The opening day of the Aalto University is getting closer and we are soon ready to get going. This blog, the last of the year 2009, is a summary of the developments concerning the new university.
The preparations for the Aalto University have been going on since summer 2008 and the change groups responsible for the work have involved almost 500 people from our three colleges and their stakeholder groups. In early summer I had the opportunity to examine the material produced during the preparatory process and I was able to conclude that the work carried out in the groups has been characterised by thoroughness and ambition, in other words in ac-cordance with the Aalto ideology. After examining the material I became convinced that the Aalto community is committed to the project, enthusiastic about it and eager to embrace change. It sees change as a great opportunity. The final reports of the change groups formed the basis for the first draft strategy of the Aalto University, which was submitted to the Ministry of Education at the end of August.
Concrete openings
Even though the Aalto University will not start until 1 January 2010, there are already a number of concrete openings. The Factories, the joint expertise workshops of the Aalto University, have already been operational for more than a year. AivoAalto, our first joint research programme, was launched in spring and the evaluation of the university’s research activities (RAE) was completed in autumn. This and the next semester will see the launching of a large number of joint Aalto courses. At the same time, the number of study places in a number of courses has been increased to ensure greater mobility of students between the three Aalto colleges. In order to facilitate strategy work and the dissemination of information in the colleges, we have established a joint management forum, the Aalto Leaders Dialogue. Topics discussed in the meetings of the Aalto Leaders Dialogue have included the aims of Aalto, its management systems and the way the plans will be put into effect.
The most important of the reforms is the Tenure Track career system, which will be phased in next year. Other new openings for 2010 include the three-year RAE-bonuses for units scoring high marks in research evaluations, investments in IT, teaching and research infrastructure and the launching of at least one multi-disciplinary theme.
Strategy situation
The Vice Presidents, the Chief Financial Officer, the Director, Human Resources and the Director, Policy and Foresight, who all started their work in the autumn, have continued the strategy work on the basis of the comments that we have received from the students, employees’ organisations and the colleges. The Board decided on the strategy on 18 December, after which the planning of its implementation will start. Sectoral targets and the resources allocated for meeting them will be detailed in the strategy implementation plan. The colleges will draw up their own strategic action plans in the coming spring. The next year’s budget will be largely based on this year’s finances. College-specific research flagship projects and other strategic projects in the schools will be discussed after the colleges have finalised their strategic action plans in spring next year.
Issues concerning the service organisation and recruiting
The next big step will involve the organisation of the service tasks and the recruitment of the necessary staff. In the future, all services connected with research and teaching will report directly to the Vice Presidents or the President. The aim is to create a light central administration that will focus on ensuring uniform service quality, and a matrix organisation in which the services are provided at departmental level or in separate service centres. The posts for staff directly subordinated to the Vice Presidents, the Director, Policy and Foresight, the Chief Financial Officer and the Director, Human Resources are currently advertised as vacant within the community and the interviews of the applicants are under way. The posts of the university’s Communications Director and IT Manager remain vacant and we are using recruiting consultants in order to find the best people for the jobs. The task of the persons selected during the university-level recruiting process is, in cooperation with their supervisors, to build the service organisations for their own sectors.
The organisation of the Aalto’s services and administration is based on the needs and aims of academic activities. The task of the managers responsible for the service processes who will be selected in December-January is to maintain a close dialogue with the representatives of the academic community. The aim of the dialogue is to ensure that the new service organisation can, in the best possible manner, support our aim of becoming one of the world’s best research universities in our sectors. The other members of the service staff in the three colleges will be incorporated in the new organisation during the spring. There are no plans to cut the total number of staff or to increase the size of the or-ganisation. However, as part of the changes, people may be given new tasks or moved to new locations. Our aim is to carry out the change process in a managed fashion so that it is seen as an improvement at all levels. All persons who are moved to new jobs will be provided with the necessary training.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas!
21.12.2009
26.10.2009
Souvenirs from Seoul and Kyoto
Last month, I took part in two international opinion makers’ forums, International Presidential Forum in Seoul, and Science and Technology in Society Forum in Kyoto. Both centered on the themes of sustainable development and climate change, the recession and how to overcome it, as well as the development of innovation systems.
Speakers in Seoul noted that universities in different countries are coping with the recession in different ways. In the United States, the entire funding base of the education system is experiencing difficulties: profit from the universities’ own capital has plunged in value, the states are saving in public expenditure, and income from tuition fees is falling due to students’ financial difficulties. In this situation, we can be proud that Finland is investing in education and research despite the recession in order to secure its future after this period.
The discussion in Kyoto focused on the inequality of countries and regions in terms of food production, water and energy as indicators of sustainable development. Education and technology were seen to play a key role in controlling climate change. Cooperation between the corporate world and governments was one of the solutions offered to reduce social problems and inequality. A number of speeches appealed to joint responsibility. We have only one Earth.
Education systems face a joint challenge to guarantee the high quality of research and education at all levels. Moreover, conference speeches expressed concern over students’ interest toward technical-scientific disciplines as well as over securing an adequate number of students in the professional fields of the future, which are just now taking shape. The connection between research and education was extensively highlighted. One speech even argued that the value of research lies solely in its ability to ensure high-quality teaching.
The development of innovation systems continues to present a challenge. There is no panacea in sight. The conferences discussed whose responsibility it is to convey the universities’ knowledge to the society. Do the industry and the society possess adequate know-how to invest in new knowledge? Should universities focus on holding ownership over their rights to inventions or rather promote further utilization of the inventions?
The long time span of basic research conducted in universities was also under discussion. The period between a critical discovery and the resulting innovation may be up to 100 years. This observation may best exemplify the specific role of universities as the producers of new knowledge, in particular. The utilization of knowledge, on the other hand, requires persistent cooperation between several different actors.
Here at Aalto we have begun to develop a leadership system suitable for the academia, together with a force consisting of about one hundred individuals who are managing our university at various levels. You will hear more about the Aalto Leadership program later!
Speakers in Seoul noted that universities in different countries are coping with the recession in different ways. In the United States, the entire funding base of the education system is experiencing difficulties: profit from the universities’ own capital has plunged in value, the states are saving in public expenditure, and income from tuition fees is falling due to students’ financial difficulties. In this situation, we can be proud that Finland is investing in education and research despite the recession in order to secure its future after this period.
The discussion in Kyoto focused on the inequality of countries and regions in terms of food production, water and energy as indicators of sustainable development. Education and technology were seen to play a key role in controlling climate change. Cooperation between the corporate world and governments was one of the solutions offered to reduce social problems and inequality. A number of speeches appealed to joint responsibility. We have only one Earth.
Education systems face a joint challenge to guarantee the high quality of research and education at all levels. Moreover, conference speeches expressed concern over students’ interest toward technical-scientific disciplines as well as over securing an adequate number of students in the professional fields of the future, which are just now taking shape. The connection between research and education was extensively highlighted. One speech even argued that the value of research lies solely in its ability to ensure high-quality teaching.
The development of innovation systems continues to present a challenge. There is no panacea in sight. The conferences discussed whose responsibility it is to convey the universities’ knowledge to the society. Do the industry and the society possess adequate know-how to invest in new knowledge? Should universities focus on holding ownership over their rights to inventions or rather promote further utilization of the inventions?
The long time span of basic research conducted in universities was also under discussion. The period between a critical discovery and the resulting innovation may be up to 100 years. This observation may best exemplify the specific role of universities as the producers of new knowledge, in particular. The utilization of knowledge, on the other hand, requires persistent cooperation between several different actors.
Here at Aalto we have begun to develop a leadership system suitable for the academia, together with a force consisting of about one hundred individuals who are managing our university at various levels. You will hear more about the Aalto Leadership program later!
18.9.2009
Personnel transfer
I wish to respond to an important issue that has been raised spontaneously.
It has been enquired as to why all personnel are not directly transferred to Aalto’s new career systems already this year, as is done with permanent professors.
I understand the situation, but it is highly important that we have adequate time to examine each person’s work situation before the transfer. This requires individual development discussions with the supervisor. We wish to ensure that supervisors are up to date with the essentials of the new career system and we are therefore organizing management-level trainings this fall to discuss the essentials of the career system and the Aalto University strategy.
The first draft of the strategy has been completed, and the schools must be given the opportunity to discuss it. According to my estimation, the planning of school- and department-specific strategies cannot begin until at the turn of the year. A key element to this work are the results of the research evaluation, which were finalized a couple weeks ago.
The transfer of professors is the only thing that can be done immediately. Professors are already in the Tenure track and have been evaluated within the new career system. We still need instructions that determine on what grounds other personnel will be transferred to the new career system. Similarly, we need school- and department-specific strategies that can be utilized in the relocation of personnel.
One of the most important aims of the career system is that the university commits to the development of its personnel and thus breaks away from the cycle of continuous fixed-term employment contracts. Unfortunately, implementing this change requires so much time that we will not be able to complete it before the end of the year. After that, we can prioritize transfers so that the work situation of those on fixed-term contracts can be handled first.
So to clarify: although we do not have the time to transfer all personnel to new career systems by the end of the year, all employment contracts will be transferred to Aalto with the existing terms. So we are not planning to implement any “trial periods” or give notices in any personnel group.
Best regards,
Tuula
It has been enquired as to why all personnel are not directly transferred to Aalto’s new career systems already this year, as is done with permanent professors.
I understand the situation, but it is highly important that we have adequate time to examine each person’s work situation before the transfer. This requires individual development discussions with the supervisor. We wish to ensure that supervisors are up to date with the essentials of the new career system and we are therefore organizing management-level trainings this fall to discuss the essentials of the career system and the Aalto University strategy.
The first draft of the strategy has been completed, and the schools must be given the opportunity to discuss it. According to my estimation, the planning of school- and department-specific strategies cannot begin until at the turn of the year. A key element to this work are the results of the research evaluation, which were finalized a couple weeks ago.
The transfer of professors is the only thing that can be done immediately. Professors are already in the Tenure track and have been evaluated within the new career system. We still need instructions that determine on what grounds other personnel will be transferred to the new career system. Similarly, we need school- and department-specific strategies that can be utilized in the relocation of personnel.
One of the most important aims of the career system is that the university commits to the development of its personnel and thus breaks away from the cycle of continuous fixed-term employment contracts. Unfortunately, implementing this change requires so much time that we will not be able to complete it before the end of the year. After that, we can prioritize transfers so that the work situation of those on fixed-term contracts can be handled first.
So to clarify: although we do not have the time to transfer all personnel to new career systems by the end of the year, all employment contracts will be transferred to Aalto with the existing terms. So we are not planning to implement any “trial periods” or give notices in any personnel group.
Best regards,
Tuula
7.9.2009
Time for serious action
As the Implementing Act of the new Universities Act came into force, we have moved several steps forward toward the launching of the new university. The Boards of the three universities reappointed the Board of Aalto University on August 14, in accordance with the Universities Act, and my own role as President was reaffirmed in the Aalto University Board meeting on August 17.
Now that we are fully authorized, we can continue our planning with renewed force and can soon begin to realize our plans. The first draft of Aalto University’s strategy was formulated as a result of months of preparation by the change teams and the Board. During the spring, several parts of the strategy were opened for public feedback, generating valuable ideas, criticism, and encouragement. I myself became involved in the preparations on April 1 and in July I compiled the first draft of the strategy, based on the final reports presented by the change teams. This draft has now been discussed by the Aalto University Board, the rectors, the students, the Boards of the three universities, and the cooperation councils for the first time. The strategy will be further refined throughout the fall. We have also launched discussions concerning the first draft of the ordinance and the new university’s organization.
So the preparations are gradually moving on toward implementation and we are now more ready to also make decisions. First priority is given to issues that must be ready by January 1, 2010, such as the transfer of contracts and insurances to Aalto University, as well as the transfer of academic personnel to new career systems. The specially appointed preparation teams began to plan these issues Friday, September 4. We now possess a large number of competent people at Aalto University to support concrete decision-making.
The aim is to finalize preparations for the transfer of permanent professorships by the end of the year. All other personnel will be transferred to Aalto in accordance with the existing contracts at the turn of the year and their relocation into the new career system will be carried out during the year 2010.
The confirmation of Aalto’s organization will be followed by the recruitment of university administration, vice rectors, and other administrative personnel. I am currently in the process of conducting interviews with, for example, candidates appointed by the university rectors as vice rectors. This process will continue at least until the end of September, after which I will invite proposals for suitable candidates also from other parties within the university. As for administrative personnel, we will consider all internal candidates, but will also seek for necessary expertise outside the university, if necessary.
I wish You a good fall!
Tuula
Now that we are fully authorized, we can continue our planning with renewed force and can soon begin to realize our plans. The first draft of Aalto University’s strategy was formulated as a result of months of preparation by the change teams and the Board. During the spring, several parts of the strategy were opened for public feedback, generating valuable ideas, criticism, and encouragement. I myself became involved in the preparations on April 1 and in July I compiled the first draft of the strategy, based on the final reports presented by the change teams. This draft has now been discussed by the Aalto University Board, the rectors, the students, the Boards of the three universities, and the cooperation councils for the first time. The strategy will be further refined throughout the fall. We have also launched discussions concerning the first draft of the ordinance and the new university’s organization.
So the preparations are gradually moving on toward implementation and we are now more ready to also make decisions. First priority is given to issues that must be ready by January 1, 2010, such as the transfer of contracts and insurances to Aalto University, as well as the transfer of academic personnel to new career systems. The specially appointed preparation teams began to plan these issues Friday, September 4. We now possess a large number of competent people at Aalto University to support concrete decision-making.
The aim is to finalize preparations for the transfer of permanent professorships by the end of the year. All other personnel will be transferred to Aalto in accordance with the existing contracts at the turn of the year and their relocation into the new career system will be carried out during the year 2010.
The confirmation of Aalto’s organization will be followed by the recruitment of university administration, vice rectors, and other administrative personnel. I am currently in the process of conducting interviews with, for example, candidates appointed by the university rectors as vice rectors. This process will continue at least until the end of September, after which I will invite proposals for suitable candidates also from other parties within the university. As for administrative personnel, we will consider all internal candidates, but will also seek for necessary expertise outside the university, if necessary.
I wish You a good fall!
Tuula
22.6.2009
Just before the summer holidays
Just before the summer holidays we were informed that the Parliament has approved of the Universities Act, which has aroused a lot of discussion. We have now received a mandate from our MPs to truly begin the founding of Aalto University!
During the summer, we will work together with the Board and change teams to develop our new university’s organization, ordinance, and development plan. By the end of the summer, we will be able to discuss these with the entire community. The feedback discussion on the new university’s values has just concluded and the results from the discussion will also be analyzed during the summer.
I received the first results of the evaluation of the research from the Chairs of the panels last Friday. As usual, we received both praise and criticism. We have many top units that are at the cutting edge of international research, but we need to adopt a more international approach in our work. Results of the evaluation will be published in the beginning of September, after which I will discuss the feedback with the units that took part in the evaluation.
I have received a number of opinions and suggestions through various feedback channels. The feedback seems to include a lot of frustration caused by the ongoing changes. Luckily, there is a channel that allows for the expression of these kinds of feelings. Both the positive and negative feedback will be taken into account when continuing the planning process.
The university’s new visual image evokes both negative and positive feelings. The winning proposal is the starting point for planning our new logo and entire visual image – so it will not be realized exactly as it is. I myself am part of the visual image planning team and am convinced that we will be able to design a brilliant image for the new university. The brand consists of the content, while the purpose of the logo and the visual image is to be memorable and remind people of our unique operational methods.
The modesty of concrete actions seems to be causing a lot of concern at this stage. I can only say that well-planned is as good as half-done: we could not implement reforms before the Universities Act came into force. But we can do this next fall and in the beginning of next year we can truly begin the development work!
One of our first concrete measures was the launching of idea contests for research and teaching. One common research project, aivoAalto, is already underway and funding has been granted for a number of new curricula in the fall. We are drafting plans for immediate actions in many important development areas, such as the range of IT services, to ensure that improvements may be implemented already during next fall. I believe that the completion of Aalto University’s development plan and the related implementation plans at the turn of the year will boost confidence in the fact that we are genuinely developing an even better joint university.
I wish everyone at Aalto a sunny and relaxing summer holiday!
During the summer, we will work together with the Board and change teams to develop our new university’s organization, ordinance, and development plan. By the end of the summer, we will be able to discuss these with the entire community. The feedback discussion on the new university’s values has just concluded and the results from the discussion will also be analyzed during the summer.
I received the first results of the evaluation of the research from the Chairs of the panels last Friday. As usual, we received both praise and criticism. We have many top units that are at the cutting edge of international research, but we need to adopt a more international approach in our work. Results of the evaluation will be published in the beginning of September, after which I will discuss the feedback with the units that took part in the evaluation.
I have received a number of opinions and suggestions through various feedback channels. The feedback seems to include a lot of frustration caused by the ongoing changes. Luckily, there is a channel that allows for the expression of these kinds of feelings. Both the positive and negative feedback will be taken into account when continuing the planning process.
The university’s new visual image evokes both negative and positive feelings. The winning proposal is the starting point for planning our new logo and entire visual image – so it will not be realized exactly as it is. I myself am part of the visual image planning team and am convinced that we will be able to design a brilliant image for the new university. The brand consists of the content, while the purpose of the logo and the visual image is to be memorable and remind people of our unique operational methods.
The modesty of concrete actions seems to be causing a lot of concern at this stage. I can only say that well-planned is as good as half-done: we could not implement reforms before the Universities Act came into force. But we can do this next fall and in the beginning of next year we can truly begin the development work!
One of our first concrete measures was the launching of idea contests for research and teaching. One common research project, aivoAalto, is already underway and funding has been granted for a number of new curricula in the fall. We are drafting plans for immediate actions in many important development areas, such as the range of IT services, to ensure that improvements may be implemented already during next fall. I believe that the completion of Aalto University’s development plan and the related implementation plans at the turn of the year will boost confidence in the fact that we are genuinely developing an even better joint university.
I wish everyone at Aalto a sunny and relaxing summer holiday!
10.6.2009
What were my thoughts in India?
I spent last week in India as a guest at the wedding of a postgraduate student of mine who just completed a doctoral degree. The experience was overwhelming and I will certainly need a few weeks to take in all my experiences during the week. My principal memory is that of the unconditional kindness and hospitality of the Indian hosts. During the journey, we repeatedly engaged in loud and lively discussion on issues such as the history and present day of our home countries, child rearing, education, religion and free thinking, the impact of urbanization, environmental issues, and the state of the world.
During the journey, I was evidently also influenced by India’s all-embracing pluralism, a society characterized by numerous religions, tens of languages, as well as huge social and economics differences. Poverty remains a concrete issue as people spend their nights sleeping on the streets or in the fields, the hotel staff wake up on the floor of the lobby, and mothers with children can be seen begging everywhere. Town planning is still in its infancy and traffic culture could use a true renaissance. Education is valued; one of the families I met spends 75% of their income to educate their only son. Although basic education is both compulsory and free in India, higher education remains expensive and available only to the select few. Our society’s tax-paid education is therefore a privilege that should be regarded with respect and responsibility.
Drafting of the Universities Act continues here in our home country, as do preparations for Aalto University. Newly motivated by my India experience, I will continue my work with Aalto University next week with enthusiasm, ambition, and true responsibility, aware of the fact that we play a small but crucial role in ensuring sustainable development for future generations, both in Finland and the world at large. One of our common questions could be: how can the new Aalto University help the poorest people in India and other countries to reach education and research?
During the journey, I was evidently also influenced by India’s all-embracing pluralism, a society characterized by numerous religions, tens of languages, as well as huge social and economics differences. Poverty remains a concrete issue as people spend their nights sleeping on the streets or in the fields, the hotel staff wake up on the floor of the lobby, and mothers with children can be seen begging everywhere. Town planning is still in its infancy and traffic culture could use a true renaissance. Education is valued; one of the families I met spends 75% of their income to educate their only son. Although basic education is both compulsory and free in India, higher education remains expensive and available only to the select few. Our society’s tax-paid education is therefore a privilege that should be regarded with respect and responsibility.
Drafting of the Universities Act continues here in our home country, as do preparations for Aalto University. Newly motivated by my India experience, I will continue my work with Aalto University next week with enthusiasm, ambition, and true responsibility, aware of the fact that we play a small but crucial role in ensuring sustainable development for future generations, both in Finland and the world at large. One of our common questions could be: how can the new Aalto University help the poorest people in India and other countries to reach education and research?
18.5.2009
Preparations for Aalto University continue
According to the statement concerning the Universities Act issued by the Committee for Constitutional Law on last Wednesday, foundation universities may be universities in compliance with the constitution. A foundation university may have an external board and the private parties that have signed the charter of foundation will possess legal rights to minority representation in the board. However, the Committee for Constitutional Law decreed that appointment of the board in a foundation university shall be determined within the university community itself.
Last week, I published the following statement in our internal channel concerning the preparations for the Aalto University:
”The transformation process from three universities operating as accounting offices into Aalto University requires careful preparations, which are well underway. This is what the founders of Aalto University Foundation – the State of Finland and private parties – have required. We should remember that Aalto University is a pilot project in the Finnish university reform, alongside the Universities of Turku and the University of Eastern Finland.
Preparations are in progress in all these units to ensure that the prerequisites for establishing a university are met when the law comes into effect. In its supplementary budget in June 2008, the Parliament approved of a total of 200 million euros of state funding to Aalto University Foundation. Aalto University Foundation was established before the Universities Act was heard so that the Parliament could see the nature of the Foundation that would be legally responsible for the university’s operations. The Foundation has already created some of the preconditions for launching and developing university operations from the requirements of research and education.
We will proceed with the preparations for our new university according to plan. Aalto University Foundation operates in compliance with the Foundations Act and the Board will use this as a basis for continuing preparations until the Universities Act comes into effect.
The main goal of the reform is to enhance the operational preconditions for research and education as well as the financial and administrative autonomy of universities”.
Last week, I published the following statement in our internal channel concerning the preparations for the Aalto University:
”The transformation process from three universities operating as accounting offices into Aalto University requires careful preparations, which are well underway. This is what the founders of Aalto University Foundation – the State of Finland and private parties – have required. We should remember that Aalto University is a pilot project in the Finnish university reform, alongside the Universities of Turku and the University of Eastern Finland.
Preparations are in progress in all these units to ensure that the prerequisites for establishing a university are met when the law comes into effect. In its supplementary budget in June 2008, the Parliament approved of a total of 200 million euros of state funding to Aalto University Foundation. Aalto University Foundation was established before the Universities Act was heard so that the Parliament could see the nature of the Foundation that would be legally responsible for the university’s operations. The Foundation has already created some of the preconditions for launching and developing university operations from the requirements of research and education.
We will proceed with the preparations for our new university according to plan. Aalto University Foundation operates in compliance with the Foundations Act and the Board will use this as a basis for continuing preparations until the Universities Act comes into effect.
The main goal of the reform is to enhance the operational preconditions for research and education as well as the financial and administrative autonomy of universities”.
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