Book a venue

Venues are rented out for short-term use by companies, academic communities, public and non-profit corporations as well as associations and NGOs.

Venues will not be rented out for  

• Celebrating the independence days of various countries 
• Party-political or religious events 
• Commercial activities directly in competition with the University, such as fee-based training, seminars or foundation courses.  

Catering for the events must be ordered from the restaurant operating in the building in question. Contact information is available on the pages presenting the various facilities.

Catering is not provided for teaching facilities. The restaurant staff will help the client find a suitable catering location. 

The restaurant operating in the premises has the catering rights to events organised at the University's premises. Bringing your own food into the facilities is also prohibited. 

Exhibitions linked with events can be organised in locations suited for the purpose, for example, building lobbies.  The use of lobbies must always be agreed with the building porter. 

The lobby service will assist in the practical arrangements of the exhibition. Building-specific contact information is available on the pages presenting the various facilities.

Please check the cancellation terms and conditions on the website of the party renting the venue.

Cancelling bookings must be done through the party that originally received the booking.

Cancellations related to teaching facilities must be done through the centralised facility booking system; cancellations related to other venues must be directed straight to the unit in question.

A good environment does not differentiate between people based on their ability to move and function: it is accessible. Does the facility have stairs, is the building located on a cobblestone street or are the doorways, for example, narrow?

When planning or budgeting for an event, it is recommended that any special needs of participants related to accessibility are taken into account. In an accessible environment everyone is able to function equally irrespective of their personal characteristics related to sight, hearing, movement, age, learning difficulties or any other such factors.

Tips on accessibility: 

• Should you have any questions related to the accessibility of facilities, please contact tilavaraus@helsinki.fi. Also remember to ask whether the venue is equipped with an induction loop for people with hearing disabilities. 
• Remember to arrange and budget for possible interpreters for people with hearing disabilities. Further information is available, for example, from Kuuloliitto. 

Further information on accessibility:  

• The Accessibility Centre ESKE of the Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities 
• Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired 

Digital accessibility issues must also be taken into account: Digital accessibility means that web pages and mobile applications as well as their content are such that they can be used and understood by everyone. (Source: Ministry of Finance: Accessibility, in Finnish only)

Accessibility at the University of Helsinki

Equality, diversity and accessibility efforts at the University 

In the early stages of event planning, consider the following: 

• What is the goal of the event and its indicators of success? 
• Decide on the event’s coordinators, overall budget and duration.
• Schedule tasks related to organising the event and assign related responsibilities.
• Book the event facilities. Is the event for an on-site audience only, or is it possible to participate over a remote connection? Are the speakers on site, or will some of them attend over a remote connection? What kind of technical solutions are available in the facilities, and what kind of AV solutions are needed for the event? Be prepared for changes on short notice. Is an alternative plan needed for the event?
• Take event safety into consideration in the planning.
• Plan the programme content for the event. 
• Arrange the speakers for the event. Who will host the event?
• Arrange any other programming. Will there be musical performances or refreshments, for example?
• Decide whether a video recording will be made of the event and whether the event will be streamed live online.

Plan the visual presentation of the event as well as related communication and marketing.  

• Decide on the name of the event, and write a brief general description. A good title and interesting summaries make a big difference, as the competition for attention is intense and the time available is limited. 
• Plan the registration procedures and the fee for the event. Is the event open to all, or is it for invited guests only?
• Plan the visual elements needed for the event, such as presentation materials, social media templates and signage templates.
• Where is the event marketed? When? Who is it for? Might the event interest the media, or can the event details be added to the event calendars of the local media?
• Plan the event’s social media presence. 
• Invitation-only events: Design the invitations and send them in good time. Send a reminder, for example, a week before the event. 

Plan the programme of the event and other details. Reach out to the event facility

• What will happen and where? Do the services meet the needs of the event? Do you need additional fee-based services, for example, for the use of AV solutions?
• Consider whether a message wall or other participatory technical solutions can be used at the event. Who moderates the message wall?
• If you are planning a public event for more than 200 people, assess whether a notification to the police is needed. 
• Plan the furnishing needs and detailed schedule for the programme. If the programme is long, remember to leave room for breaks, tests of technical solutions, etc. 
• Find out about cloakrooms for the duration of the event. Order porter services commensurate to the number of people attending. 
• Order catering. 
• Agree with the speakers on the content and implementation of the programme. Request any presentation slides in advance from the speakers (e.g., two days before the event). Take into account copyright issues associated with, for example, the images displayed or recorded music played at the event.
• Draw up a detailed schedule for the event day and programme.
• Distribute the tasks to be handled during the event:
• Who will greet the audience? In the case of large events, several people should be assigned to direct people at the event.
• Who will greet and instruct the speakers?
• Who is responsible for technical solutions? What is the responsibility of the event organiser, and how are technical AV solutions managed on site?
• Who will take photographs? Who will highlight the event on social media during the event?

Thank the participants and ask for feedback 

Send a message to the participants thanking them. Ask for feedback from both the speakers and the audience. 

Process the feedback and discuss it with the other organisers. 

Further information on Flamma (University of Helsinki)