Aalto University – Rethinking Finnish Higher Education

Dr. Mari-Anna Suurmunne April 15Head of International Relations 2010

University reform

New University

-> Changing of a mindset

- From administration to service

- From earning to achieving

Rethinking ourselves: positioning ourselves internationally

The first Foundation University in Finland with an independent, high-level board.

Hundreds of years of history and knowledge brought together in Aalto University

Helsinki School of Economics, founded in 1911Helsinki University of Technology, founded in 1849University of Art and Design, founded in 1871

Three higher education institutes merged to form Aalto University

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The second largest university in Finland

Aalto University:a staff of 4,500, of which approximately 300 are professors20,000 students75,000 alumni The total annual budget about € 368 million (2009)

Aalto University aims to be acknowledged as a world classuniversity in the fields of technology, business and Industrial design & art by the year 2020.

20 000 students, 75 000 alumni

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Aalto University

• Aalto University Foundation founded in

June 2008– Finnish Government EUR 500 million – Private donations of at least EUR 200

million

• Seven-member Board appointed in August 2008

• President Tuula Teeri appointed in December 2008

• The responsibilities of three universities will be transferred to Aalto University Foundation on 1 January 2010 (new University Law)

• The Finnish Government will remain the main financier of the activities

Chair: Matti Alahuhta, President & CEO of Kone CorporationVice Chair: Marja Makarow, Professor, CEO of ESFRobert A. Brown, President of Boston University

Anne Brunila, President and CEO of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation

Bengt Holmström, Professor, MIT

Saku Mantere, Professor, Hanken School of Economics

Anna Valtonen, Senior Design Manager, Nokia Corporation

The Finnish Higher Education Reform 2009- granting universities an independent legal personality, either as public corporations or as foundations

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HE Reform – Objectives & Impacts

• changes in the operational environment • diversify their funding base • compete for international research funding • cooperation with foreign institutes • resource allocation to strategic focus areas (top

research) • quality and effectiveness of research and teaching • strengthen their role within the innovation system

Changes in the Operational Environment

• National Economy - Global economy• Internationalization and mobility• Strategic thinking

• Strategic focus areas + resource allocation

• Strengthening the role of the universities within the innovation system

• Quality and effectiveness of research and teaching

Funding base and international research funding

• diversify their funding base • compete for international research funding system

International cooperation

• compete for international research funding • cooperation with foreign institutes

HE Reform – Legislative Means

1. The autonomy of universities will enlarge further

2. Universities will take the place of the State as employers

3. Universities will have more latitude in the management of their finances.

4. The composition of the university boards will change in line with the strategic management responsibility.

The Finnish HE Reform – New Universities

• The Universities of Kuopio and Joensuu Eastern Finland University

• The University of Turku and Turku School of EconomicsEastern Finland University

• Helsinki School of Economics, the University of Art and Design and Helsinki University of Technology Aalto University

Clear focus areas

Innovations brought through multidisciplinary research and partnerships

Academic matters form the hub – all activities support research, teaching and artistic activities

Internationalization

Autonomy

As a distinctive entity to become a world class university

Aalto university’s mode of operation

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RETHINKING international UNIVERSITY… global…… international…… European…… Nordic…… Finnish…

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- The academic/scientific community joiningforces with the private as well as the public sector- The Finnish strengths- Making the most out of them

Alvar Aalto (1898–1976)

A National Project

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Mission

Aalto University strives to change the world through - top-quality interdisciplinary research,- pioneering education, - surpassing traditional boundaries, and - renewal. Aalto University educates responsible, broad-minded experts with a comprehensive understanding of complex issues to act asvisionaries.

Global Mission

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Vision

The best connect and succeed at Aalto University, an institution internationally recognized for the impact of its science, art, and learning.

International Vision

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Values

• Passion for Exploration

• Courage to influence and excel

• Freedom to be creative and critical

• Responsibility to accept, care, and inspire

• High ethics, openness, and equality

Nordic Values

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What do we do?

- We build an international, multicultural campus

- We assist our students and staff to be internationally mobile

- We market our university internationally in order to recruit more international students and faculty

- We look for partnerships internationally that help us excel

International Relations at Aalto University

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Aalto University