The importance of English in Joensuu has increased remarkably in recent years according to long-time residents, and much of the change is no doubt due to the university, which was founded in the 1970's. About one in ten residents of the city is a student, and thus the 5,000 or so students play an important role in Joensuu's economy. Even though Ohio State University is about ten times larger, students in Columbus represent a smaller fraction of the overall city. Most students in Joensuu are Finnish, but many speak English very well. Although Finnish remains the preferred language between friends and family, the university's international connections have raised the visibility of English on campus. Programs in environmental studies and forestry sponsor research that is often written up in English and discussed in English-speaking meetings. Likewise, a Baltic Studies program brings together students and faculty from a wide range of countries (including the United States), and several courses are offered in English.

English is one of several languages offered by the Foreign Languages Department, and while most of the staff can speak Finnish, not all the students majoring in English come from Finland. The university has succeeded in attracting students from a number of Spanish universities, and their studies in Joensuu are aided by programs such as Erasmus, which is sponsored by the European Union. Through Erasmus students can study at another university in Europe while merely paying fees to their home institution. This arrangement has made study in Britain and Ireland very popular among students seeking to improve their English, but non-English-speaking countries such as Finland have also been affected. Because neither Finnish nor any of the other languages of Scandinavia is widely known in the rest of Europe, students coming to a school in Joensuu or Helsinki or Copenhagen will often prefer to take courses offered in English. (Joensuu and other universities do offer courses in Finnish as a Second Language, but mastery of such a language will take a long time for most overseas students.) While most courses in Joensuu University continue to be offered in Finnish, the university has an economic interest in encouraging majors such as Baltic Studies and English in which a knowledge of academic Finnish can be minimal.

To aid students in pursuing their studies through English, the university has encouraged a number of innovations including a digital library catalogue which can be accessed in English as well as in Finnish and other languages. The library is well stocked with scholarly and popular publications in English, and the staff at the library and several other parts of the university are often able to help students in English. Moreover, many faculty and staff maintain Web pages in English. Finland is one of the most computer-literate countries in the world, and the growth of the Internet has no doubt reenforced the conviction of many Finns about the importance of knowing English.

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