, the studies will continue normally. Ukrainians studying in Finland will not be repatriated even if their residence permit is about to expire.
For the present, the EU sanctions against Russia will not affect student admissions of the degree programmes, and the decisions will be made normally according to existing legislation.
Are open university courses free of charge for degree students?
The curriculum for degree students at the University of Eastern Finland and the open university students is usually the same. The methods of completing studies, however, may differ among different student groups: some method of completing studies may be limited to degree students only, whereas some method of completion may be designed specifically for open university students only. Study carefully the information of each course in Peppi so that you know which courses are suitable for you so that you know how to register for courses correctly! If the method of completion is not limited or allocated to a certain group of students, degree students can choose which courses they will take. In this case, participation in the open university courses is free of charge for degree students who have registered as being present.
If a student has registered as being absent in their degree studies, but during the absence they are studying at the open university, they pay the open university fees.
If degree students need to apply for a minor subject and participation is limited, degree students cannot register to open university studies to complete courses there, if they do not have the right to study obtained through the minor subject selection.
Additional information, please see: Instructions for the planning of teaching in the academic year 2022-2023 (in Heimo, log in with your UEF username and password, pdf).
Studying at the Open University
The open university is open for everyone. All studies are part of a university degree, and the wide range of studies opens up many opportunities for both degree-oriented studies as well as for updating your skills. Open University students complete the same courses as degree students. As a rule, there are no varying methods for completing studies.
You can join the studies by registering through the Open University website and paying the study fee. Additional information on registration, study fees and right to study. For degree students who have registered as present, participation in the open university courses in mainly in many cases free of charge. More information.
General guidance for studies and for planning studies at the open university, registration and right to study is available by email at avoinyliopisto@uef.fi. The open university maintain their own student and study register. Study certificates and transcripts of records can be printed directly from Atomi, which is part of the Peppi student and study register. You can order a separate certificate by email avoinyliopisto@uef.fi.
Registering for continuous learning
Registering at the Open University
You can browse our course selection in the Opintopolku.fi-service or on the website of the Centre for Continuous Learning. You can register through either service. Registration is done separately for each course. The studies are usually open to everyone. Some studies have a separate registration period, or a student quota and some can be accessed only through application. The detailed information about each course can be found in Opintopolku.fi. More information about registering in the open university, tuition fees, and study rights can be found here (opens in a new tab).
Registering for continuing professional education
Registration is done via the registration link for the selected course. In the course page, you will find information such as the curriculum or content of the education, the registration/application period for the course and if there are any student quotas.
As a rule, students are selected in the order of registration. If there is a separate application for the course, the selection criteria can be seen on the course page.
Entrepreneurship studies and services
Latest update 29th of April 2024
The University of Eastern Finland has plenty of courses and services that can help you get familiar with entrepreneurship and map out your own interests, skills and opportunities to work as an entrepreneur. Support is available from basic entrepreneurship courses to starting a company and financing business ideas.
For students: We offer courses, services and guidance for students who are interested in entrepreneurship and exploring opportunities for commercializing their own skills, for example in the form of implementing their own business idea.
For researchers: We offer help in research commercialization processes (e.g., R2B-projects and other Business Finland funding options, statutory invention disclosures and intellectual property rights) as well as in exploring the commercial potential of research, for example as a student collaboration or in collaboration with companies and UEF’s research groups. We can also help you in head hunting for e.g., business lead for commercialization of research.
Entrepreneurship studies
Minor in entrepreneurship
The University of Eastern Finland offers about 15 courses related to entrepreneurship, starting a company and commercializing one’s own expertise. The courses are open to everyone, regardless of discipline. Available courses differ slightly between Kuopio and Joensuu campuses. Some of the courses are administered by Savonia UAS in Kuopio and Karelia UAS in Joensuu. The code of the minor is X5215200K (Kuopio) and X5215200J (Joensuu).
UEF’s entrepreneurship teachers:
Henna Kokkonen, university teacher
henna.kokkonen@uef.fi , tel. 050 576 4747
Helen Reijonen, university teacher
helen.reijonen@uef.fi , tel. 050 435 2408
UEF’s faculty-specific entrepreneurship instructors
UEF’s faculty-specific entrepreneurship instructors are listed below. The instructors act as the faculties’ primary low-threshold contact regarding entrepreneurship. You can ask them about being an entrepreneur or talk to them confidentially about your own product, service or business idea. If necessary, they will direct you forward to the right contact regarding further actions.
Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, Department of Economics:
• Henna Kokkonen, university teacher.
henna.kokkonen@uef.fi , tel. 050 576 4747
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Forestry, Department of Physics and Mathematics:
• Seppo Honkanen, professor. seppo.honkanen@uef.fi. tel. 050 590 3629
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Forestry, Department of Applied Physics:
Pasi Karjalainen, professor. pasi.karjalainen@uef.fi, tel. 040 355 2546
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Forestry, Department of Forestry:
• Jouni Pykäläinen, professor. jouni.pykalainen@uef.fi , tel. 050 382 6094
Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Applied Education and Teacher Education:
• Sakari Tolppanen, university researcher. sakari.tolppanen@uef.fi , tel. 046 920 5760
Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Pharmacy:
Markus Forsberg, professor. markus.forsberg@uef.fi. tel. 040 355 3780
Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine:
Anna Karjalainen, Regional Manager. anna.karjalainen@uef.fi, tel. 050 560 6139
If you can’t reach the person you want, ask for help at tomi.tuovinen@uef.fi , tel. 050 571 5046.
Entrepreneurship and commercialization support services
Draft Program
Draft Program is a program where you can get funding of 1000-4000 euros for your own business idea.
The process is simple: participating teams prepare a business plan with a ready-made A4 template (see the template here), based on which pre-qualification is done. Those who make it to the next stage pitch their business idea to the Draft jury, and the jury decides which ideas get to the program and receive funding. On the first round you can get funding of 1000 euros, and in the follow-up round 3000 euros. In addition, you get to join group sparring sessions.
Competition conditions:
• The team must have at least two (2) people
• At least one member of the team must be either a student, alumni or staff member of UEF, Savonia, Karelia, Sakky or Riveria.
• The team must not already have a company with turnover for their Draft idea
• The goal should be to establish your own company (and not, e.g., to sell a service to a ready-made company and get employed).
See below the video about Kimmo Rautiainen (Butterfly Brick), who participated in the Draft Program:
Draft Program is organized three times a year: in January, May and September.
Read more and see the application schedules: www.draftprogram.com
More information:
Irina Lavikainen, Senior innovation specialist
Irina.lavikainen@uef.fi , tel. 050 400 1539
Business Center North Savo
Business Center North Savo is a service network that offers help to entrepreneurs, developers of business ideas and those interested in entrepreneurship. The services are free for UEF students, alumni and staff.
Business Center North Savo operates as a collaboration between UEF, Savonia, Sakky and the cities of Kuopio, Iisalmi and Varkaus. Each entity has committed human resources to the activity.
Services include e.g.,
• Guidance in setting up a company
• Help in finding out the potential of a business idea
• Personal follow-up advice for entrepreneurs
• Workshops, e.g., Havuja#!@%&! -accelerator program
Business Center Pohjois-Savo contact person at the University of Eastern Finland:
Tomi Tuovinen, innovation advisor
tomi.tuovinen@uef.fi phone 050 571 5046
Business Center website: https://bcpohjois-savo.fi/en/etusivu-english/
Havuja #!@%&! -accelerator program
Havuja#!@%&! is a business accelerator program organized by Business Center North Savo. The program has three levels: Havuja Bootcamp, Havuja Accelerator and Havuja Leap.
Havuja Bootcamp focuses on the development of early-stage business ideas from four perspectives: chrystallization of the idea, market research, project planning and pitching. Those who pass the Bootcamp can continue to the Accelerator phase.
Participation in Havuja Bootcamp is free and open to everyone. UEF students receive two (2) credits for completing the Bootcamp. The bootcamp can also be combined to course yPolku 1: “Liiketoimintamahdollisuuden tunnistaminen” (in Finnish), consisting of five (5) ECTS credits.
Havuja Bootcamp is organized three times a year: in September, January, and May. The Bootcamp in September and May is in English. The implementation is remotely via Zoom.
More information about Havuja Bootcamp:
Tomi Tuovinen, Innovation Advisor
tomi.tuovinen@uef.fi . tel. 050 571 5046
Start Me Up business idea competition
Start Me Up is a national business idea competition organized by Business Joensuu. The competition is held annually in the Spring season. About 180 participants apply for the competition every year, of which about half get to the next stage and pitch to the jury. The application is typically open until the end of March and the winner(s) of the competition will be announced in May. The value of the main prize is more than 40,000 euros.
Read more: https://www.businessjoensuu.fi/startmeup/
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Services
UEF’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Services aim to support and promote the commercialization of scientific research and know-how created at the University of Eastern Finland.
The university offers its researchers comprehensive support services for research commercialization and exploring commercialization opportunities. Services include e.g., Business Finland funding, statutory invention disclosure process, matters related to intellectual property rights such as the protection process, and measures related to technology transfer.
Matti Höytö, Senior Innovation Specialist (Kuopio)
matti.hoyto@uef.fi, tel. 040 354 5916
Irina Lavikainen, Senior Innovation Specialist (Joensuu)
Irina.lavikainen@uef.fi, tel. 050 400 1539
Tomi Tuovinen, Innovation Advisor
tomi.tuovinen@uef.fi, tel. 050 571 5046
Heli Laine, Business Cooperation Coordinator
heli.laine@uef.fi, tel. 050 533 8891
UEF Startup Day
UEF Startup Day is an event organized by the University of Eastern Finland to promote UEF-related startup and entrepreneurship in general. The event aims to inspire and connect students, researchers, and staff interested in entrepreneurship and and showcase UEF-related companies. It provides a platform to learn about startup stories, entrepreneurship services offered by the university, and networking opportunities.
UEF Startup Day is organized twice a year: at Autumn semester in Joensuu campus and Spring semester in Kuopio campus. First UEF Startup Day was organized in January 2023.
Read more:
https://www.uef.fi/en/event/uef-startup-day-2024-kuopio
https://www.uef.fi/fi/artikkeli/tutkimuksen-ja-osaamisen-kaupallistamisen-polku-tutuksi-startup-iltapaivassa (In Finnish)
https://www.uef.fi/fi/artikkeli/uef-startup-day-rohkaisi-yrittajyyteen-uskalla-ottaa-ensimmainen-askel (in Finnish)
Business Joensuu
Business Joensuu’s experts help researchers interested in commercialization as well as students developing new businesses to refine and test their ideas in order to start a business. They also provide help with growth and internationalization. In addition, Business Joensuu offers services for investments and location in the area, as well as the Joensuu Science Park’s space, community and event services.
https://www.businessjoensuu.fi/
Business Kuopio
Business Kuopio brings together all the services, expert help and networks intended for companies in the city of Kuopio. The service helps companies of all sizes develop and internationalize. https://www.businesskuopio.fi/
SPARK Finland – mentoring program
SPARK Finland is a globally networked program and organization that supports the development of the health technology and life science industry.
The aim of the program is to educate and train medical and natural science researchers, students and clinicians in finding and developing therapeutic and diagnostic solutions. The program is aimed at researchers, clinicians and students of universities, universities of applied sciences and university hospitals that are part of the SPARK Finland program. The University of Eastern Finland has been involved in the program since 2020.
Read more: https://sparkfinland.fi/
Contact person: Irina Lavikainen, irina.lavikainen@uef.fi, p. +358 50 400 1539
Methods of completing studies
Education Regulations describe how studies can be completed, and units responsible for courses (in Peppi: course implementations) have the authority to define the ways of completing courses in their curricula, including evaluation of study attainments. Students can complete studies individually or in groups through a variety of written and oral methods, such as lectures and book exams, essays, seminars, practical and laboratory work, online teaching, practical training and the combinations of these. The methods of completing studies are described in the course descriptions of each curriculum. Courses are completed at one go, unless otherwise stated in the curriculum.
If a student has a learning difficulty or disability, s/he has the right to apply for individual arrangements (see Accessibility in studies – aids and facilities) that apply to the ways a course can be completed, for instance.
In addition to traditional contact teaching in class, studies can be completed online or in multiform learning environments. Distance learning/ online studies are carried out in web-based learning environments, whereas multiform learning utilizes a number approaches: independent study and group work, face-to-face activities as well as e-learning where the latest technology is used to enhance learning. One of the latest approaches is “flipping” or “flipped classroom” – an instructional strategy and a type of blended learning – which aims at increasing student engagement and the quality of learning by having students complete readings independently at home, and work on live problem-solving, applying and analyzing in class.
The most typical methods of completing studies are presented below:
Lectures
Lecture is an oral presentation and traditionally a common form of contact teaching at the university. Lectures do not require regular attendance and, in most cases, the number of participants is not limited. However, different practices are used in university teaching and lecturing, and it is a good idea to check the course description in Peppi before the lectures begin. Lectures may be based on pre-distributed material or, in addition to lectures, there may be additional literature for independent study. Lectures are usually followed by an exam. In some cases, a lecture diary may be required.
Exercises
Exercises put in practice data and knowledge obtained during lectures or self-study. Regular presence is required during exercises. Studies can include a wide variety of exercises and/or practical work, the completion of which requires attendance as well as the approved completion of the given assignments.
Seminars
Participants present their seminar work (presentation, thesis, summary, etc.), participate in discussion and act as opponents. Regular attendance is required.
Small group teaching
Small group teaching (i.e. students study in smaller groups) may be part of a course. Dividing a bigger lot into groups usually takes place in advance. There may be exercises, seminars, other types of group work or a teacher-led lecture/ tutorial in a small group.
Book or lecture exam
At the university, tests are called exams. As a rule, there are two types of exams: lecture exams and general exams. A lecture exam is usually at the end of a series of lectures and, in addition to lectures, additional literature may be part of the exam. In general exams, predetermined literature is often taken. In some faculties, one may do exams from other courses in the same general exam. Registrations for general exams should be done 10 days before the exam date
at the latest, and the dates for general exams can be found in the curriculum of your faculty. It is a good idea to check the registration practices and other important details of exams in advance, as they differ from one faculty to another. If required, the student must prove his/her identity before taking the exam.
Exams can also be taken in Moodle and in Exam.
Exam answers are usually essay-type writings. The aim is to test the student’s knowledge and understanding of the topic in question.
Electronic exam system (Exam)
The university utilizes an electronic exam system. An electronic exam can be completed on campus in supervised facilities. The idea is that the student can take an exam according to his/her own schedule. The possibility to take an electronic exam is mentioned in the course description. For more information, please see Electronic exam: instructions for students.
Essay
Essay is a reflective, literature-based article that explores one of the questions given as the subject of an essay. A scientific essay is usually based on several source materials and contains the author’s own reflection as well as critical observations. The topic to be discussed is analyzed, evaluated and compared using different sources followed by a synthesis based on the data as well as student’s own reflection.
Learning diary
The aim of a learning diary is to form one’s own view of the course literature, lectures, seminars, etc. It involves reflecting and asking questions to what has previously been learned, discussed, read and experienced. A learning diary is not merely a paper or a summary of the topics and contents of lectures.
Summary
Summary is a structured paper of the main points of an oral or written presentation. A summary must include the main ideas of the original presentation in the student’s own words, and as structured as possible. The evaluation of a summary draws attention to the style of the text and the formal requirements of the summary, so that the main content, main points and perspectives of the original presentation are revealed. In addition, a summary shall indicate which parts of the text are compiled by the student her/himself, and which are expressed by the original text/teacher. Mechanical summarizing or copying an original presentation is not an academic summary.
Lecture diary
A lecture diary is a summary-like text on the main points of the followed lecture. It must reflect the main ideas expressed in the lecture in a structured and the student’s own way. In addition, a lecture diary must include the student’s own reflections on the topic discussed, as if talking to the lecturer, perhaps questioning the lecturer’s approach or highlighting points that are still unclear. Any material distributed in the lecture should not be copied word by word into the lecture diary. A lecture diary must clearly show which parts of the text are written by the student him/herself, and which were expressed by the original text/teacher.
Learning group
Learning group refers to a form of study in which a freely formed group of students completes a course as group work. The group meets on a regular basis and students take turns in presenting introductions from the course literature. A final written report is produced based on the introductions and discussions in group so that a study attainment may be recorded into the system. Students themselves are responsible for the compilation and meetings of the learning group. A successful learning group requires motivated students with the ability to cooperate and take responsibility.
Learning assignment
According to detailed instructions on the topic announced during the course, a learning assignment is either individual or group work.
Portfolio
The purpose of a portfolio is to present the accumulation of student’s expertise and competence. A portfolio is compiled following the instructions given during a course. UEF has made the Kyvyt.fi ePortfolio service available to its students. This service provides tools for creating and developing one’s own resumé online as well as maintaining a CV. The service also provides opportunities for networking and publishing a portfolio, e.g. for potential employers.
The Kyvyt.fi ePortfolio service can be accessed through the main page of UEF Moodle by going to “Web servers” and clicking on the link to the Kyvyt.fi service. This link will take you to a page where you can create a new username and password for the Kyvyt.fi service, and the username and password you have now created for Kyvyt.fi will be available also after your study right at UEF has expired.
Practical training
Studies may include compulsory or optional practical training. For example, teacher’s pedagogical studies include teaching practice. Other fields of study may also include compulsory practical training. In terms of employability, it may be beneficial for the student to complete an optional practical training (see the Student guidelines on the practices of supported practical training for more details). In some cases, it is also possible to pursue practical training abroad (please see International traineeships for more details).
Thesis
A thesis is required for all university degrees. Theses at UEF include Bachelor’s Thesis, Master’s Thesis, Licentiate Thesis and a Doctoral Dissertation. Take a closer look at theses.
Maturity test
A thesis is an academic paper including a maturity test. For further information, please see Thesis and maturity test.
Distance and online learning
Distance learning means studying that is non-place-bound and may also be non-time-bound. Usually, the studying is partly or entirely online. Hybrid learning combines different forms of studying. In hybrid learning, teaching is both local and online.
In distance learning, one’s own activity is very important. The ability to concentrate and schedule one’s own studies also plays an important role.
Tips for successful distance learning and teaching:
- Arrive on time.
- It is polite to open the camera while you speak.
- Use your microphone and participate in the lesson.
- A headset prevents background noise and echo.
- Be present in teaching and mentoring situations.
- If the connection is lost or unstable, log in again using the same link.
- All conversations are confidential. Feel free to participate.
- Discuss online etiquette.
- Schedule breaks together.
- Take notes. Write down insights and questions that come to mind.
- Keep in touch with fellow students and continue the discussion.
- Be yourself. Each person participating enables successful distance learning.
When studying online, you will need an internet connection and a computer with the necessary programs. The programs required in the studies determine whether a mobile device is sufficient.
In e-learning, the teacher may put together the learning materials and teaching in an e-learning environment (e.g., Moodle) but they may also send the materials via e-mail. In online teaching, discussions and group work can also be carried out like usual.
Tools for students
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, university-level guidelines change teaching practices, and this changed information has been put on the page Studying and teaching arrangements during the coronavirus situation.
Support Channels for Students page contains different support channels, opening hours and contact information.
Digital environment page contains the web services used at the university and instructions on how to use them. Wistec’s video guides offer a lot of tips for Office programs and more.
You can find a lot of tips for more information in the Student life and well-being category and especially on the Providers of help page.
Variable information related to students is communicated in:
- UEF opiskelijat//UEF students in yammer group
- Kamu’s news section, which can also be seen in Tuudo.
- From the study communities you can see the newsletters for your own subjects
- The person in charge of the course communicates anything related to the course.
Data protection guide for students
Do you process personal data in your assignments or thesis?
Personal data means all information relating to a natural person that makes it possible to directly or indirectly identify the person. Direct identifiers include a person’s name, personal identity code, photo, video footage, voice recording, email address containing the person’s name, and handwritten signature. A person may be indirectly identifiable if a sufficient number of indirect identifiers is known to allow the person to be identified without unreasonable effort. For example, if a person’s job title and employer or position (such as the chair of a specific city government) is known, identifying the person may be fairly straightforward.
The processing of personal data is governed by data protection legislation (EU General Data Protection Regulation [EU GDPR 2016/679], Finnish Data Protection Act [1050/2018] and special legislation). Personal data processing means all activities performed on personal data, including viewing, collection, recording, organisation, storage, alteration, pseudonymisation, anonymisation, erasure or destruction.
Students may occasionally process personal data in connection with their thesis or in various study assignments.
As a rule, the author of a thesis collects and processes personal data if the thesis concerns living persons. The EU GDPR does not apply to deceased persons. Despite this, it should be kept in mind that a deceased person’s personal data may contain references to living descendants who may be identified even if they are not the subject of the thesis. Data protection legislation does not apply to pre-anonymised research data from sources such as the Finnish Social Science Data Archive. Data protection legislation also applies to published personal data, such as those collected from online sources.
Students can collect personal data in a number of ways, including
- survey forms (such as Webropol)
- interviews
- observations
- by collecting personal data from online sources (social media, websites of businesses and public figures, etc.)
An interviewee’s voice recording, photo or video are personal data. Even in an anonymous survey, personal data are processed if the information that is collected can be used to identify a respondent directly or indirectly. Even collecting background variables may be enough to identify a person (such as age, sex, place of residence, job title, employer). Identifiability does not mean that a large group of people can identify a person; the person is identifiable even if only by close friends and family or the researcher.
The processing of personal data in various study assignment (not the thesis) can be considered as purely personal processing (so-called household activities), the EU GDPR does not apply to the assignment. Even in this case, personal data should be processed appropriately (see Edinburgh Univerity: If your research is strictly for domestic purposes related to your own personal academic use whilst studying at the University, then your research may be exempt from the Data Protection Laws. However, you should still work as if the legislation applies as it also aligns with ethical best practice). In contrast, the processing of personal data collected for a thesis cannot be considered as personal or household activities.
What do I need to take into consideration before processing personal data?
Before you begin processing personal data:
- Describe in as much detail as possible (in the research plan, for example) what personal data you plan to process, how and for what purposes.
- Describe in your research plan (or other comparable written document) how you plan to process and store personal data needed for your thesis/research. Keep in mind that you may not collect any redundant/unnecessary data (data minimisation). Also keep in mind that you may process the data only for its stated purpose (purpose limitation).
- Identify who is the controller of personal data. The controller is the party that determines the purpose and means of the processing of personal data In general in theses and scientific studies, the purposes and means of processing personal data are determined in the research plan (research questions = purposes of processing personal data, research methods =means of processing personal data). If you are the sole author of the study and use a research plan that you yourself have written, you are the controller. If the student and another party (such as another student or the University or hospital) together determine the purposes and means of processing personal data, they are considered joint controllers. In this case, the data must be stored according to the University’s data protection policies (in other words, you may not store the data on your personal computer). If the student writes a thesis as part of a research project using the project’s research data and questions and the thesis is included in the research project’s publications, the controller is usually the party that is otherwise the controller of the research project’s data. In individual, commissioned studies (typically for a private-sector organisation or business), the client may determine the purposes and means of processing personal data and act as the controller. In this case, the student must follow the client’s instructions on data protection.
When determining who is the controller of personal data collected for a thesis, discuss the following questions with your supervisor: who decides (source for the questions: memo by THL Data Protection Officer Jarkko Reittu on the controller of personal data, 8 May 2020):- whether or not personal data are processed (begins the processing and benefits from it)
- why the personal data are processed (purpose of processing)
- what personal data are processed
- how long the personal data are processed/stored/archived
- who has access to the personal data and where are they transferred
- how the personal data are processed (means of processing)
- Write a privacy notice in which you answer the questions above. A privacy notice should be written even if you do not collect direct personal identifiers and the risk of identifying a person indirectly is very low. Store the privacy notice in case you need to demonstrate your compliance with data protection legislation. If you want, you can include it in your thesis as an appendix (if you are the controller, remove your contact information from the published privacy notice and leave only your name).
- Write an announcement for your research subjects about your study. Think about how you should handle communication with research subjects.
- If you collect personal data from official sources, for example, you may need a permission to conduct the study. Include the privacy notice with the request for a permission.
- Make sure that you do not need to transfer the data to third parties or to third countries outside the EU or EEA. Transferring personal data to third countries is prohibited unless the safeguards defined in the EU GDPR are taken. If you use free cloud services on your mobile device or computer, for example, the data may be transferred outside the EU/EEA.
- If your thesis makes extensive use of so-called sensitive personal data (such as health data, racial origin, religious beliefs or political opinions, trade union membership or sexual orientation), you may also need to perform a data protection impact assessment in which you evaluate the risk posed by the processing to the research subjects. You can find out whether an impact assessment is necessary by first performing an advance assessment of data protection.
- The supervisor and student together decide on the need for an advance assessment of research ethics. The general rule at the University of Eastern Finland is that student theses are not reviewed by UEF’s Committee on Research Ethics. The topic of the thesis should be chosen so as to not require an advance assessment of research ethics.
Purpose of processing personal data, legal basis for processing and requesting consent
The purpose of processing personal data and the legal basis are not one and the same. The purpose of processing means that personal data are collected only for a specific purpose (such as managing an employment or client relationship, maintaining membership records, planning and monitoring treatment of a patient, writing a student thesis, undertaking scientific or historical research, compiling statistics, archiving in the public interest). The purpose of processing must be determined separately for each scientific study or student thesis because each research plan defines a specific set of research questions (= purpose of processing personal data) and research methods (= means of processing personal data)
There must be always be a legal basis for processing personal data that is established before processing begins. The legal basis cannot be changed once the processing has been associated with a specific legal basis. The legal basis governs what rights research subjects have relative to the controller. In scientific research, the legal basis for processing is usually public interest (processing is necessary for a task carried out in the public interest, more specifically for scientific research purposes).
The legal basis must be defined in the privacy notice and communicated to research subjects. If the research plan for the thesis (Bachelor’s thesis) does not meet the scientific criteria of the field of study, the legal basis for processing cannot be scientific research in the public interest. In such cases, the legal basis must be the research subject’s consent, for example.
All research subjects from whom personal data are collected directly must be asked to consent to participate in the study (so-called informed consent for research, not the same as consent to personal data processing). Informed consent can be obtained from participants in writing, verbally before an interview or in a separate field in the survey form after the research subject has received a separate notice describing the research.
- Example: In Webropol surveys, the author of the thesis can include a separate introductory paragraph [=notice to the research subject] that provides general information about the study and a detailed description of how personal data are processed (information to be disclosed to the data subject under the EU GDPR). Alternatively, the information can be behind a link or in a separate document, provided that it can be read before giving consent and is separate from the consent request. The information can also be given separately before responding to the survey when recruiting research subjects by email, for example. The survey must include a consent request checkbox that the research subject can accept before accessing the survey. Be sure to delete any data you have collected from Webropol after completing the study at the latest.
- You can also ask for consent verbally at the start of an interview, provided that the research subject has received information about the study and personal data processing in writing or verbally before you ask for consent.
- Consent can also be requested in writing. However, keep in mind that in this case, the written consent form includes the research subject’s signature, which is a direct identifier and forms a part of a data file of personal data.
- If you use consent as the legal basis for processing personal data, remember to also ask research subjects for their consent to personal data processing (for the purpose you have described).
Templates prepared by UEF that you will need:
- Privacy notice
- Informing research subjects
- Consent to participation in a study
- Consent to personal data processing and participation in a study
- Advance assessment of data protection
- Data protection impact assessment
Store the documents for at least the period of time that you store your research data.
You can find the templates on the Intranet (requires login).
Ensure adequate data protection
In order to protect the privacy of research subjects, you should pseudonymise (remove all direct identifiers and store then separate) or anonymise (delete all personal data in a way that ensures that it is impossible to revert to identifiable data) the data you use in your thesis. You must store the data in a secure location on a platform provided by the University or your personal computer and make sure that the data are sufficiently protected.
A personal data breach or data security anomaly means that personal data are lost or disclosed to outsiders. If you suspect a personal data breach, report it to abuse@uef.fi or tietosuoja@uef.fi immediately for further instructions. Situations in which a device used to store data is lost or stolen (such as a phone or computer) are also considered data breaches.
Keep in mind that you may not discuss confidential information shared by research subjects with outsiders. Under the non-disclosure obligation, you may not show or disclose documents to outsiders (confidentiality of documents), disclose contents of confidential documents or unrecorded information which, were it recorded in a document, would be confidential (obligation of confidentiality), or use confidential information for the benefit or detriment of yourself or another (prohibition of use). If necessary, you can go over your research data with your thesis supervisor as they are not an outsider to your thesis and you have named them in the privacy notice. However, note that if you are the controller, you may not usually disclose the data to the University for some other purpose (other than scientific research).
What happens to personal data after the thesis is finished?
After your research has ended, any research data that contains personal data must usually be destroyed in a secure manner that ensures that the data are not disclosed to outsiders. Do not throw out written materials in a public recycling bin! The University has locked trash bins for secure recycling of written documents. Files saved on network drives and Webropol must be deleted and any other data destroyed in a secure manner. It is especially important that the lifecycle of data is managed appropriately. Personal data processing has a beginning and an end. In some case after a study has ended, research data can be stored in the Finnish Social Science Data Archive or Language Bank of Finland, for example.
Further information
Privacy protection (in Intranet requires login) and Information security (in Intranet, requires login)
Guidelines of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity (TENK)
Guidelines by the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman for scientific research
For guidance and advice, contact the University of Eastern Finland Data Protection Officer: tietosuoja@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 576 0282.