This year’s freshers are full of energy and passion and have been invigorating others across the Faculty of Social Sciences. Approximately evenly split between the three GPC tracks, Global Political Economy (GPE), Media and Democracy (MD), and Governance, Organizations and Communications (GOC), the GPC programme welcomes (29) new students.The first-years predominated the GPC fall reception, and CISSI (the Organization for International Social Scientists) has seen record turnouts from the faculty’s freshers! After an exciting orientation week full of introductions, tours, and parties, the new students are starting to settle into their academic routines and Helsinki lives.
Jarna, a Finnish student in the GOC track, says: “I was very excited to start my master's at the University of Helsinki and so far I'm enjoying it a lot! The city centre campus has an amazing location and even though it consists of multiple buildings, it feels like one entity and it's easy enough to navigate.”
Teo, an Italian-Cambodian student studying GPE, commented on the city: “I’ve had the privilege of living in some gorgeous places but commuting across Helsinki city centre every day genuinely takes my breath away. Tucked behind the cathedral and Senate Square, you develop a sense of pride attending a university that looks and feels so unique.”
This cohort of new students is mostly international, hailing from several countries around Europe, as well as the United States, Honduras, China, Bangladesh, India, and more. Additionally, this year’s bunch includes several Finns who have lived abroad, and quite a few multinationals. This melange of cultures makes for a more nuanced understanding of one another and the world around us, and more fruitful discussions about core themes in Global Politics and Communication.
From the student protests and government coup in Bangladesh, the striking Labor win in the UK, civil unrest in Honduras, and the upcoming US election, many GPC student conversations during meetups have been politically focused. The range of nationalities, cultures, and previous studies allow for peer-to-peer education, sharing differing opinions, and intersectional problem-solving. There’s been talk of the programme having an overly-European take on political subjects. Improvements are being made, both with the university’s emphasis on decolonizing knowledge and the programme’s commitment to diversity. This ensures that students can learn from one another and contribute to, as one student put it, ‘unfamiliar lenses’.
About the programme and her track, Jarna comments: “I choose GPC, and my study track GOC, for its focus on global governance and the flexibility to steer that focus further towards my interests through elective courses. I like that the programme includes topics from economy and communications too, as the combination of perspectives is what makes this programme special and pushes me outside of my comfort zone.”
When asked what her favorite course has been so far, Sandra, Finnish, studying MD, responded: “My favorite class so far would probably be Media and Communication Ethics, because it is something I have never studied before in any capacity and I find it extremely interesting. The course is also well organized and the assessments, so far, have been engaging and fun. I would highly recommend it to others!”
Sandra also spoke about the HYY-organized Fresher Adventure as a great introductory activity to the university community, campus, and city: “My favorite student event so far has to be the Freshers Adventure! Since I did my bachelor's abroad, this is my first year as a student in a Finnish university, and so I feel it's important for me to fully throw myself into the fresher role. The Freshers Adventure was a great way to bond with my new friends in the GPC, while doing fun activities around campus. Also, it was a good way to see more of the campus outside of where I have my classes.”
Teo elaborated on the feelings of the first-year students and their new-found friendships: “Developing a community within the GPC programme has felt effortless! From the first evening, we were chatting away like we’ve known each other for years. The hands-on engagement from the tutors and faculty definitely played a role in fast-tracking our transition and socializing.”
Our new students are friendly, active, positive, and undoubtedly ready for a great academic journey in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki!