The benefits of the Sisu Student Information System for higher education institutions

The Sisu Student Information System was created out of the need among Finnish higher education institutions to develop something new. The goal was to develop a system that would make everyday life smoother and the future more sustainable. In our previous blog post, we explained why Sisu (SIS) was built from the ground up in a new way and how it became a shared platform for higher education institutions. In this follow-up post, we'll take a closer look at what makes Sisu (SIS) unique and why it offers higher education institutions more than just a system.

At the heart of the higher education digitalisation

Sisu is much more than just a Student Information System. It is the core of the digital ecosystem of higher education institutions, bringing together students, teachers, administrators, and systems into one seamless whole. From the outset, Sisu's development has been based on the premise that the system is not just a database, but an active tool that guides and supports everyday processes, providing users with up-to-date information and streamlined operations.

Cloud-native - scalability without limits

One of the most significant strengths of the Sisu (SIS) is its genuine cloud-based nature. Unlike many legacy systems, Sisu is designed from the ground up to be cloud-based, offering scalability and flexibility without the limitations of traditional systems. Sisu (SIS) thus serves small universities of applied sciences and large universities alike, and its capacity scales according to needs with uninterrupted service. The cloud model also frees higher education institutions from maintenance and infrastructure concerns, allowing them to focus on their core tasks – teaching and research.

One version, shared benefits

As Sisu is a standardised SaaS service, all higher education institutions use the same version. This reduces maintenance costs and improves compatibility with other systems, but above all, it enables joint development steps. When new functionality is developed, it automatically becomes available to everyone. With consistent systems and processes, higher education institutions can truly collaborate – whether through cross-institutional studies, national services, or seamless integrations. It also ensures fairness to students: everyone will get the same experience, regardless of where they study.

Automation that makes everyday life easier

Sisu's student-oriented processes and high level of automation make everyday life smoother for both students and administrators. Students always have access to up-to-date information about their studies, and many administrative tasks are fully automated. This reduces routine work for administrative staff and speeds up processes. In addition, all the information in the system forms a valuable data resource that higher education institutions can use for reporting, decision-making and even AI-driven solutions.

Stronger security, better accessibility

Information security and accessibility are an integral part of Sisu’s design process. In terms of information security, Funidata is committed to meeting the highest standards and has been awarded the ISO 27001 certification for information security management. Security is part of our daily work and is built deeply into Sisu's processes and technology. Our accessibility goal is WCAG AA level, which means that the Sisu Student Information System is accessible to all students and staff, considering different accessibility needs.

Developed together for higher education institutions

All this is based on a unique cooperation model in which customer higher education institutions are actively involved in the design of Sisu functionalities. This ensures that Sisu's development work always directly supports the needs of higher education institutions. Sisu is an investment that strengthens the ability of higher education institutions to serve their students better and work more effectively – today and in the future.

Sisu is not finished - nor should it be. It will grow and develop together with higher education institutions and students. It is this continuous development, cooperation and scalability that makes it unique. Sisu is more than a system – it is a conscious decision towards a sustainable and continuously evolving higher education community.