History
SYL was founded in 1921 by Suomen Ylioppilaskunta (now the Student Union of the University of Helsinki) and Åbo Akademis Studentkår (the Student Union of Åbo Akademi University). It was established on the need of students to participate in social deliberation and international cooperation in an orderly way.
In 1927, the student unions of the University of Turku, Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki School of Economics and the Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration joined SYL, after which the organisation represented 5,515 students. Its action was patriotic and showed a spirit of national defence. This was seen, for example, as it was disengaging Swedish-language student unions from SYL as a result of language debates up until 1941.
After World War II, the building of an affluent society, political activation in the 1960s and a march influenced the activities of the Union. Between the 1960s and 1970s, in the expansion of the Finnish university system, many new members from many new student unions joined SYL. In the 1990s, the educational status of students declined. Going into the work force was becoming greater, like the support from parents, even as the job market status decreased as a result of the universities of applied sciences (polytechnics) being established and the rising number of students. At the same time, however, education resources had not been raised.
From 1979 to 1984, SYL launched the common student card - at the time made of cardboard. With the card, a student got common benefits. SYL is a shareholder in Suomen Lyyra Ab which unifies and expands student services with a new Lyyra student card.
SYL has 21 membership bodies: all of Finland's 20 student unions as well as the student body of Snellman-college (Snellman-korkeakoulu) are members.
Read more about this topic: National Union Of University Students In Finland
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