President of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters Tuula Linna believes in the advancement of free and independent science. She is pleased by the foothold gained by sustainable development in research. Along with striving for fact-based information, science must defend life. At the same time, she is concerned by many phenomena whittling away at the resources to allow science to happen.
Suspicions of Responsible Conduct of Research violations are raised at universities quit often but rarely reported.
Universities try to control costs by modifying their facilities and abandoning premises. However, facilities are more than a simple expense – they either help or hurt academic work.
Remote and hybrid work affects well-being at work in many ways. Spirited discussion about the sufficient amount of face-to-face interaction is now ongoing in work communities.
Tiina Niklander is one of the University of Helsinki’s chief shop stewards. In an academic community comprising thousand of people, fixed-term employment contract issues are frequently on the agenda for shop stewards.
The European Union can be seen in many ways in daily university life. How are Finns influencing the Union’s higher education policy?
As many as 62 percent of university and research centre employees and students in fifteen European countries have experienced violence based on their gender.
Artificial intelligence is becoming more and more common in daily life and progresses by leaps and bounds that are difficult to predict. Universities encourage the use of AI applications, but in an open and responsible manner.
Studying indigenous peoples is important for ensuring history does not repeat itself, says Giellagas Institute Director Sigga-Marja Magga.
Universities want to offer clear career paths, including for those who choose something other than the tenure track path. The University of Vaasa, for example, offers two career paths and the Aalto University has two. However, sometimes you can only progress through an open application.
“My work is at its best when I finish a research project, as well as when I notice my students improving while I am teaching”, summarises Professor of Nutrition Therapy Ursula Schwab, the 2024 Professor of the Year.
As a result of Lotta Kaila’s active social discourse, pollinator exposure to pesticides has become a topic of discussion in Finland. That has required the Academic of the Year to put herself out there.
Higher education institutions are not racism-ree zones. Identifying the phenomenon requires awareness from everyone. Increasing equal treatment is also about working life skills.
University of Helsinki Rector Sari Lindblom and Tampere University Rector Keijo Hämäläinen lead by listening. In addition to presence and ears, you need Teflon and an occasionally activated parrot mode.
