Rector Minna Martikainen's speech for the opening ceremony on 5 September 2024

Here at the University of Vaasa, we study and conduct research in order to solve significant societal challenges. Our new strategy leads us to focus on sustainable business, society, energy and especially energy transition towards carbon neutrality. 

The development of a more sustainable world demands a profound understanding of business, the economy and society, as well as good governance and technological expertise. In addition, by making the energy transition more efficient and faster, we are playing our part globally in ensuring the development and evolution of a sustainable society as our export to the world.

As part of the largest energy technology cluster in the Nordic countries, in one of the most successful regions in Finland, we are at the heart of solving the energy transition and the transition to a carbon-neutral society.

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The University of Vaasa is a valued partner in the energy technology cluster, since we invest in research and education on the business and societal transformation associated with the energy transition and the development of technical solutions.

In August, we announced the Silicon Valley of Energy Transition, a joint project between the University of Vaasa and energy cluster actors in the Vaasa region. The project aims to strengthen the RDI activities of companies in the region through joint research and major new research infrastructure. In this way, it will develop the export potential of the energy sector and the region for the benefit of Finland as a whole.

The plan includes strengthening education and research areas that contribute to the energy transition, joint laboratories with stakeholders, and extensive further training for PhDs in energy and sustainable business. This will ensure both cutting-edge research and excellence in energy and business.

This comprehensive approach will develop, together with stakeholders, new business skills and export packages to meet the needs of export organisations. In this way, the University of Vaasa's activities highlight the will and ambition to maximise the direct and rapid impact of its research for the direct benefit of businesses and the development of the welfare of the national economy.

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Progressive research in the frontier of science provides the best guarantees for the long-term development of Finland’s competitiveness. Thus, additional R&D funding must also be allocated to strengthening the basic funding of universities in the budget planning period. Effective R&D activities and collaboration as well as sustainable growth of R&D investments are only possible if we invest adequately in developing competence and producing experts. The lack of experts and competence is a critical bottleneck when we aim to increase R&D activities. 

The ambitious national objective is to increase the number of people with degrees from higher education to 50 per cent. This objective is important to a small people whose future depends on top-level expertise and critical thinking, creative power, and the ability to use information to boost vitality. The Rectors’ Council of Finnish Universities UNIFI has also emphasised that a higher level of education requires a long-term cross-government plan and commitment to the funding of education and a permanent increase in resources.

The research, development and innovation target of four per cent set for 2030 and the “1,000 new doctorates” project are significant steps towards increasing competence in Finland. Simultaneously, there is talk of a need for approximately 85,000 doctors to maintain competitiveness in Europe. It is clear, that Finland must invest in education consistently with growth in mind. Otherwise, our country will not remain at the forefront of international competitiveness. Only a broad range of expertise covering the whole country will ensure that international investment will find and stay in Finland.

High quality and business integration of doctoral education is absolutely essential, and it must be scientific and therefore carried out by universities. Otherwise, we will not be able to guarantee businesses access to the very highest knowledge they need, and for which we have a legal mandate and responsibility, decided by society, to provide.

At the University of Vaasa, we carry out this important work in close cooperation with companies. In our CoDoc collaborative doctoral partnership model, we educate top scientific talent, ensuring doctorates for companies in joint projects and co-funded projects. In this way, we ensure the most important thing - the fastest possible path of top-level knowledge towards companies, while promoting our country's business, exports and prosperity.

Dear audience,

The competition for international experts is a timely issue. In order to keep up with developments, Finland needs strong cooperation between companies and universities, a shared vision for the future and more funding to increase the country’s competence level.

University cities are the backbone of competence development in Finland. An increasing number of students at Finnish universities come from abroad. Our city’s extensive export and energy ecosystem has turned Vaasa into one of the most international cities in Finland. It is part of the strategy of the city, the surrounding ecosystem and the university and higher education sector to take care of immigrants who have moved to Finland to study and work.

Intellectual capital is the lifeblood of Finland. Our indebted and reducing welfare state needs experts and capital from abroad. 

It is time for different players in the economy to join forces and secure the actual lifeline of Finland – our intellectual capital. Finland has a desperate need for foreign intellectual capital because the export capacity of the national economy is based on competence and expertise. In order to develop high-end products for the global market, export companies need top expertise to stay at the forefront of global development.

We need a shared vision for attracting foreign capital and the right mindset to improve intellectual capital across the country.

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We also continue our regional cooperation to develop the Vaasa higher education network together with the Vaasa University of Applied Sciences VAMK. We hope that things will move forward quickly to achieve our common strength and ambition, despite challenging times.

Balancing our finances has been a necessary and very unfortunate task for us at the university too. However, I would like to thank the personnel representatives for the smooth negotiations. We have a common goal to develop and nurture the university community. Even if we have to make savings now, we will do so for the sake of our common development, with the sole aim of growth and development. Please remember that this situation is only temporary as we look to the future together. We have already made enormous progress, of which we can be proud.

Today, we signed a long-term strategic agreement with Microsoft Oy. The goal is to support our university’s digital transformation by utilising Microsoft cloud, data and artificial intelligence technologies as well as its expertise and ecosystem. The Managing Director of Microsoft Finland Oy, Mervi Airaksinen, will later pass on the greetings from our new partner.

Dear Audience, 

In August, we had a reason to celebrate when the University of Vaasa was awarded an internationally renowned six-year AACSB accreditation for business studies. This recognition reflects excellence and high quality in economics and business administration education and research. Less than six per cent of the world’s schools offering business degree programs have received the AACSB accreditation. AACSB is the longest-serving global accreditation body for business schools, and the largest business education network. 

In addition, our university is among the top 70-500 universities in the world in various categories of the THE University Rankings. We did particularly well in terms of research quality, the research environment and internationality. We also improved our results in the ranking of the best European universities, where we performed particularly well in terms of research quality, ranking fourth best in that area among all European universities included in the ranking. We are also ranked 17th among the world's smaller universities.

Our success in international rankings is great recognition of our work. My warm thanks to all members of our community who have contributed to this important work. Only together can we achieve significant and meaningful things. 

Distinguished guests,

With the completion of the renovation of the Tervahovi building at the University of Vaasa, the campus renovation project has now been completed. Both students and staff will begin the new academic year in new, elegant and modern facilities. The result of this large-scale project is an attractive campus, built in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, that serves as an open meeting place for not only our students and staff but also Vaasa residents and our partners. 

The University of Vaasa plays an important role in maintaining the vitality of the city of Vaasa. We naturally bring different operators together in a new and inspiring environment. In this role, we will continue to develop our position as a meeting point for students, academics and stakeholders. Our aim is to be at the centre of events and gatherings in our renewed, most spectacular campus in Europe.

Together, we can contribute faster to a more sustainable society through research and education and working closely together.

I wish you a great new academic year!