At Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU) in Turku, we recently experienced firsthand what happens when students challenge what they perceive as racism in their institutions: initial praise, followed by silence.
From Course Project to Campaign
As part of our course Race, Racism and Antiracism, we were encouraged to create an antiracist campaign instead of the usual academic essay. At first, we thought about launching a social media campaign. But the more we studied systemic racism, the clearer it became that symbolic gestures wouldn’t be enough. If racism is rooted in structures, then our campaign should address a policy that reproduces exclusion.
That’s when we turned our attention to ÅAU’s admission language requirements. One of our lecturers had raised the issue, pointing out that such policies could be considered racist. We agreed it was a meaningful focus: a concrete example of how universities may unconsciously replicate colonial and exclusionary practices.
Writing the Open Letter
We decided to write an open letter to ÅAU’s admissions office and heads of international master’s programs, carefully explaining why these requirements should be reconsidered. Each of us researched a different angle:
- Decolonial debates in academia (Niki)
- Language proficiency exams and their biases (Louie)
- The institutions profiting from these exams (Vera)
- Comparisons with universities in English-speaking countries (Emilia)
Together, we built a strong case that admissions policies, as currently designed, disadvantage students from certain backgrounds and reinforce global inequalities.
The Waiting Game
At first, the response was encouraging. We received positive feedback and assurances that our concerns would be discussed by decision-making bodies. But months passed—six of them—without any official reply.
This silence revealed a deeper issue: universities lack clear mechanisms to address student-led critiques of institutional racism. Even as students of ÅAU, we found ourselves treated as “outsiders,” with no real power to move the process forward.
The Status Quo Wins—For Now
When we first received recognition for raising the issue, we felt hopeful that change might follow. Over time, hope gave way to frustration. Our letter seemed in danger of being quietly shelved. The absence of an official response reflected what we call a “non-racist” stance: not openly racist, but not actively anti-racist either. In other words, business as usual.
One open letter, we realized, is not enough to shake institutional foundations.
Speaking Out Beyond ÅAU
To make sure our work wouldn’t disappear unnoticed, we shared the letter more widely. It was published on ÅAU’s intranet and presented during the Social Exclusion students’ seminar in May 2021. There, we received a warm reception: some attendees hadn’t considered the racialized nature of language requirements, while others felt our research gave them stronger arguments to challenge the same issue at their own universities.
A Call to Action
Although our campaign focused on ÅAU, the problem is not unique to one institution. Admissions language requirements—and many other university policies—are part of broader systems that reproduce inequality.
Our experience shows that challenging these structures is exhausting, slow, and often met with silence. But it also shows that raising concerns sparks awareness, conversations, and potential ripple effects elsewhere.
We hope our open letter inspires students at other universities to take similar action. Question policies. Write letters. Demand transparency. Push your institutions to move from non-racism to genuine antiracism.
Change may be slow, but it starts with speaking up.
