Students must have the right to self-determination of their calling name and gender in student information systems

5.10.2026

Students belonging to gender minorities do not have an equal right to have the gender marker in study information systems, that corresponds to their actual gender identity. In most cases, it is also not possible to set a self-chosen calling name in the systems. Efforts to influence this issue have been made before, and now we want to gather as broad a coalition as possible, to express to the decision-makers, that the matter is urgent and needs to be actively addressed and developed.

Nyyti ry, the students' organization for mental health, has made a petition aimed at establishing a gender code set in databases, that includes four categories; restricting access rights for viewing gender markers and the ability for individuals to self-determine both their gender marker and their calling name. According to talks with system developers and others responsible, these demands are realistic and achievable in practice. The petition was signed by 186 student organizations. It will be handed over as a joint declaration from the student movement in a discussion event on Monday, October 5, 2026 at 8.30 am, as part of our advocacy work in this issue.

Petition : Students must have the right to self-determination of their calling name and gender in student information systems

The personal data of all students in Finnish higher education institutions is registered in Student Information Systems, in which data is stored and used for course registrations, statistics and academic records, among other purposes. Many higher education institutions retrieve the data from the Population Information System of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, in which case students' legal information is used in the Student Information Systems. The legal name and gender entered in the system do not necessarily correspond with how the student defines themselves and wants to be met in everyday life. This exposes students belonging to gender minorities in particular to situations where they are called by a false name or misgendered in interactions or in official documents. Not all LGBTQIA+ students have the opportunity to correct their legal information, for financial reasons for example. Because the legislation does not yet recognise a third legal gender, non - binary and gender non - conforming people remain completely invisible in the Population Information System.

Students must have the right to determine, correct and define the information used of themselves in the St udent Information Systems. The issue of the right to self - determination applies to both the calling name and gender. Based on the discussions QueerMieli project has had with the system developers, it is technically entirely possible to find solutions that respect the right to self - determination. Education providers have an obligation to promote equality and non - discrimination defined in the Equality and Non-Discrimination Acts, and this also includes the rights and status of gender and sexual minorities in education.

The gender codification should be expanded so that 4 different codes are identified in the systems: female, male, other and unknown. Higher education institutions should collect the data from students themselves, enabling the use of these four different codes. The collected data from the data resource will be transferred to the reporting of the Ministry of Education and Culture, for example, so that the statistical data will provide information on the gender distribution of students that corresponds to reality. It is also necessary to critically examine which staff members of the higher education institution have a justified need to view gender data in the student's own data, and to obscure the visibility of gender data to users of the system who do not have a clear reason to see it.

Students must have the opportunity to define their own preferred name in the student information systems, which must also be possible to be something else than the official given name s. According to the representatives of Peppi and Sisu, coding a separate preferred name in the systems and making it available for the student to enter themselves is not at all technically impossible. The right to self - determination must also be taken into account regarding emails and other user IDs used by the student.

As hate speech and hate acts against minorities have become more common, it is particularly important to strengthen protective structures that promote equality. The effects of minority stress on the lives of LGBT QIA+ students are significant, and they also cause societal costs. The effects of minority stress can be seen, for example, in interrupted or prolonged studies and various physical and mental symptoms.

We want students' right to self - determination to be respected not only in everyday encounters but also in structures. Developing Student Information Systems in a direction that is more respectful of the right to self-determination promotes students' ability to study, their mental health and the fluency of their studies.

Student organizations that have signed the petition:

Aalto Business Law
Aalto CHAIR
Aalto Debating Society
Aalto-yliopiston kauppatieteiden ylioppilaat ry
Aalto-yliopiston ylioppilaskunta
Aatos ry
Abakus ry
Affekti ry
Akateeminen Olutseura ry
Anglica ry
Artikla ry
ASK - Arcada Studerandekår
Automaatiotekniikan kilta ry
Biosfääri ry
Bioteekkarikilta Bioner ry
Blanko ry
Boomi ry
Bratislawa Youghurt / Ota-Karjut ry
Britannica rf
Bunsen ry
CoMedia ry
Concordia Jyväskylä ry
Crust ry
DADA ry
Datateknologerna vid Åbo Akademi rf
Dilemma ry
Elokuvakerho Montaasi ry
Eläinlääketieteen kandidaattiyhdistys EKY ry
Emile ry
ESN Aalto
Eszett vid Åbo Akademi
Fibula ry
Fobia ry/ Turun Yliopiston psykologian opiskelijoiden ainejärjestö
Fyysikkokilta ry
GAYY ry
Graafisen ainejärjestö ry
Haaga-Helian opiskelijakunta Helga
Helsingin Tekniikan Opiskelijat – HTO ry
Helsingin yliopiston ylioppilaskunta
Humanisticum ry
Humanistisen ammattikorkeakoulun opiskelijakunta HUMAKO
Humanitas ry
Hämeen Pinkit HÄPI ry
Informaatioverkostojen kilta Athene ry
International Teekkari Guild INTO Tampere ry
Interventio ry
ISPA
ISYY
JASTO ry
Judith vid Åbo Akademi rf
Jus Cogens rf vid Åbo Akademi
Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulun opiskelijakunta JAMKO
Jyväskylän yliopiston ylioppilaskunta
Kaakkois-Suomen ammattikorkeakoulun Mikkelin kampuksen yhteisöpedagogi sekä sosiaali- ja terveysalojen opiskelijoiden yhdistys (Sokka ry)
Kammio ry
Kannunvalajat ry
Klaffi ry
Koneenrakennuskilta ry
Konstruktio ry
Kontakti ry
Kooma ry
Kritiikki ry
Kronos ry
Kulturisten rf
Kulturproducentstudenter r.f.
KuoTra ry
LAB-ammattikorkeakoulun Opiskelijakunta KOE
Lapin ammattikorkeakoulun opiskelijakunta ROTKO
Lapin yliopiston taideaineiden opiskelijat TAO ry
Laurea tietojenkäsittelyopiskelijat Jenkins Ry
Laurean restonomiopiskelijayhdistys Lare ry
Limes ry
LUT-yliopiston ylioppilaskunta LTKY
Luuppi ry
Lööppi ry
Maanmittarikilta ry
Maantieteen opiskelijat ry
MAIK ry
Mañana ry
Matematiikan opiskelijaryhmä Matrix ry
Materiaali-insinöörikilta ry
Materiaalitekniikan kilta Adamas ry
Matlu ry
Mentor ry
Mephisto ry
Mesta ry
Metropolian sukupuoli- ja seksuaalivähemmistöjen opiskelijayhdistys Queerpolia ry
Mingbai ry
MIO - Lahden Muotoiluinstituutin opiskelijayhdistys ry
Moodi ry
Museion ry
Myllypuron rakennusalan opiskelijat MYRO ry
NEFA-Helsinki Ry
Nefa-Joensuu ry
Nefa-Jyväskylä ry
Nuoret Designerit Ry
O'Diako
Oidipus ry
Ooka ry
Opossumi ry
Osakuntien yhteisvaltuuskunta ry - Nationernas samdelegation rf
Oulun Arkkitehtikilta ry
Oulun yliopiston ylioppilaskunta
Palladion ry
Pedaali ry
Peduca ry
Poikkeus ry
Porin Insinööriopiskelijat PIO ry
Praxis ry
Probba ry
Prodeko
Prosessiteekkarit ry
Puolue ry
Pörssi ry
Qaareva ry
Qirjava ry
Qviikki - Viikin kampuksen sateenkaariopiskelijat ry
Rakennusinsnöörikilta ry
Rampaopiskelijat ry
Rauman Insinööriopiskelijat RaunIO ry
Reettorit ry
Resonanssi ry
Riihimäen Insinööriopiskelijat, RINO ry
Robotiikan kilta ry
Rupla ry.
Räikee Ry
Saga rf
Sane ry
Sekava ry
Serveri ry
SISTA ry
Sointi ry
Sosiaalitieteiden Klubi ry
Spektri ry
Status ry
Stimulus ry
StuBi rf
StudentOrganisationen vid Svenska social- och kommunalhögskolan vid Helsingfors universitet rf (StudOrg)
Sugri ry
Suomen opiskelijakuntien liitto SAMOK ry
Suomen ylioppilaskuntien liitto
Svenska Klubben ry
Svenska Naturvetarklubben rf.
Symbioosi ry
Syrinx ry
Sähkökilta ry
Tahkon Talli ry
Taideyliopiston ylioppilaskunta (TaiYo)
Taloustieteen Klubi ry
TamAus ry
Tampere Science and Engineering Students’ association ry (TaSciEn ry)
Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulun opiskelijakunta Tamko
Tampereen Arkkitehtikilta
Tampereen psykologian opiskelijoiden ainejärjestö Cortex ry
Tampereen Teekkarit ry
Tampereen TietoTeekkarikilta ry
Tampereen yliopiston sosiaalityön opiskelijat SOS ry
Tampereen ylioppilaskunta
Taotao CEAS Student Club ry
TARAKI
Teekkarien autokerho ry
Teema ry
Teknisluonnontieteellinen kilta Hiukkanen ry
Teknologföreningen
Tietojohtajakilta Man@ger Ry
Tietokilta ry
TOKYO ry - Aalto-yliopiston taiteiden ja suunnittelun ylioppilaat
Tombolo ry
Tosine ry
Tuotantotalouden kilta Efficio ry
Tuotantotalouden kilta Indecs ry
Tuotantotalouden kilta Prodeko ry
Turun Lääketieteenkandidaattiseura ry
Turun sosiaali- ja terveysalan opiskelijat - TSTS ry
Turun yliopiston ylioppilaskunta (TYY)
Täky ry
UDKry
Urbanum ry
Vaasan yliopiston ylioppilaskunta
Vare ry
Varkaat ry
Vastakarva, Helsingin yliopiston sukupuolentutkijat ry
Vostok ry
Vuorimieskilta ry
Yhteiskunta- ja terveystieteiden ylioppilaat ry
Ympäristöteekkarikilta ry
Ämnesföreningen Katharsis r.f.
Ämnesföreningen Prosa vid Åbo Akademi
Östra Finlands Nation vid Åbo Akademi

Anders Huldén
Project Manager, QueerMieli-project
tel. +358 50 370 2601
anders.hulden@nyyti.fi

Sanni Laurila
Specialist, QueerMieli-project
tel. +358 50 360 1876
sanni.laurila@nyyti.fi

Sanni Lehtinen
Senior Specialist
tel. +358 50 379 5436
sanni.lehtinen@nyyti.fi