The University of Turku has received the Fairtrade University title. The title was awarded to the University for committing to promoting ethical trade and making more ethical purchases. The title was awarded by Fairtrade Finland.
The University of Turku's Amazon Research Team's (UTU-ART) botanical acquisitions focus especially on ferns and medinilla plants. After spending weeks in the jungle, the researchers’ plant specimen findings end up in the University's Herbarium and databases. The Amazonia is home to innumerable unknown species and therefore it is important to develop the databases.
A specimen belonging to the Amazon Research Team's collections
Staff members of Egyptian universities and VET-schools participated in a pedagogical and management training for project based learning in Turku. The training was organized by University of Turku and Machine Technology Center Turku. The aim of the training was to encourage the teachers to use project-based learning as a part of teaching and to develop the soft skills of the students.
The participants and teachers of the training.
On Thursday 25 October, a Russian-Finnish symposium presenting the countries’ collaboration in drug development was organised for the fifth time. During the symposium, presentations on collaboration projects and the possibilities and challenges of the present and the future of the drug industry were given.
The BepiColombo orbiters were launched into space on Saturday, 20 October 2018 from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Journeying to the innermost and smallest planet of our Solar System, the orbiters are carrying Finnish high technology with them. Head of Space Research Laboratory at the University of Turku, Professor Rami Vainio has been responsible for the particle detector of the SIXS instrument aboard the Bepi orbiter.
The universities that apply for the European University status from the European Commission are traditional education and research universities. Close and well-functioning co-operation with their respective cities is a strength shared by all of the universities.
Professor Jo Shaw of University of Edinburgh delivered the seventh Turku Law School Annual Lecture on 23 October 2018 at the Faculty of Law to an audience of 200 academics and students.
The University Board selects the new Rector for a five-year term starting on 1 August 2019.
The University Properties of Finland Ltd (SYK) will build a new building for shared use between Åbo Akademi University and the University of Turku to replace the old Juslenia building at Henrikinkatu. A contest was organised from 24 May to 7 September to find a name for the new building. A total of 98 name suggestions were submitted through the contest, out of which Aurum was chosen as the name for the new building.
Illustration of the new Aurum building from Henrikinkatu.