Oulu invites students to hunt treasure – experiences and communality for university students
Oulu wants to reinforce itself as an attractive student city and a home for future experts. One example of this is the coming Oulu Unlocked Treasure Hunt for university students on December 1–4.
The Opiskelijan Oulu working group brings together the city of Oulu, university institutions, and representatives of student organizations to develop Oulu to be more attractive for students. The goal of the working group is to improve everyday life, communality, and employment opportunities for students, as well as reinforce Oulu’s attractiveness as a student municipality.
Oulu Unlocked Treasure Hunt is an accessible and feel-good event. It is organized to celebrate the end of the semester and is meant for university students. At the event, students search for immaterial treasures all around the city centre, guided by hints.
Immaterial treasures to be shared
All treasures are designed to be shared with a friend. The core of the treasure hunt is shared moments and immateriality instead of unnecessary stuff and performance.
Treasures are provided by Oulu’s cultural institutions, such as Oulu Symphony, Oulu Art Museum, and Oulu Theatre. The first prize is tickets to the New Year’s Celebration: Oulu2026 Show in the Oulu Hall on December 31, 2025.
“Oulu is the European Capital of Culture in 2026, and we want to bring the coming cultural experiences into the everyday lives of students”, Marketing Specialist Saija Tarkki, who coordinates the Opiskelijan Oulu working group, explains.
Tarkki believes that it is important to include students in Oulu’s street scene. For example, university student events are an important part of the European Capital of Culture’s urban scenery.
“We hope that more students familiarize themselves with Oulu’s services and operators via our events. However, the main point is to delight students and improve Oulu’s image as a good student city.”
Cooperation to improve Oulu's attraction and retention
Oulu is one of Finland’s most significant student cities – there are approximately 35 000 upper secondary and university students in the city. The comfort of students is essential since it affects the city’s attraction and retention significantly.
The Opiskelijan Oulu working group was founded to improve positive experiences of Oulu. Its long-term goal is to improve the employment opportunities of students in Oulu by offering more internships and summer jobs, by supporting employment, and by improving the integration of international students into working life in Oulu.
On top of Saija Tarkki, the operations of the Opiskelijan Oulu working group are coordinated by International Recruitment Specialist Jannika Leinonen. The core group includes representatives from the University of Oulu, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, OSAO, DIAK, OYY, and OSAKO, as well as city specialists. Representatives of Vocational College Luovi and OPAO have also been invited into the working group.