Satisfaction with the Studies Service increased in 2024 – thanks for your feedback!

930 students responded to the 2024 user survey of the Studies Service (studies.helsinki.fi). Satisfaction with the service increased slightly from the previous year: respondents gave the service a score of 3.73/5, compared to 3.34/5 the previous year.

The service was praised for providing comprehensive, up-to-date information. At the same time, the sheer volume of information was seen by many as a challenge: it is sometimes difficult to find the information you are looking for.

The usability of the service also divided opinions: respondents were fairly evenly split between finding the service clear and easy to use and finding it confusing and difficult to navigate. The use of the instructions for studying was hampered by excessive linking, circular links and the occasional fragmentation of information.

The thoroughness of the course search was appreciated, and the search was considered easier to use than Sisu. On the other hand, many found the course information incomplete and felt that it was difficult to find up-to-date information.

Responses highlighted the usefulness of the Studies Service as a gateway to other services: it brings together the instructions, services and tools needed during studies under a single address that is easy to find. On the other hand, some respondents did not perceive the Studies Service as a single service or recognise its role alongside, for example, Sisu.

During 2025, the service will undergo a series of reforms aimed at addressing the main challenges. The course search function will be improved, and the degree programme course search will be combined to the general course search to replace to current, separate search function. The transfer of information between Sisu and the course pages will also be improved.

Less important and overlapping information will be reduced from the instructions to make it easier to find the most important things. Work is also underway on new, user group-specific landing pages for the instructions – the aim is to make it easier to find and browse the instructions and current news for specific student groups. Circular links will be tackled by offering more training for updaters and a review of the most popular content.

In 2024, contents in the Studies Service were viewed 11.5 million times. The most viewed content were the instructions for studying and course pages.

Photo: Anniina Sjöblom (University of Helsinki)