Rector
Professor Keijo Virtanen
Visiting address: University of Turku Main Building, first floor
Tel: + 358 (0)2 333 6101, Fax: +358 (0)2 333 6440
E-mail: rector@utu.fi
The Rector directs the activities and processes of the University and solves any issues concerning its general management. The Rector represents the University and uses the University's right to speak in courts of law and in dealings with the authorities.
- Professor Keijo Virtanen has served the University of Turku since the year 1969, first as a Research and Junior Assistant, then as an Acting Associate Professor in General History. From the year 1983 onwards, he continued as an Acting Professor and Lecturer in Cultural History. He was appointed Professor of Cultural History in 1990.
- Professor Virtanen has been elected three times the Rector of the University of Turku, first time on 1 June 1997. Prior to that, he was the First Vice Rector of the University during the years 1993-1997.
- As a researcher, Professor Virtanen has made numerous research and conference trips to the United States, Canada and to various European countries. He has also served as a Research Assistant and a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Michigan. In his research Professor Virtanen has focused on the American history and society, American impact in Europe and Finland, ethnicity, migration, processes related to interaction of culture, cultural history, methodology of history and science policy. Professor Virtanen has published 7 books and ca. 150 articles on these subjects. He has also been the editor of 13 other books. Since the year 1992 he has been the Editor for Finland of the Journal of American History.
- Professor Keijo Virtanen holds numerous honorary offices. To mention just a few, he has been the Chairman of the Advisory Board of CIMO (Centre for International Mobility, Helsinki), and is presently the Chairman of the Council of the Institute of Migration, Turku, and the Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Turku Running for the European Capital of Culture 2011 project. From 2003 through 2005 he was the member of the Science and Technology Policy Council of Finland, and continues in this position also in 2007-2011.
- Professor Virtanen has been appointed Honorary Consul of Estonia in the Southwest Finland. He holds Honorary Degrees from the University of Klaipeda, Lithuania (2001) and the University of Tartu, Estonia (2003).
Vice Rectors
Professor Harri Lönnberg
As Vice Rector, the duties of Harri Lönnberg (b. 1949), Professor of Organic Chemistry, will include strategies, funding and infrastructures of research, monitoring of research performance as well as research services and industrial cooperation.
Professor Pirjo Nuutila
As Vice Rector, Pirjo Nuutila (b. 1959), Professor of Internal Medicine, will be responsible for monitoring, evaluation and development of quality systems as well as postgraduate education.
Professor Tapio Reponen
As Vice Rector, the duties of Tapio Reponen (b. 1947), Professor of Information Systems, will be development of education and teaching as well as promoting societal and interest group relations. Reponen was the rector of Turku School of Economics 1996-2009 until the merger with the University of Turku on 1 Jan 2010.
The Vice Rectors’ term of office starts on 1 January 2010 and ends together with the Rector’s term on 31 July 2012.
Secretaries to the Rector
Ms. Eeva Salminen
Tel: +358 (0)2 333 6122
email: eeva.salminen@utu.fi
Ms. Jaana Fieandt
Tel. +358 (0)2 333 6003
email: jaana.fieandt@utu.fi
Secretary to the Vice Rectors
Ms. Tytti Sokura
Tel. +358 (0)2 333 6106
email: tytti.sokura@utu.fi