Visit from the University of Rochester highlighted opportunities for multidisciplinary international collaboration and mobility
The MoU signed in spring aims to strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration between the two universities, both in research and in student and staff exchanges. With this objective in mind, the programme for the University of Rochester delegation included familiarisation with the University's activities, multidisciplinary themes and faculties, as well as meetings with researchers, the Council for Strategic Engagement and Impact and the University's management. The delegation was also introduced to the Finnish university funding system and funding opportunities between Finland and the United States.
The connection with the University of Rochester has been established through medieval studies, and the Faculty of Humanities has played a key role in initiating the collaboration. The Faculty's Vice Dean Pekka Lintunen described the meetings organised during the Rochester visit as highly rewarding.
“Time flew by during the faculty visit as there was so much to discuss. It is fascinating to see how many shared research themes we have discovered in such a short time. The next step is to take practical measures towards research collaboration. One potential avenue we discussed was the University of Rochester's publication series as a forum for different research collections," Lintunen says.
The networking event organised for the Rochester delegation with the Turku Institute for Advanced Studies (TIAS) was also a success.
“It was a pleasure to welcome colleagues from Rochester to TIAS and to discuss how best to collaborate in areas such as interdisciplinary research. Given the current political environment it is more important than ever not to turn our backs on our American colleagues who are also striving to make the world a better place. I look forward to working with our colleagues from Rochester in order to do exactly that," says Martin Cloonan, Director of TIAS.
In addition to the meetings held on the Turku campus, the visitors also had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the activities of the Archipelago Research Institute on the island of Seili. The visit was hosted by the University's Biodiversity Unit. Towards the end of their stay, the delegation travelled to Lapland, where they visited the Kevo Subarctic Research Station, the Sámi Museum Siida and the Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos. The delegation also met with the Mayor of Utsjoki Päivi Kontio.
