Guidelines for dealing with inappropriate behaviour and harassment in study settings
Taking care of the wellbeing of staff and students, as well as maintaining a safe and equal learning environment, are central goals at Metropolia. Metropolia does not accept any form of harassment or inappropriate treatment.
In these guidelines, the term “harassment” is used as an umbrella term for both harassment and inappropriate conduct.
Everyone in the UAS community is responsible for the atmosphere and wellbeing of the study and work environment. Every member of the UAS community should show through their attitudes and actions that no form of harassment is tolerated.
Disagreements and misunderstandings sometimes occur in study and work environments. Often, conflicts arise from communication failures or careless interactions. The root cause is frequently a misunderstanding or rushed or thoughtless communication.
Members of the UAS community must be able to work and communicate in a civil manner about matters relating to study and work with everyone – regardless of emotions, personal relationships, values or opinions.
Harassment situations vary, so these guidelines do not provide detailed instructions for every scenario. These guidelines are flexible, considering each specific situation and the legal protection of all parties involved. Both the person experiencing harassment and the person accused of harassment have the right to bring a support person at every step of the process.
Metropolia’s jurisdiction with regard to harassment is limited to situations related to studies, the performance of studies and activities within the study or work environments. To ensure a well-functioning and thriving study and work environment for everyone in the UAS community, it is crucial to intervene in all cases of harassment at the earliest stage possible.
Metropolia cannot intervene in harassment occurring during students’ free time, including at events organised by the student union or the student associations. These events typically have anti-harassment contact persons, who are students trained to handle cases of harassment and whom those who experience harassment should contact.
METKA’s anti-harassment contact persons provide support, help and advice to students who have experienced harassment or who wish to talk about inappropriate behaviour towards themselves or others that occurred at events or functions organised by METKA or involved a person representing METKA. You can contact any of METKA’s anti-harassment contact persons.
You may also contact METKA if you feel you have experienced harassment from Metropolia staff.
In urgent threatening situations occurring in Metropolia’s common areas, you should contact the campus lobby staff. If you believe you have been a victim of a crime, contact the police.
Regulations concerning safety and order are also found in the Degree Regulations. See section 8: Additional information.
These guidelines do not apply to cases processed as disciplinary matters in accordance with Metropolia’s guidelines concerning the rectification of study performance, disciplinary matters and the Board of Examiners. See section 8: Additional information.
These guidelines were approved by the DEI Steering Group on 8 December 2025. The Student Wellbeing Services are responsible for updating them.
Harassment includes actions or speech that may violate a person’s dignity or safety. Examples include name‑calling, threats, exclusion, unfounded criticism, mocking, bullying, sexual harassment, discrimination and other offensive actions or words. Anyone – students, teachers, colleagues or supervisors – can be a target of harassment. Anyone can be the target of harassment or the person committing harassment. The experience of harassment or inappropriate behaviour is subjective.
Harassment does not include disagreements arising from decisions or interpretations concerning studies, addressing study‑related problems in the study or work community, justified intervention in inappropriate behaviour or justified disciplinary measures under the Universities of Applied Sciences Act (e.g. issuing a warning).
- Bring up the matter directly with the person whose behaviour you experienced as harassment as soon as possible, and aim to resolve the situation. Tell them that you do not accept their behaviour and ask them to stop. You may turn to a support person if needed.
- Keep a record of events and save any messages or emails related to the matter.
- If the harassment took place in a study environment, you may contact the director of the school in charge of your degree programme. With regard to METKA’s services, see section 1. Introduction. You can discuss what happened with them and agree on how the case will be handled and on the next steps.
- If you want the case to be investigated, either the director of the school or METKA (depending on the case) will coordinate the necessary actions with the various parties in order to resolve the situation. Please note that Metropolia may be obliged to investigate the case and take further measures even if the victim in the case does not request this (e.g. in cases where the staff are involved).
- You should also note that, in general, anonymity cannot be maintained towards the person accused of harassment, and that this person also has the right to initiate an investigation.
- You can also discuss your feelings or thoughts arising from the situation with the Student Wellbeing Services, the student health care services or a university chaplain.
- If you experience harassment while in practical training, you should contact Metropolia’s placement coordinator. The placement coordinator will present the case to the director of the school. If you are employed by your place of practical training, you should also contact the workplace’s HR services.
- It may come as a surprise to hear that your behaviour has been perceived as harassment, and such situations can raise all kinds of emotions. However, Metropolia may still be obliged to investigate any such accusations. It is also important to deal with the issue so that no one is accused falsely.
- If a fellow student approaches you to say your behaviour feels like harassment, or if someone investigating the matter asks you to discuss a situation where your behaviour has been perceived as harassment, try to stay calm and polite.
- Even if you did not intend to harass, do not dismiss the other person’s feelings. Stop the behaviour that was experienced as disturbing immediately.
- Listen to what the person who experienced your behaviour as harassment or the person investigating the matter has to say, and consider your actions from the perspective of the person who says they were harassed. Share your own view of the situation.
- If possible, discuss together how the situation could be resolved and what a good outcome might look like. Be prepared to apologise.
- If you have been told that your behaviour is perceived as harassment, you can contact the director of the school or METKA (with regard to METKA’s services, see section 1. Introduction). You can discuss what happened with them and, if necessary, agree on how the case will be handled and on the next steps.
- You can also discuss your feelings or thoughts arising from the situation with the Student Wellbeing Services, the student health care services or a university chaplain.
- If Metropolia receives information about a student’s potentially disruptive behaviour during practical training, the director of the school will call a meeting with the student and the placement coordinator. The procedure outlined in section 5, as applicable, will be used in the discussion.
- The investigation process of alleged harassment can be initiated by the person who feels they have been harassed or by the person who has been accused of harassment. A third party may also preliminarily initiate an investigation after observing or becoming aware of a potential case of harassment.
- Please note that an investigation typically requires revealing the identities of all parties involved.
- The investigation process begins when a request is submitted to the director of the school in charge of your degree programme or to METKA (with regard to METKA’s services, see section 1. Introduction). If necessary, METKA will refer the case to the director of the school for further investigation.
- The director of the school arranges a discussion with all parties involved in the harassment case, either together or separately.
- The director of the school will request written comments from the parties before the discussion, if this is necessary due to the nature of the case.
- The parties will have time to prepare for the discussion.
- The parties may bring a support person with them.
- The goal of the discussion is to understand what happened and to restore a peaceful study and work environment.
- The director of the school will write a memorandum on the outcome of the discussion and provide it to the relevant parties using their discretion. Usually the memorandum will be provided at least to the parties who were at the discussion.
- If necessary, several rounds of discussions can be held.
- If the parties at the discussion mutually come to the conclusion that no harassment took place, then the case is closed.
- However, if the conclusion is that harassment did occur, the matter will be resolved in the discussion and possible further steps will be agreed on.
- If there is disagreement on whether harassment occurred, the director of the school will assess the case and will provide their view on the case and further measures to the parties at the discussion.
- If harassment is confirmed, a follow‑up meeting will be scheduled within a maximum of three months to ensure that the situation has been resolved and a peaceful study and work environment has been restored. The follow-up meeting can be held at the participants’ request or at the discretion of the director of the school in the other outcomes as well.
- If a student feels that the behaviour of a Metropolia staff member amounts to harassment and wants the matter to be investigated, the student or METKA (with regard to METKA’s services, see section 1. Introduction) must contact the director of the school. A discussion will be held between the parties using the procedure outlined in section 5, as applicable. Please note that Metropolia has a duty to investigate accusations of harassment against its staff.
- If a Metropolia staff member feels that the behaviour of a student amounts to harassment and wants the matter to be investigated, they must raise the case in accordance with the separate guidelines for the staff. A discussion will be held between the parties using the procedure outlined in section 5, as applicable.
- Note. Cases concerning the rectification of study performance as well as matters covered by the guidelines concerning the Board of Examiners must be treated separately from harassment cases.