UEF Digital Services is a specialist organization responsible for the ICT and learning technology services. Digital Services employs more than 50 IT specialists, and it belongs to the University Services.
The super-fast UEF campus network and the national FUNET network provide a strong basis for excellent services.
UEF Account
A personal UEF username is needed to login to the information systems of the university. The username and account rights are based on the study right and/or the contract recorded in the personnel information system. The password for the username is valid for 13 months. Please note the password requirements as you are changing your password.
You can activate the username only once to the UEF environment. If your username exists, the new access rights are directed to the existing username.
NB! Do not activate a second username! If you cannot remember your username, you can login to password change with Suomi.fi identification, or contact the Digital Services.
Staff email address is formatted as forename.surname@uef.fi and student email address is formatted as username@student.uef.fi. Note that to login to the M365 environment (e.g. email and Heimo services) you have to login as username@uef.fi.
Staff account
If you have or have had a UEF username (staff, student, open university student, externally applied rights), you can change your password the same day your new employment contract begins. The username can be checked during the password change in My account – Username.
Our M365 environment requires Multi-Factor Authentication, that has to be deployed as the username is ready to use. Check more detailed instructions on the Multi-Factor Authentication.
A new username can be activated the next day the contract is recorded in the personnel information system or 14 days ahead of the employment contract start.
The access rights require that the contract is recorded in the personnel information system.
Activating the username
You can activate your account here with Suomi.fi identification: https://iam-app.uef.fi/activate/
If Suomi.fi identification is not available, visit our service desks with an official ID or passport, or contact us through our service contacts.
During the activation:
- You accept the Terms of IT Service Use.
- You check your personal information and choose your preferred name.
- Choose your username.
- Create a password (check the password requirements).
- You will have a staff email address according to your preferred name and last name.
- Check the information and accept the username activation.
The username can be used in an hour after activation and the email is available in four hours if the employment contract is already valid. Otherwise the account has been activated but it cannot be used before the employment contract begins.
Our M365 environment has deployed Multi-Factor Authentication, that has to be deployed first time you login. Check more detailed instructions on the Multi-Factor Authentication.
The access rights will be added to the username the day the contract begins. Full access rights require a strong identification. To be identified strongly, the username has to be activated using Suomi.fi identification. If Suomi.fi identification is not available, visit our service desks with an official ID or passport, or contact us through our service contacts.
The extent of access rights depends on the contract recorded in Mepco. More information in Heimo (login required).
The access rights end the same day the employment contract ends. However, staff email can be accessed for one week.
Student account
The study rights of degree students begin usually on 1.8. or 1.1. as the new semester begins. Study rights can begin on other times in case you are not a degree student, check the study right validity from the registration information.
If you have or have had a UEF username (staff, student, open university student, externally applied rights), you can change your password the same day your new study right begins if you have registered accordingly as a student. If you register as a student after the study right has begun, you will have to wait for the next day before changing your password.
The username can be checked during the password change in My account - Username.
Our M365 environment requires Multi-Factor Authentication, that has to be deployed as the username is ready to use. Check more detailed instructions on the Multi-Factor Authentication.
The study rights of degree students begin usually on 1.8. or 1.1. as the new semester begins. Study rights can begin on other times in case you are not a degree student, check the study right validity from the registration information.
A new username can be activated the next day the study right is recorded in the study information system.
Activating the username
You can activate your account with the one-time code you have received via email or by using Suomi.fi-identification: https://iam-app.uef.fi/activate/
Note that if you use the one-time code:
- Login with your student number without the SAS- prefix.
- You have to be identified strongly separately for the full access rights.
If Suomi.fi identification is not available, visit our service desks with an official ID or passport, or contact us through our service contacts for the strong identification.
During the activation:
- You accept the Terms of IT Service Use.
- You check your personal information and choose your preferred name.
- Choose your username.
- Create a password (check the password requirements).
- You will have a student email address according to your username.
- Check your information and accept the username activation.
The username and the email are available in four hours after activation, if all conditions are met (check Access rights below).
UEF M365 environment has deployed Multi-Factor Authentication, that has to be deployed as the username has been activated and is ready to use. Check more detailed instructions on the Multi-Factor Authentication.
Full access rights are granted when all of these conditions are met:
- Registration as present or absent student has been done.
- Study right is valid.
- Strong identification has been done.
If some condition is not met, the user account does not have any access rights. Full access rights are granted only after all of the conditions are met.
More information can be found in Heimo (login required).
Ending of access rights
The end of access rights depend on the study right and the form of ending.
Degree and exchange students
If you have graduated, the access rights end accordingly:
- Library e-resources and printing rights immediately as the graduation has been recorded in the student register.
- Student email, M365, and Peppi in six (6) months.
Your access rights will end immediately if:
- You do not register as an absent or present student for the semester within registration period or
- Your study right ends (before graduation).
Open university students
The access rights will end accordingly after the course or study right has ended:
- Library e-resources and printing rights immediately.
- Student email, M365, and Peppi in 60 days.
Visitors, external users and access right extensions
An external UEF user account and additional access rights, that are not based on the personnel or student information systems, are applied by the University of Eastern Finland's units and departments. Be in contact with your own department or unit. More detailed instructions for the unit can be found in Heimo.
Full access rights are available only if the person is strongly identified. If you have been approved access rights, change your password using Suomi.fi identification in https://iam-app.uef.fi/password/. You can check your UEF username in My account: username as you are logged in.
If Suomi.fi identification is not available, visit our service desks with an official ID or passport, or contact us through our service contacts.
Password change
You can change your UEF account's password only by the options below. Remember to use username@uef.fi as you login to the Microsoft 365 environment.
The password is valid for 13 months.
If you are working remotely, make sure you have VPN connected before changing your password.
Valid password
You can login with a valid username and password: https://iam-app.uef.fi/pwd. NB! Login with only the username, do not type @uef.fi after the username.
Forgotten or invalid password
To change a forgotten or invalid password, login with Suomi.fi: https://iam-app.uef.fi/password/
If Suomi.fi identification is not available and you cannot change your password via M365 environment, visit our service desks with an official ID or passport, or contact us through our service contacts.
Change with a campus Windows computer
You can change your password on a UEF Windows computer by pressing ctrl+alt+del and choosing "Change a password".
If you are working remotely, make sure you have VPN connected before changing your password.
- The length of the password is 12-16 characters. It is possible to set a longer password from a UEFAD computer, but some systems might not work with a longer password.
- The password may NOT contain: your name, your username, your date of birth or your social security number.
- The password must contain at least three character types from the following four categories:
- capital letters: A-Z
- small letters: a-z
- numbers: 0-9
- special characters: !@#$%/,.;:-_*=+?
- Do not use Scandinavian characters (åäö, ÅÄÖ).
Multi-Factor Authentication, MFA
Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) enables reliable identification of the M365 users and prevents the phishing and abuse of usernames. Multi-factor authentication will be asked when you login to M365 environment outside of the university network with some other than a trusted device. You will receive a notification to authenticate the login attempt with the authentication method you have chosen beforehand.
Do not approve a request to login if you yourself are not logging in. Even if a phisher succesfully gets your credentials, they won't be able to use the credentials if you do not approve the request to login.
MFA has four authentication methods available:
- Approve a request on my Microsoft Authenticator app
- Use a verification code from my mobile app (Microsoft Authenticator)
- Text message to a phone number
- A phone call to a phone number
You do not have to deploy all of the authentication methods. Minimum requirement is a phone number (work phone if you are UEF staff), make sure that the phone number is always on hand as needed. Remember to always have at least one authentication method deployed! You will need a working authentication method to access the MFA settings for example to change a phone number.
Most of the native mobile apps don't work with MFA, we recommend you install the Outlook for iOS or Outlook for Android app to your phone if needed. If the account is already on the device, the email app can inform you that the email has been blocked. Deleting the account and adding it back will help, if the device is up-to-date.
Trusted devices
With trusted devices you can login without multi-factor authentication even outside of the university UEF-network. The UEF computers of users with MFA deployed will be added as trusted devices.
UEF-account users
If you have just activated your UEF account, wait at least four hours after activation before trying to login.
You will be asked to provide more information the first time you login to M365 environment. The login will guide you through the deployment process, read the instructions carefully.
During the first login you will be requested to deploy the Microsoft Authenticator. You can choose "I want to set up a different method" if you want to deploy a phone number authentication only.
We recommend to have multiple methods deployed in case a phone goes missing or the phone number cannot be reached.
Stakeholders, non-UEF-account visitors in UEF M365 environment
If you have been invited to join UEF M365 environment as a visitor in Teams, with your own organization's address or personal email address (such as a gmail address), you must first register your email as a Microsoft account and enable multi-factor authentication.
You can modify your authentication setup here: https://mysignins.microsoft.com/security-info.
You can add or remove phone numbers, add Authenticator, and modify the preferred option.
You can contact the IT Servicedesk in case of problems: Service contact
Digital Services monthly maintenances
The monthly maintenance of Digital Services improve user experience and security. The service breaks are usually done during 6 PM to 12 AM.
You can check the current status of university’s services: https://status.uef.fi. The maintenance and service break announcements are published in the Digital Services' Yammer (requires UEF-login). Follow Digital Services also in Twitter: @UefIt.
The maintenance and service breaks in 2023:
16.1.2023 | 20.2.2023 | 20.3.2023 | 17.4.2023 | 15.5.2023 | 19.6.2023 |
No break in July | 21.8.2023 |18.9.2023 |16.10.2023 | 20.11.2023 | 18.12.2023 |
Information security
If you suspect or detect abuse of the university's digital services or user accounts, please report it to abuse@uef.fi. You can also contact the information security contact persons if you suspect abuse or if you have information security related questions.
- UEF Information security rules (in Heimo Service, requires UEF login)
- Information security guides (in Heimo Service, requires UEF login)
- Information security warnings (UEF Yammer, requires UEF login)
- More about data protection: https://www.uef.fi/en/data-protection
Service contact
Digital Services aims to serve the university community with multiple channels and easily. The Digital Services' service contact is handled by the IT Servicedesk.
There are four service channels available for the university community’s use, intended for daily support and advice: E-Services, realtime chat, telephone service and the customer service desks on campus. The channels are offered by IT Servicedesk.
Emergency service for reporting critical faults and service disruptions affecting large numbers of users outside normal office hours are available at 7-8 and 16-20 o’clock.
Exceptions on opening hours
E-services are available any time of the day.
Summer opening hours 12.6.2023 - 13.8.2023
Chat and phone service are open 9 - 14.
Midsummer 2023
Thursday 22.6. we are open 9 - 13.
Friday 23.6. we are closed.
Digital Services provides services through the eServices portal. Order IT services, send service requests, or inform us of possible incidents through the eServices Portal (https://asiointi.uef.fi).
If you cannot access the eServices, send an email to servicedesk(a)uef.fi.
The chat service is open 9 am to 3 pm on weekdays. You can find the possible exceptions on opening hours above.
Phone service number: 0294 458880
The phone service is open 8 am to 3 pm on weekdays. You can find the possible exceptions on opening hours above.
Joensuu Campus
Carelia, Campus Library 1st floor, Digital Services and Oppari's service desk, opening hours: Mon-Fri 10 AM - 2 PM
Kuopio Campus
Canthia 2nd floor, Digital Services and Oppari's service desk, opening hours: Mon-Fri 10 AM - 2 PM
Joensuu Campus
University of Eastern Finland, Digital Services, P.O.Box 111, 80101 Joensuu
Kuopio Campus
University of Eastern Finland, Digital Services, P.O.Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio
Emergency Service Outside Normal Office Hours
The emergency service offered by Digital Services of University of Eastern Finland is available during weekdays at 7-8 and 16-20 o’clock.
The emergency service is intended only for reporting faults and service outages in critical services and information systems.
The emergency service will start restoring critical services and fixing wide-ranging outages. The telephone number for Emergency service is +358 2944 58989.
The emergency service does not offer normal support for using everyday services. Contact IT Servicedesk for normal user support and help between 8-15.
See status.uef.fi for realtime service status.
More information: IT-Manager Juhamatti Tillonen.