After the COVID-19 era, Lapland University of Applied Sciences offers less contact teaching. Additionally,  a substantial portion of daytime teaching remains remote, integrated with multi-mode student groups, leading to concerns about a potential decline in educational quality. The absence of in-person instruction in certain courses has impacted student motivation and academic progress, with instances of students discontinuing their studies due to the lack of contact teaching.

Face-to-face teaching plays a pivotal role in fostering interaction, peer collaboration, critical inquiry, and the cultivation of social competencies crucial for students' holistic development and well-being. While digital tools like remote teaching and online resources are valuable educational aids, they cannot fully replicate the nuanced teacher-student and peer interactions inherent in traditional teaching settings. Contact teaching is fundamental for fostering teamwork, nurturing a sense of community among students, and enhancing learning efficacy. Students facing learning barriers like dyslexia may find purely digital learning environments particularly challenging, underscoring the importance of in-person instruction, especially for those who opted for day studies with the expectation of significant contact-based learning experiences.

In addition to students enrolled in day studies, multi-mode students also value face-to-face engagement. Nevertheless, some study programs have witnessed a reduction in contact days, limiting students' networking opportunities and familiarity with the study location. This trend presents a challenge to the educational objective of producing a skilled regional workforce.

The undersigned stakeholders urge proactive attention to this issue, emphasizing the need for corrective actions to ensure that the commitments made to students during the application process are upheld at Lapland University of Applied Sciences. A formal response to this petition is requested, outlining the university's intended interventions to address the situation.

For contact regarding the signatories of the petition, Lapland University of Applied Sciences Student Union ROTKO's Board Chairperson Laura Horsma and Representative Council Chairperson Samu Heinonen serve as points of contact.