Rector Väänänen at the 95th Anniversary Celebration: 2014 Was a Lively Year for the University
The anniversary celebration of the University of Turku was held in the Main Building on 26 February.
Key Ensemble led by Teemu Honkanen was in charge of the music for the evening.
In his welcoming speech, Rector Kalervo Väänänen thanked the students and the staff for the lively year which saw a record-breaking amount of completed degrees and an increase in the research activities.
Väänänen noted that, despite the tight economic situation, the University of Turku has managed to direct more resources towards education and research.
He also discussed the changing academic world in Finland. According to Väänänen, the universities have two ways which are used too little to improve their quality of work and cost efficiency.
– First of all, the digitalisation of all administrative operations should go considerably further than at the moment. This is already well under way.
– The second course of action is to increase the co-operation between universities, which for the University of Turku means more collaboration with the neighbouring higher education institutions. I am convinced that we all still have a great deal to gain if we have the courage to take steps towards more profound co-operation with mutual respect and consideration, said Väänänen.
Under-secretary of State Matti Anttonen,who was chosen as the Alumni of the Year of the University of Turku, gave an oration at the anniversary celebration. Anttonen is the Under-secretary of State for External Economic Relations at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Finland, where he has worked with foreign affairs and economic relations since 1986 as, among other things, the Finnish Ambassador to Moscow and the Director General of the Department of External Economic Relations before his current position.
– I want to thank the University of Turku for the great work it does in the research of Russia and the Baltic Sea region. The University of Turku has an important role in increasing the knowledge and understanding of the future generations.
Anttonen highlighted how important it is to know one's own surroundings.
– We can do nothing about geography but at the best we can make use of it. What is going on at the moment between Finland, Estonia and the Baltic countries is an example of what the European integration creates, brings and gives, Anttonen referred to the economic relations between the countries that are continually becoming more tighter.
In addition, the recipients of the Phoenix Universitatis Turkuensis decoration were published at the anniversary celebration: Nobel winner Stefan W. Hell, Regional Director Satu Astala and MSocSci Juhani Heimonen. Astala and Heimonen received the decoration as an acknowledgement for their work as the Chairs of Turku Finnish University Society. Hell will receive the decoration later on.
The current Chair of Turku Finnish University Society, Editor Riitta Monto, and Rector Väänänen awarded the decorations.
Text: Taru Suhonen
Photos Hanna Oksanen
Translation: Mari Ratia