The news are in Finnish but links to (often) English language reference material are provided.
First published on November 3, 2025.
More frequent authenticator prompts coming soon
Make sure you have your authenticator app and SMS authentication ready to use. To improve security, Metropolia will tighten the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) for Microsoft login services for students starting in early December 2025. As a result, the system will prompt you for an authenticator code significantly more often than before. Prepare now to avoid issues later.
Have you already enabled the Authenticator?
Enable the authenticator app now to ensure smooth login once the change takes place. This is important because, despite preparations, the IT Services support provided by Helpdesk may become congested at the beginning of December due to the change. Acting in advance and familiarizing yourself with the instructions ensures you won’t be among those needing help at that time.
Which services are affected by this change?
- Logging into Office 365 services.
- Logging into a few other services that use Microsoft’s login system.
Logging into GlobalProtect VPN has always required the authenticator for each login, so no changes will be made there.
OMA, email, Moodle, and several other services will, for now, still be accessible without multi-factor authentication—just with your username and password as before.
What is multi-factor authentication?
- In English: Multi-factor Authentication (MFA).
- When logging into your user account, you will be required to confirm your identity in addition to entering your password using an authenticator app installed on your phone. Enter the code provided by the service into the authenticator app to proceed.
- MFA effectively prevents account breaches via phishing and other methods.
- Read more on the website of the National Cyber Security Centre (see the “Instructions and more information” section below).
- Enable your authenticator app using the instructions provided on the IT Services website (see the link under “Instructions and more information”).
What should I do?
- Enable Microsoft Authenticator, SMS authentication, and optional alternative authenticator apps using the instructions provided on the IT Services website (link in the “Instructions and more information” section).
- Please note that according to the instructions, you must enable 1) SMS authentication and 2) the Microsoft Authenticator app. Additionally, we recommend enabling alternative authentication methods on your secondary devices.
- You don’t need to set up MFA separately for each service. It is enabled at once for all Metropolia services that support it.
- MFA will not be active until 1 December 2025, so enabling SMS and the authenticator app in advance is only preparation. It's smart to do this ahead of time to avoid login issues disrupting your studies at the start of December.
Can I log in if my phone gets lost?
- No, you won’t be able to log in unless you’ve prepared for this. Set up SMS authentication and alternative login methods in advance as instructed, so you can log in without your primary phone.
- Plan ahead for a situation where your phone is lost or damaged. More information about how to make a plan and resolve login issues can be found in another guide on the IT Services website.
My phone is too old to use Microsoft Authenticator. What should I do?
You can alternatively use another authenticator app, such as Google Authenticator. Instructions can be found in the list of guides below.
Instructions and more information
- Guide on the IT Services website: How do I enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for Microsoft 365?
- Guide on the IT Services website: Make a plan in case your phone is lost or broken: Multi-factor authentication prevents login to Microsoft 365. What should I do?
- Information on the benefits of multi-factor authentication on the National Cyber Security Centre’s website.
Best regards,
Helpdesk
In case of any inquiries related to this announcement or other IT matters at Metropolia, please contact the Helpdesk as follows:
Phone service: +358 9 7424 6777
Service requests: https://hd.metropolia.fi / helpdesk@metropolia.fi
Frequently Asked Questions: https://itservices.metropolia.fi/FAQ
Ask Mikko Anything (AMA): https://mikko.metropolia.fi
Due to maintenance work, Moodle and valmentavakoulutus.fi will be out of service on Tuesday evening, October 14th, 2025, as follows:
klo 19.00 - 21.00 valmentavakoulutus.fi
klo 22.00 - 24.00 moodle.metropolia.fi
Best regards,
Helpdesk
In case of any inquiries related to this announcement or other IT matters at Metropolia, please contact the Helpdesk as follows:
Phone service: +358 9 7424 6777
Service requests: https://hd.metropolia.fi / helpdesk@metropolia.fi
Frequently Asked Questions: https://itservices.metropolia.fi/FAQ
Ask Mikko Anything (AMA): https://mikko.metropolia.fi
Mikko is now also on Teams!
On the day of the MetGo event in autumn 2024, the IT Services Helpdesk at Metropolia welcomed a new cheerful and helpful team member: mikro-Mikko. He is an AI bot you can ask anything about Metropolia's IT services at https://mikko.metropolia.fi.
This autumn, on the day of the MetGo event, 2 October 2025, mikro-Mikko joined Metropolia’s Teams. You can find him in the apps section on the left-hand side, as shown in the image below.
In Teams, mikro-Mikko can answer one question at a time, so it's best to phrase your question precisely. You can't refine your question afterward. However, when chatting with Mikko via a browser at https://mikko.metropolia.fi, you can continue the same conversation. This is useful when you want to clarify your question or ask for further details after receiving an answer.
Why does mikro-Mikko work so well?
- Mikro-Mikko sometimes answers your questions about Metropolia's IT services even better than a human, and faster than the real Mikko. Mikko is an AI-based chatbot that understands your question and instantly generates a precise response just for you.
- Most modern chatbots simply search their answer banks using the keywords from your question, and sometimes they fail. Mikko, on the other hand, is based on much more advanced, modern AI technology.
- Mikko doesn't just search its materials based on the words in your question. Instead, its answers feel like the result of human-like, intelligent reasoning. The bot “understands” your question and combines pieces of information to provide a precise answer. That’s why Mikko outperforms many other chatbots in terms of expertise.
Ask in your own language
Mikko replies to your question in your own language. Translations into other languages are handled in an advanced way that takes context into account, resulting in naturally flowing sentences and well-structured paragraphs.
Chat like you would with a human
In the browser version at https://mikko.metropolia.fi, you can continue the conversation if you need clarification or want to refine your original question. This feature is not available in Teams. Teams Mikko treats each of your questions as completely new. In both the browser and Teams, Mikko answers your questions in a surprisingly human-like and logical way. It “deduces” the answer just for you by combining information from its source material.
Is Mikko perfect?
Mikko is not perfect, but it usually answers questions about Metropolia's IT services correctly. At the end of its responses, Mikko includes source references that you can click to check the original, easy-to-read material. Based on feedback so far, Mikko gives correct answers to 89% of the questions it receives.
Is it still better to contact the Helpdesk?
No. The Helpdesk is happy to assist you, but the AI bot Mikko often provides a more precise and easier-to-read answer than a human. Mikko responds instantly, so you don't have to wait in the Helpdesk’s service request queue. The Helpdesk also uses mikro-Mikko to assist in answering your questions, which enables faster and higher-quality service. If you send your question to the Helpdesk, you might receive an answer generated by the Mikko AI bot — an answer you could have received faster by asking Mikko directly. Mikko is at your service 24/7.
Yes. There are also situations where a human is needed. But try Mikko first and be surprised! Mikko might solve your problem even in situations where you never thought you could manage without human help. Give Mikko a chance before picking up the phone or submitting a service request.
Personal data processing and data protection
The AI bot Mikko is designed to answer your questions on a general level, not based on your personal information. It is not intended for processing your or anyone else’s personal data. Do not enter your own or others’ personal data into the chatbot. That would be unnecessary personal data processing, which goes against the minimisation principle described in the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation. Mikko operates in Microsoft’s cloud service and is subject to Metropolia’s cloud service terms of use.
Future plans
Mikko and its user interface are being constantly developed. One possible future improvement is that the service request form and Mikko could be made available on the same web page. This would allow both the service request and the AI bot to operate conveniently side-by-side, eliminating the need for multiple web pages.
Give feedback — currently 89% of the feedback is positive
We gladly welcome feedback about Mikko, especially when its responses contain errors or shortcomings. The current version of Mikko has a dedicated feedback feature: thumbs up = successful answer, and thumbs down = unsuccessful answer. After giving a thumbs down, you can briefly explain your feedback. This feedback is used to improve mikro-Mikko and its source materials so that it will answer the same question correctly in the future. Currently, Mikko answers 98% of questions correctly based on the feedback received.
Best regards,
Helpdesk
In case of any inquiries related to this announcement or other IT matters at Metropolia, please contact the Helpdesk as follows:
Phone service: +358 9 7424 6777
Service requests: https://hd.metropolia.fi / helpdesk@metropolia.fi
Frequently Asked Questions: https://itservices.metropolia.fi/FAQ
Ask Mikko Anything (AMA): https://mikko.metropolia.fi
The break is due to the version update.
We're sorry for the inconvenience.
Metropolia IT Services
The outage is due to the update of the system.
We're sorry for the inconvenience possibly caused.
The Helpdesk sells discontinued computer packages, laptops, and projectors at the Myllypuro campus in D-building lobby 1st floor on August 18th - 20th, 2025.
Information about available products will be updated until the start of the sales days. Check the latest information when the sales days begin.
- On the first sales day, products are sold only to Metropolia students and staff.
- Products cannot be reserved in advance. They are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Only one computer package or projector per buyer.
- There may be a queue at the sales point. We would like to ask for patience while waiting for your turn.
Check the products, opening hours, and additional information on the IT Services website. Please note that there are important instructions on the page that you should consider before coming.
Sale dates
- 18.08.2025, 12:00 - 18:00: Metropolia students and staff only! Be ready to provide a proof when you arrive at the sales desk.
- 19. - 20.08.2025, 12:00 - 18:00: For all customers
Kind regards,
Helpdesk
Call Center: 09 7424 6777
Service requests https://hd.metropolia.fi / helpdesk@metropolia.fi
Information and instructions: https://itservices.metropolia.fi
Helpdesk's phone service (tel. 09 7424 6777) summer opening hours are ending, and the extended hours for the start of the autumn semester will begin on Monday, 19 August 2024.
- 18 August 2024 – 19 September 2025 open Mon–Thu 8:00–18:00 and Fri 8:00–16:00
- On Monday, 22 September 2025 we will return to our regular opening hours: Mon–Fri 8:00–16:00
Regardless of your issue, please report all IT-related matters at Metropolia as follows:
- Phone service 09 7424 6777
- 24/7 as service requests via https://hd.metropolia.fi or by email to helpdesk@metropolia.fi
- If your matter is urgent and you need service within three working days, please call the phone service. That way we can take your urgency into account. The phone service handles both urgent and non-urgent matters.
Remember Mikko, the IT Services site and the FAQ!
- The Mikko AI bot may sometimes answer your Metropolia IT question better than a human. Try it and be surprised! Mikko now also includes a feedback feature. Click thumbs up for good answers and thumbs down for poor ones.
- You may find the answer to your question directly on the IT Services website or its integrated FAQ section — try it and be surprised! The site's content is also accessible via Google and other search engines; just add the words "metropolia tietohallinto" to your search.
Best regards,
Helpdesk
In case of any inquiries related to this announcement or other IT matters at Metropolia, please contact the Helpdesk as follows:
Phone service: +358 9 7424 6777
Service requests: https://hd.metropolia.fi / helpdesk@metropolia.fi
Frequently Asked Questions: https://itservices.metropolia.fi/FAQ
Ask Mikko Anything (AMA): https://mikko.metropolia.fi
There will be service interruptions in Metropolia's web servers and Moodle due to maintenance work on Tuesday, 19 August 2025, from 16:00 to 24:00.
Moodle will be completely unavailable on 19 August 2025 from 22:00 to 24:00 . Moodle will be updated to version 4.5.6.
Short interruptions may occur in the following services during the maintenance work (Tuesday, 19 August 2025, from 16:00 to 24:00). If any of these or any other Metropolia online service does not work during the maintenance, please try again after 15 minutes:
- www.metropolia.fi
- users.metropolia.fi
- vhost.metropolia.fi
- mysqlproj.metropolia.fi
- ezproxy.metropolia.fi (library e-resources on Metropolia campuses)
Best regards,
Helpdesk
In case of any inquiries related to this announcement or other IT matters at Metropolia, please contact the Helpdesk as follows:
Phone service: +358 9 7424 6777
Service requests: https://hd.metropolia.fi / helpdesk@metropolia.fi
Frequently Asked Questions: https://itservices.metropolia.fi/FAQ
Ask Mikko Anything (AMA): https://mikko.metropolia.fi
The interruption is due to a system update.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Break of Service in the commercial side of the Confluence wiki and Jira, TODAY May 6 at 4:00–5:00 PM
The break is due to the version update.
We're sorry for the inconvenience.
The interruptions are due to a system update.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
The pricing of Adobe Creative Cloud is determined by its manufacturer and resellers. Metropolia, together with other higher education institutions, has participated in negotiations to secure the lowest possible price for student licenses.
Many other software manufacturers offer their products to students for free as a way to market their software and support education. However, Adobe has not adopted this approach, meaning that students must unfortunately pay for its software—albeit at a significantly lower price compared to a commercial license.
Spring Offer from Adobe!
| PERIOD | PRICE |
|---|---|
| From the order date until the end of August | 50.00 € |
The offer also includes access to the Stock library.
Before placing an order, approve the transfer of your information to Adobe according to the instructions: Adobe Creative Cloud at a discounted price for students.
This spring offer cannot be utilized through Ilona IT's online store. Instead, place your order by sending an email directly to Harri:
- Email address: harri@ilonait.fi
- Subject: Adobe2025 Spring Offer
Use Adobe Software for Free in Computer Labs
Adobe software is available in multiple computer labs across different campuses. You can use them for free in these labs. You can check the available software in different computer labs by campus on the IT Management website:
Best regards,
Helpdesk
In case of any inquiries related to this announcement or other IT matters at Metropolia, please contact the Helpdesk as follows:
Phone service: +358 9 7424 6777
Service requests: https://hd.metropolia.fi / helpdesk@metropolia.fi
Frequently Asked Questions: https://itservices.metropolia.fi/FAQ
Ask Mikko Anything (AMA): https://mikko.metropolia.fi
The disruption occurs on the commercial side of the wiki platform (https://wiki.metropolia.fi).
The interruption does not affect the non-commercial section of the wiki used for teaching (https://wiki2.metropolia.fi).
The interruption is due to the update of the system.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
The breaks are due to system updates.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused.