Attendance becomes a prerequisite for course assessment – more life on campuses

Haaga-Helia increases attendance and life on campuses by making attendance and activity prerequisites for students to receive an assessment from a course. The aim is to support student group building, increase well-being, and improve study competencies and work-life skills.

Starting from autumn semester 2024, a student must be present at least 75 percent of the lessons in all contact, online, and blended implementations, and they have to participate actively. An absence of more than 50 % leads to disqualification.

– Our teachers, guidance counsellors, and study advisors have great concern about students' well-being, attachment to studies, and coping with them. We see presence as a solution to these issues, explains Haaga-Helia's Vice President responsible for learning and guidance Minna Hiillos.

Higher education students are responsible for their studies – common rules promote equal treatment of students

A student shows activity, for example, in class discussions, group work and other assigned tasks. Teachers determine what kind of activity is required in each course implementation.

– Working life skills develop through activity and its assessment – you need to be active and be able to argue in working life too, Minna Hiillos says.

Common rules promote equal treatment of students.

– We want the rules on attendance to be clear and the same for everyone. On the other hand, higher education students are responsible for their studies. In case of absence, you have to find out about things yourself, and the teacher is not obliged to tailor substitute tasks to absentees, Hiillos says.

More presence on campuses was requested by many parties

The need to increase face-to-face attendance has emerged from teachers, students and Haaga-Helia's student well-being team. Students' loneliness, mental health problems and deteriorating well-being are visible in courses, student psychologists' and coaches' appointments, and research results.

Especially for first-year students, more contact implementations will be offered in the future.

– Many teachers have noticed that some first-year students have shortcomings in their study readiness and skills. Online implementations that require a lot of self-management are often overwhelming, competence does not develop as desired, and progress in studies becomes difficult, Minna Hiillos says.

The attendance policy has been discussed with the Haaga-Helia student union Helga and at the JOOP meeting of management and students.

– I believe that coming to campus to meet people increases the well-being of all of us. With this policy, we want to encourage students to get to know each other, learn and progress in their studies, Minna Hiillos says.  

Questions and answers

Does the change also apply to Master's students?

The attendance requirement of 75% applies to all contact, online, and blended implementations, including Master's studies.

What if I fall ill or have another good reason for absence?

Sickness and other acceptable reasons for being absent must be included in the absence percentage. If you know in advance that you will be absent, plan your studies accordingly. In case of problems, you can always contact your course teacher.

Independent studying suits me. Why do I need to come to campus?

Different implementation types will be available in the future, too. However, working with people and being active are workplace skills that need to be developed.

Do you have any questions? Ask about attendance rules!