The day combined physical activity with reflection on its role in learning, wellbeing, and community.
The Movement Break event held at Haaga-Helia on 28 April encouraged both students and staff to get moving on the Pasila campus. Throughout the day, participants engaged in a wide range of physical activities while also taking time to reflect on the importance of movement for learning and overall wellbeing.
One of the most popular highlights was the Sima Disco, where participants danced to music from genres of their own choice. International Business students who joined the disco described the concept as “a bit funny,” but at the same time very nice and effective in terms of moving.
First-year students from Vierumäki had designed a variety of activity stations for the event, drawing on requests from Helga, combined with their own ideas. Organising the event was part of a course within their physical education pedagogy studies. At one of the stations, participants played a pétanque-style game using the balls shown in the photo.
Students from Atkins, the student association for Haaga-Helia’s IT degree programme, highlighted the increasing role of movement in teaching. They noted that active breaks are already being incorporated into lessons and that similar practices have also been adopted in their own board meetings. However, they expressed a wish for more accessible and well-functioning sports clubs on campus.
In the afternoon, activities continued in the Business College sports hall. Student Karita Bonden led an exercise station featuring movements familiar from Hyrox training. The session alternated between endurance and strength exercises, offering participants an energetic and varied workout.
The event brought together a wide range of contributors, including Haaga-Helia's wellbeing services, the university chaplain, the library, the safety walk, the people and culture responsibility area, and movement agents, as well as Compass Group, Helga, Atkins, Sture, the Haaga-Helia Moves team, and the UAS Moves project.
The Movement Break is part of the development of a more physically active higher education environment and is linked to the national University on the move initiative. This work is supported by the current government programme and the Ministry of Education and Culture.
At Haaga-Helia, a shared activity etiquette was introduced in autumn 2025, and the event also served to communicate its eight guiding principles, to which we are committed.
The Movement Break event was now organised for the fourth time, in collaboration with the UAS Moves project, Haaga-Helia’s wellbeing services, and Helga. This spring, a Movement Break was also organised on the joint campus of Haaga-Helia and Laurea in Porvoo.
