Rules of Procedure of the Finnish Student Health Service
These rules of procedure were last updated 28 April 2026.
1. General
The Finnish Student Health Service acts in compliance with the current legislation, the Foundation’s By-Laws, the regulations contained in these Rules of Procedure, and any other instructions and orders given by the Board of Trustees or any party authorised by the Board. The Foundation also has Financial Regulations that govern its financial decision-making.
These shall be interpreted in the following order of precedence:
- The Foundation’s By-Laws
- The Foundation’s Rules of Procedure
- The Foundation’s Financial Regulations
- Any other instructions and orders
2. The Council and the Board of Trustees
2.1 The Council
The Council’s duties and composition are determined by the Foundation’s By-Laws.
2.2 The Board of Trustees
The composition of the Board of Trustees (hereinafter “The Board”) is determined by the Foundation’s By-Laws. The Board is responsible for managing and developing the Foundation’s activities. In accordance with the Foundations Act (487/2015) the Board is responsible for the administration of the Foundation and for ensuring that the Foundation’s activities are appropriately organised to achieve its purpose (general authority invested in the Board of Trustees). The Board is responsible for the appropriate organisation of control for the Foundation’s bookkeeping and finances.
The Board’s duties are:
- To direct and supervise the Foundation’s upper management.
- To decide on the Foundation’s strategy and to monitor its implementation.
- To approve the Foundation’s plan of operations, budget, and development and investment projects, and to supervise their implementation.
- To consider, in advance, any strategically important statements and any matters to be discussed with the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela).
- To establish internal supervision policies.
- To consider any matters that the Board’s Chair or the Managing Director propose for inclusion on the agenda.
- To annually assess its own activities and its collaboration with the Managing Group.
The Board elects the Managing Director. The Board also elects the Director of Health Services (Chief of Medicine), the CFO, the HR Director, the Chief Digital & Information Officer and the Director of Communications and Partnerships on the recommendation of the Managing Director.
The primary duty of the Board’s Chair is to manage, coordinate and develop the Board’s work so that its duties are carried out efficiently. It is the Chair’s duty to ensure that the decisions made by the Board are implemented. It is also the duty of the Chair to represent the Board in dealings with the Managing Director and the rest of the Management Team, and, in that capacity, to stay in regular contact with the Managing Director and the Management Team.
2.3 The Board’s working committee
The Board elects the working committee from among its members. The working committee is a preparatory body appointed by the Board, and its duty is to help the Board work more efficiently by preparing matters for consideration by the Board and by helping the Chair and the Foundation’s upper management with coordination. When appointing the working committee, the Board may also decide which matters are to be delegated to the committee (such as preparations for the recruitment of new upper management, pay and fringe benefits, collective bargaining). The Board may also decide on any other matters where it chooses to delegate the decision-making power to the working committee.
3. The Managing Director and management
3.1 The Managing Director
The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring that the Foundation fulfils its purpose and attends to the Foundation’s everyday administration as instructed and ordered by the Board (general authority invested in the Managing Director) The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring that the Foundation’s bookkeeping is in compliance with the law and that its financial management is reliably arranged. The Managing Director provides the Board and its members with the information required for the Board to perform its duties.
The Managing Director may only take measures that are, considering the scope and nature of the Foundation’s activities, unusual or extensive if authorised to do so by the Board if waiting for a decision by the Board would cause the Foundation’s operations considerable harm. In the latter case the Board must be informed of the measures as soon as possible.
The Board’s Chair is responsible for making sure that annual goal and appraisal discussions are held with the Managing Director. The Managing Director’s annual goals are confirmed by the Board. The Board’s Chair acts as the administrative supervisor of the Managing Director.
The Managing Director is responsible for presenting all matters for discussion at Board meetings. The Managing Director may delegate this duty to others.
The Director of Health Services acts as a deputy for the Managing Director.
3.2 Employees with Managerial Duties
The Director of Health Services (Chief of Medicine) works under the Managing Director as the director responsible for healthcare and medical care services as stipulated in the existing legislation and is responsible for the management of health service operations and finances. The Director of Health Services directs service provision, ensures that the Foundation’s services meet the requirements, and manages customer experience, quality, productivity and customer and professional processes within health services. The Director of Health Services is involved in the development of the Foundation’s activities in accordance with its strategy and is responsible for the strategic management of health services. The Director of Health Services also works together with the Social Insurance Institution (Kela) as well as other shareholders and has the ultimate responsibility for all cooperation with the authorities.
The Medical Director of Dentistry works under the Director of Health Services as the director responsible for oral health services provided by the Foundation.
The CFO works under the Managing Director and is responsible for the management of finances and procurement, for directing the reporting of operational and financial figures, for the associated processes and their development, and for premises. The CFO is involved in the development of the Foundation’s activities in accordance with its strategy and is responsible for the strategic management of finances.
The HR Director works under the Managing Director and is responsible for directing human resource management and salary management and for the associated processes and their development. The HR Director is involved in the development of the Foundation’s activities in accordance with its strategy and is responsible for the strategic management of human resources.
The Chief Digital & Information Officer works under the Managing Director and is responsible for ensuring that the staff and customers are provided with up-to-date digital solutions. The Chief Digital & Information Officer is involved in the development of the Foundation’s activities in accordance with its strategy and is responsible for the strategic management of IT architecture and data security policy.
The Director of Communications and Partnerships works under the Managing Director and is responsible for communications, brand refinement and collaboration with shareholders. The Director of Communications and Partnerships is involved in the development of the Foundation’s activities in accordance with its strategy and is responsible for the strategic management of communications strategy and collaboration with shareholders.
3.3 Other administrative staff
Other administrative staff are appointed by the Managing Director.
Other members of health services upper management are appointed by the Managing Director. Health services staff are selected according to the one-over-one principle and any instructions and orders given by the Managing Director.
The overall human resources framework is decided annually by the Board together with the budget.
3.4 The Management Team
The Management Team is appointed by the Managing Director and subject to approval by the Board.
Experts for the Management Team as well as details of how meetings are to be carried out are decided by the Managing Director.
3.5 Representatives of the employer
The Board, the Managing Director, and members of the Management Team act as representatives of the employer on behalf of the Foundation.
4. Other administrative bodies
4.1 Cooperation networks
The Foundation has Cooperation Networks to support local cooperation and interaction. Their operating area, composition and goals are decided by the Managing Director.
Each Cooperation Network’s term of office is two calendar years.
Each Cooperation Network consists of a Chair and a Vice Chair and a minimum of six other members. Members numbering no fewer than two and no more than the number of higher education institutions in the network’s operating area shall represent student unions falling under the network’s responsibility. In each Cooperation Network one member shall represent the Foundation’s staff, at least two members shall represent higher education institutions in the network’s operating area, and at least one member shall represent public healthcare providers. Each Cooperation Network shall also include a study community work employee from the Foundation who will be responsible for study community work carried out together with higher education institutions.
Each Cooperation Network appoints a Chair and a Vice Chair from among its members and invites a person to act as its secretary.
Each Cooperation Network is responsible for monitoring the Foundation’s local activities and for sharing information and practices between higher education institution communities for the promotion of student health and well-being, study community work and other related themes. Each Cooperation Network shall be notified of any service unit changes affecting the Foundation’s local activities and any other matters with substantial effects on student healthcare and higher education institution communities within the network. Each network works together with higher education institutions, student unions, student associations, public healthcare and other bodies concerned with student healthcare in its operating area.
Cooperation Network meetings have the right to put matters before the Managing Director and subsequently the Board. These matters should generally be considered within six (6) months of receipt.
Cooperation Network members have the right to introduce matters related to the Foundation’s local activities to be discussed at the network’s meetings.
Cooperation Networks also deal with any other matters put forward by the Board, the Managing Director or FSHS representatives. Cooperation Networks deal with matters as presented by FSHS representatives.
The Chair of the Cooperation Network decides if guests and other temporary participants are to be invited to individual meetings.
5. Forwarding matters for decision by the Board
With the exception of specific treatment decisions concerning healthcare provided to students, the Managing Director may choose to forward any matters for discussion by the Board.
6. Application of the Rules of Procedure
Where necessary, the Board and the Managing Director shall provide instructions for the application of these Rules of Procedure.
7. Entry into force
These Rules of Procedure were approved at a Board meeting 28 April 2026.