Organisation
The committees of the FSHS include the FSHS Council, the Board of Trustees and the Cooperation Network. The Board of Trustees is responsible for the operations of the FSHS. The person in charge of operative management is the Managing Director. The FSHS Management Team assists the Managing Director in managing operations.
Our activities are guided by the principles of good governance as well as general efficiency and financial requirements. As a foundation, our organisational model enables speedy decisions and therefore flexible adaptation to changes required by society. Unlike other private entities, a foundation does not have members, owners, shareholders or partners.
The FSHS Board of Trustees
The decision-making power and responsibility for the activities of the FSHS lie with the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is tasked with directing and developing activities and ensuring the appropriate organisation of activities and finances.
The Board of Trustees has a minimum of six and a maximum of 12 members whose mandate period is two calendar years. National Union of University Students in Finland and University of Applied Sciences Students in Finland have each the right to choose two members of the Board of Trustees. The personnel of the Finnish Student Health Services can select one member. In addition to these the delegation has the right to choose at most seven members for the board.
The Managing Director and members of senior management are appointed by the Board of Trustees. The Managing Director is responsible for the management of the FSHS as authorised by the Board of Trustees. The Managing Director also acts as a presenter of matters to the meetings of the Board of Trustees.
The FSHS Council
The Council has a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 30 members. Members of the Council are appointed for two calendar years at a time.
National Union of University Students in Finland has the right to appoint nine representatives of which seven are named from student unions which belong to the FSHS’s area of activity. University of Applied Sciences Students in Finland can also appoint nine members of which seven are appointed by the local student unions in affiliation to the universities of applied sciences. The Ministry of Education and Culture, the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the personnel of FSHS, Universities Finland UNIFI, the Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences can each name one representative to the Council.
The Council meets twice a year for its Spring and Autumn Meetings. The Spring Meeting discusses issues that include the annual report of the Board of Trustees and adopts the financial statements. The Autumn Meeting discusses about the budget and the action plan, appoints the Chair, Vice Chair, secretary and certain other members of the Council if necessary, and appoints the Chair, Vice Chair and other members of the Board of Trustees if necessary.
The FSHS Management Team
Managing Director Annika Saarikko
CFO Outi Hieta
Director of Health Services Teija Kulmala
HR Director Sanna Salonen
Director of Digital Services
Director of Communications and Partnerships
The FSHS Board of Trustees
2025-2026
2025-2026
Chair
Director Tuomo Yli-Huttula, Finanssiala ry
Vice Chair
Specialist Emmi Lehtinen, Teaching and Learning Services, University of Helsinki
Members
Public health nurse Satu Haapsaari, FSHS personnel
Social Policy Adviser, National Union of University Students in Finland – SYL
Director of Finance Armi Murto, Finnish Nurses Association
Manager Maija Niskala, Blic
Public Advocacy Specialist Turkka Sinisalo, Finnish Pension Alliance – TELA
Senior advisor in well-being policy Jere Tapio, National Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences – SAMOK
Senior advisor Taru Tujunen, Sitra
Mikko Valtonen, special adviser to the party leadership
The FSHS Council
2025–2026
2025–2026
Chair
Eveliina Heinäluoma
Vice Chair
Kim Kujala, National Union of University Students in Finland
Members
Piia Aarnisalo, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare – THL
Marko Grönlund, Turku University of Applied Sciences Student Union – TUO
Sonja Huhtiranta, LAB University of Applied Sciences Student Union – KOE
Jesse Häyhä, National Union of University Students in Finland – SYL
Anne-Mari Ikonen, Rectors’ Council of Finnish Universities – UNIFI
Karri Kekkonen, Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä – JYY
Tiia Kettunen, Student Union of LUT University – LTKY
Lauri Kujala, National Union of Students in Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences – SAMOK
Taru Kyllönen, Oulu University of Applied Sciences Student Union – OSAKO
Marita Mantila, FSHS Staff – YHES
Päivi Marjanen, Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences – Arene
Rico Martikainen, Student Union of Haaga-Helia – HELGA
Heini Naukkarinen, Student Union of the University of Lapland – LYY
Lina Olenius, Student Union of Novia University of Applies Sciences – Novium
Iiris Ripatti, Student Union of JAMK University of Applied Sciences – JAMKO
Ville Ritola, Student Union of the University of Turku – TYY
Emma Soini, Student Union of Åbo Akademi University, Gemensamma Vasa (GV)
Katri Tervaspalo, Ministry of Education and Culture
Susanna Turunen, Student Union of Karelia University of Applies Sciences – POKA
Aino Uitamo, Student Union of University of Oulu – OYY
Teemu Virtanen, Student Union of the University of Helsinki – HYY