Academy of Finland Awarded the University of Turku as the Best Provider of Academic Experts
16.09.2015
The Xpert Search service of the Academy of Finland has awarded the University of Turku as the most active provider of experts. In the service, universities and research institutes find researchers for the media when they need experts to comment on different matters.
The Academy of Finland established the Find Xpert service 10 years ago under the instruction of the Ministry of Education and Culture. The University of Turku was recognised as the best Xpert Search partner because it has been very active throughout the existence of the service. The University received a special mention that, in recent years, it has invested in updating information and finding contacts in all its fields of science.
– As a multidisciplinary University, we have an extensive group of experts. In addition to research and education, the third mission of the University is interaction with the society, and the interviews and comments provided by the experts to the media are part of that interaction. Scientific results have to be available to all, says Communications Director Anne Paasi.
In order to diversify the ongoing discussion in the society, the University of Turku has strived to put forward researchers unknown to the public through the Xpert Search service.
The University of Turku's Docent Ville Pernaa, who gave a speech in the Xpert Search 10 year anniversary celebration, highlighted the importance of the universities' third mission and encouraged researchers to bring their expertise forward. As an example, he gave the contact information and expert lists on the universities' internet and intranet pages and said that they should be updated regularly.
– For me, the quip "on-call docent" is an honorary title. Expertise increases the legitimacy of academic research. It is a demanding profession and developing your skills in expertise is possible, said Pernaa.
Text and photo: Erja Hyytiäinen
Translation: Mari Ratia
– As a multidisciplinary University, we have an extensive group of experts. In addition to research and education, the third mission of the University is interaction with the society, and the interviews and comments provided by the experts to the media are part of that interaction. Scientific results have to be available to all, says Communications Director Anne Paasi.
In order to diversify the ongoing discussion in the society, the University of Turku has strived to put forward researchers unknown to the public through the Xpert Search service.
The University of Turku's Docent Ville Pernaa, who gave a speech in the Xpert Search 10 year anniversary celebration, highlighted the importance of the universities' third mission and encouraged researchers to bring their expertise forward. As an example, he gave the contact information and expert lists on the universities' internet and intranet pages and said that they should be updated regularly.
– For me, the quip "on-call docent" is an honorary title. Expertise increases the legitimacy of academic research. It is a demanding profession and developing your skills in expertise is possible, said Pernaa.
Text and photo: Erja Hyytiäinen
Translation: Mari Ratia