Aalto University has joined the national Students on the Move programme
Aalto University joined the Students on the Move programme in November 2021. The Students on the Move programme is one of the national programmes promoting physical activity, or the On the Move programmes. The programmes promote a physically active lifestyle in different age and population groups. The strategic management of the Students on the Move programme is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Finnish National Agency for Education, and the programme is coordinated by Likes, a member of the Jamk University of Applied Sciences’ School of Health and Social Studies.
The aim of the Students on the Move programme is to increase mobility and ability to study at upper secondary level and in higher education institutions. In accordance with the principles of the programme, each educational institution develops an active operating culture in its own way. The aim is to increase coping and improve the ability to study, create stronger inclusion and a closer sense of community in the school, and thus also achieve better learning outcomes.
Planning Officer Elli Hämäläinen, from the Learning Services of the School of Business, started as the Aalto contact person in the programme, this spring.
‘Aalto took part in the programme because we want to develop an active operating culture. The well-being of the work community is an important issue that we want to invest in. One way to promote well-being is to increase physical activity and breaks, and to include them into everyone's study and work days. Our aim is to develop activities that encourage increased physical activity and reduced sitting, and thus improve overall well-being.’
Striving to further develop and increase services
Aalto already offers services for increasing activity, such as local physical activity sessions, the Break Pro break exercise application, live stream sessions, as well as ready-made break exercise videos. The offering of the Sports Services is presented to students at the low-threshold Starting Point of Wellbeing service desk, in Otakaari 1. In addition, UniSport's versatile sports centres are located in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, on six university campuses, which makes it possible to exercise flexibly during a study or work day, also outside your own campus.
‘By participating in the programme, we become part of the Students on the Move network, which provides tips and materials for increasing activity, as well as organises training and events. The programme includes annual monitoring with a survey,’ says Elli Hämäläinen.
Aalto University and UniSport work closely together to promote the Students on the Move programme. The development work involves the Learning Services, Personnel and Facility Services, as well as the Student Union AYY.
‘The work to promote physical activity is in its start-up phase, while the current situation at Aalto University is being mapped out. Cooperation has begun and planning will continue during the summer and autumn,’ says Elli.
Further information:
Elli Hämäläinen, Planning Officer, elli.hamalainen@aalto.fi
Marika Syväoja, Health Exercise Specialist, UniSport: marika.syvaoja@helsinki.fi
The Students on the Move programme (in Finnish):
https://www.liikkuvaopiskelu.fi/fi
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