Student Services Coordinator: Student Ambassadors share honest experience-based knowledge with students applying to and recently accepted to Uniarts Helsinki
The “Working at Uniarts Helsinki” series presents employees who enable the growth of students and help them become highly skilled and broadminded artists and changemakers, thanks to their work in different roles within the university.
Who are you, and what is your position at Uniarts Helsinki?
My name is Elsi Bergroth. I graduated with a Master of Music degree at Christmas in 2020. Since then, I have been working in various positions at the Sibelius Academy’s student services. In recent years, I have mainly worked on the Student Ambassador program, with student admissions and the orientation of new students.
The Student Ambassador program was part of Uniarts Helsinki’s internationalisation program in 2022–2024, and it has received continued funding until at least 2025.
How and when did you end up working at Uniarts Helsinki?
I started my music education studies at the Sibelius Academy in 2014. In my second year of study, I was able to work as an assistant in the academy’s international services in the early autumn to assist with new exchange students, and in the spring in student services to assist with music education entrance exams. I ended up working in these positions every autumn and spring throughout my studies, and eventually my work in student services became full-time.
What do Student Ambassadors actually do?
We want to provide prospective, current and recently selected students with as much up-to-date and accurate information as possible, which will help them decide about applying and accepting a possible study place. At the same time, we hope to facilitate the orientation and integration of prospective or recent students in Finland, Helsinki and Uniarts Helsinki.
International applicants who are considering studying at Uniarts Helsinki need a wide range of information about Finland and studying at Uniarts Helsinki. The best people to answer these questions are our students, from whom we select a varying number of Student Ambassadors each year. This spring, there are a total of 20. The Student Ambassadors’ task is to provide applicants with concrete and authentic information and even critical views about studying at Uniarts Helsinki before they actually start their studies. The role of the Student Ambassadors is different from that of tutors, who guide new students who have already started their studies.
Each academy at Uniarts Helsinki, the Sibelius Academy, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Theatre Academy, has its own Student Ambassador email address where applicants can send questions, and the Ambassadors answer them. We also organize live broadcasts for applicants related to entrance exams. The Ambassadors also produce a lot of social media content and podcasts. They organise campus tours and remote presentations, which help applicants to visualise student life better. In other words, the Ambassadors provide services that other university staff cannot provide.
Many students who have received help from Student Ambassadors before their studies want to become Ambassadors themselves. Both Finnish and international students can apply to become Student Ambassadors. Finding a job during their studies is often very challenging for students and especially for international students, but it is usually necessary to cover their study and living costs. Student Ambassadors are offered diverse work experience supporting various university services, depending on their situation, academy and expertise. The idea is that this will help international Ambassadors, in particular, in finding employment in Finland in the future. The help provided by Ambassadors to service personnel has been invaluable in many situations.
Listen to the Life of an art student podcast by Student Ambassadors:
Tell us about your typical workday
My workdays are often very different depending on the annual clock. For example, in August, during the orientation period, the days are full of events, hustle and bustle, and meeting people. In February, during the processing of student admissions applications, the work takes place solely on the computer screen. I do a lot of independent work, but I typically have meetings every day, either on campus or remotely. Alternating between different types of work is inspiring and gives me energy. I also work in my own field as a singing teacher and musician. It would be great if I could do diverse work throughout my career so that there is a good balance between work in my own field and administrative work.
What do you like about your job and your workplace?
I have settled in well at Uniarts Helsinki and I like my job. My supervisory work with the Student Ambassadors has been really meaningful, and my pedagogical education has helped with that. I enjoy university administration in the environment of my own field. Art and education are things that I value highly. Working with international students is close to my heart, and I also enjoy the collaboration between different academies. Working according to my own values is important to me, and I have had the opportunity to do that here.
Tell us about a recent artistic experience that has stayed with you.
As a lover of musical theatre, I have to mention Minna Craucher – Musikaali vallasta ja vallattomuudesta (Minna Craucher – A Musical About Power and Powerlessness), which ran at the Espoo Theatre throughout the autumn! I never say no to a translated classic musical, but new musicals written in Finnish are still even more inspiring. Minna Craucher is yet another good example of the fact that our country has both interesting stories to tell and talented people to bring them to life on stage.
About Uniarts Helsinki
Uniarts Helsinki is an open meeting place for the arts – an ambitious university community for bold reformers and experts in tradition. We cultivate a unique environment that helps artists grow and strengthens the power of art as a driver of change. Uniarts Helsinki is among the leading performing arts universities in the world, and it is comprised of the Academy of Fine Arts, Sibelius Academy and Theatre Academy. We have about 2,000 students and about 700 full-time equivalent employees.
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Text: Päivi Brink