Openings by Provost Kristiina Mäkelä

Finland needs more Aalto graduates

THE PROGRAMME for government of Prime Minister Antti Rinne’s cabinet includes a chapter titled A Finland of expertise, education and innovation, which sets out guidelines for education and science policy. The title is quite apt from our perspective. The highest level of research-based education should support expertise, learning and innovation. No sub-section can be ignored.

The development of competence is especially close to my heart. I have, over the years, talked a lot about this issue both in my role as Provost of Aalto University and as a Professor of Management with an interest in the evolution of work. At the same time, I have noticed that educational issues are a major cause for concern.

High-quality education is the foundation of our prosperity. The programme for government sets out ambitious goals for university policy: raise Finland’s research, development and innovation expenditure to four percent of GDP and raise the share of university degree holders to 50% of each new age cohort by 2030. The realisation of these objectives would boost national competence significantly.

Kristiina Mäkelä.

Photo: Mikko Raskinen.

Public research, development and innovation policy should promote the building of competence clusters that draw companies to locate more of their functions into Finland. From the universities that operate at the core of such clusters, this requires not only worldclass standards, but also a strong focus on their respective strengths. Aalto University is spearheading this development in Finland. We have determinedly developed the University and its cooperation partners into an innovation cluster that is networked with the world’s leading centres of expertise and serves the entire nation.

The other major educational policy goal, raising the share of university graduates to 50% of each age cohort, is likewise excellent. Additional student admissions should target sectors and regions in which labour market demand is the highest and that support the national economy’s ability to innovate. These key sectors are technology, business science and, to an ever greater degree, the creative sectors, i.e. the three main fields of Aalto University.

Nationally, the need for additional university admissions pertains especially to the Uusimaa region, which has too few starting places relative to its population base. Furthermore, many companies suffer from a shortage of qualified employees in Uusimaa. The conclusion of this analysis is quite clear as well: Finland needs more Aalto graduates!

Aalto’s status as an engine of societally relevant expertise and sometimes even radical innovation is recognised, but it is of equal importance to understand the University’s strong commitment to furthering education and culture in general. Education is more than just the assimilation and application of information, nor does university education aim primarily for mastery of some specific profession – instead, it prepares students for continuous learning and the identifying of personal competence development needs. This is clearly connected with Aalto’s way of operating. We educate changemakers who think independently.

A student’s personal growth as well as the independent thought and responsibility that it requires are built by combining high-standard research and teaching – you can’t have one without the other. In addition, members of the Aalto community have a genuine opportunity to learn from one another; learners from teachers and teachers from learners.

Educated people aren’t afraid to think for themselves, they dare to be free and take responsibility for themselves, their actions and destiny.