With the agreement, which will be in effect until 2033, the City of Rauma commits to supporting the operation and development of the Rauma campus of the Department of Teacher Education of the University of Turku.
In its meeting on 27 February, the City Council of Rauma unanimously approved the co-operation agreement between the City of Rauma and the University of Turku. The co-operation agreement reinforces the teaching and research collaboration of the City and the University. The City of Rauma supports the operation and development of the Rauma campus with €1.25 million per year.
The University of Turku commits to carrying on university education leading to a degree and related research activities in Rauma. The extent of the operations of the Department of Teacher Education of the University of Turku at the Rauma campus will remain at least on the level of the academic year 2022–2023. The agreement is in force for a fixed term until the end of 2033.
The operation of the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centre Rauman pikkunorssi is transferred to the City of Rauma with a separate agreement. At the moment, the operation of the centre is run by Pikkunorssi Oy owned by a subsidiary of the University of Turku, and the enterprise will be transferred to the City of Rauma on 31 December 2023 at the latest. The University of Turku commits to continuing the development and research collaboration in early childhood education with Pikkunorssi.
The University Board of the University of Turku approved the principles of the co-operation agreement in its meeting on 14 February, and the City Board of Rauma discussed the agreement in its meeting on 20 February.
The Rauma unit of the Department of Teacher Education of the University of Turku, Rauman normaalikoulu teacher training school and the ECEC centre Pikkunorssi operate on the Rauma campus of the University of Turku. The University organises both degree and open education in the degree programmes of Primary Teacher Education, Early Childhood Teacher Education and Technology Education as well as research and scientific post-graduate studies on the campus. The Department of Teacher Education, established in 1896 and originally known as Rauman seminaari, is the longest continuously operating unit of the University of Turku.