The University of Turku has started preparing a new strategy for 2021–2030. Interaction and community involvement are core principles in the strategic planning process. The new strategy and its policy programmes are prepared during 2019.
The personnel and students of the University of Turku gathered together to a strategic planning seminar and workshop on 16 May 2019. The event started with short speeches from Chair of the University Board Ritva Viljanen and Chair of the Steering Group for Strategic Planning Jukka Kola.
Ritva Viljanen encouraged the community to creativity and suggesting new initiatives. She also reminded the participants about the University’s basic missions, one of which is upholding a learned society and spreading knowledge.
– Although the way we see knowledge and education changes slowly, it does change. The University’s new strategy updates also these concepts. Furthermore, the strategy needs to defend and strengthen the University's autonomy and role as a pioneer, said Viljanen.
Chair of the Steering Group for Strategic Planning Jukka Kola thanked the community for its active participation in the first community survey of the strategic planning process where ideas and suggestions were collected for the basis of the strategy work.
– We received over one hundred ideas or suggestions, hundreds of comments, and two thousand likes. It was great to see you take such an active role in the process. Now, it’s time for the next phase when we’ll start to process the strategic goals together, said Kola.
Jukka Kola reminded the participants why the strategic planning process is carried out.
– We do this for ourselves, for the University of Turku personnel and students as well as our stakeholders. It's a question of how we promote the quality and effectiveness of our main missions, research and education. Along with that, other matters are also developed, and we’ll be an even stronger operator and a more attractive partner in co-operation.
The next strategy period is 2021–2030, and the strategy is prepared during 2019. Interaction and community involvement are core principles in the strategic planning process.
– Let’s prepare an excellent strategy together. Let’s find the ways to be as unique, inspiring, and effective as possible in research, education, societal interaction, and community well-being.
The strategic planning for 2021–2030 is led by a steering group appointed by Rector Kalervo Väänänen and its chair is Director Jukka Kola (Rector from 1 Aug 2019 onwards).
The members of the University community can participate in the strategic planning in many ways: throughout the year, several community surveys will be conducted to the personnel and students. The first survey was organised in April, and the next one will open for the community on 20 May, and everyone will be informed about it by email. During the strategic planning process, external stakeholders will be consulted, too.
The members of the University community, both the personnel and students, can follow the progress of the strategy work and read more about how to participate in the process on the intranet's strategic planning webpages (signing in required with the University of Turku username).
Impressions from Kick-off Seminar
At the kick-off seminar organised on 16 May 2019, the participants gave their own contribution to strategic planning in the workshops. The participants discussed the quality and impact of research and education, University’s societal interaction, the well-being of personnel and students, internal and external collaboration, and the University’s values in the workshops. In addition, digitalisation, multidisciplinarity, sustainable development, and internationality were discussed at the kick-off seminar.
