University of Turku confers ten new honorary doctors

04.02.2025

The University of Turku will confer ten honorary doctors at the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees on 15–16 May 2025. An honorary doctorate is the most prestigious recognition the University can bestow.

In addition to the graduated doctors, the new honorary doctors of the University of Turku will be conferred at the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees of all faculties. The honorary doctors are conferred for their scientific merits, collaboration with the University of Turku, or because their work has had a significant impact on society.

Author Pajtim Statovci is one of the new honorary doctors of the University of Turku and will be conferred as the honorary doctor of the Faculty of Humanities. Statovci's conferment as an honorary doctor is in recognition of his outstanding literary work, and the Faculty of Humanities greatly appreciates his collaboration with the University’s researchers.

“With deep gratitude, I thank the University of Turku for this special recognition. It is an immense pleasure and privilege to be conferred as an honorary doctor," says Statovci of the recognition.

The honorary doctorates are also conferred to Professor Valentina Dagienė, Author Tiina Raevaara, Doctor of Philosophy Ilkka Herlin, Professor Emeritus Daniel R. Meyer, Professor Emeritus Fazal Rizvi, Professor Emeritus Thomas Wilhelmsson, Professor Stephen L. Vargo, Executive Vice President Elli Siltala, and Master of Science in Technology Olli Manner.

“An honorary doctorate is the most prestigious recognition the University community can bestow. The recognition is a way of honouring outstanding work in science and culture. For us, the honorary doctors form an important network and a link outside our own University community," says Hannu Salmi, Professor of Cultural History at the University of Turku, who is the Master of Ceremonies of the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees.

Read more about the new honorary doctors of the University of Turku:

Pajtim Statovci, who will be conferred as the honorary doctor of the Faculty of Humanities, is one of Finland's most successful, award-winning and translated authors. In his linguistically and narratively rich novels, Statovci discusses alienation, otherness and a sense of injustice. He has won literary prizes both in Finland and abroad. The University’s departments organising the Degree Programme in Comparative Literature and Creative Writing at the Faculty of Humanities have collaborated with Statovci on research projects.

Professor Valentina Dagienė from Vilnius University will be conferred as the honorary doctor of the Faculty of Science in recognition of her contribution to informatics and STEM education. She has authored influential papers and textbooks, founded two international journals, and been instrumental in advancing informatics as a school subject. Professor Dagienė has led several international projects and is highly respected for her efforts to bridge the gap between education and technology. She has collaborated with Turku Research Institute for Learning Analytics at the University of Turku for over 20 years and is currently working with researchers at the Institute to create a worldwide education research ecosystem.

Award-winning author and non-fiction writer Tiina Raevaara will be conferred as an honorary doctor of the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Medicine in recognition of her outstanding work as a link between academia and society. She is an accomplished science communicator and cultural influencer, bringing researched information closer to the public. Her work is an exceptional combination of scientific knowledge, philosophical reflection, and a strong narrative voice, opening up new perspectives for readers and researchers alike. Through her work, Raevaara has strengthened the societal relevance of research and built bridges between science, art and society. Her contribution promotes the values of the University of Turku, which emphasise multidisciplinarity, accessibility of knowledge, and societal interaction.

Doctor of Philosophy Ilkka Herlin will be conferred as the honorary doctor of the Faculty of Medicine in recognition of his significant contribution to the advancement of research on sustainable development, environmental protection, and health. Herlin is particularly known for his work with the Baltic Sea Action Group and Carbon Action projects, which promote a cleaner environment, healthier food systems, and climate change mitigation. These actions have an indirect impact on public health and well-being by laying the foundations for a healthier future. In addition, Herlin has directly supported several health-related research projects, underlining his commitment to multidisciplinary collaboration and sustainable societal development.

Professor Emeritus of Social Work Daniel R. Meyer will be conferred as the honorary doctor of the Faculty of Social Sciences. He is an internationally renowned researcher who has studied changes in families and family dynamics, particularly single parenthood and children's living arrangements after parental separation. He studies family policies and their impact on low-income families with children. Professor Meyer has a longstanding collaboration with researchers at the Department of Social Research and the INVEST Research Flagship Centre at the University of Turku. Professor Meyer is also known for his groundbreaking research on child support systems. The results of his studies have led to major legislative and social policy reforms in both the US and Europe.

Emeritus Professor Fazal Rizvi will be conferred as the honorary doctor of the Faculty of Education for his internationally significant contribution to the field of education and his long-standing collaboration with the University of Turku. Professor Rizvi's main fields of research are the globalisation of education and education policy, and issues of identity and culture in transnational contexts. He has worked as a professor at several universities, including the University of Illinois and the University of Melbourne. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Turku in 2019–2024. Professor Rizvi has participated in the research activities of the Department of Education and the Centre for Research on Lifelong Learning and Education (CELE), supervised doctoral dissertations and postdoctoral studies, taught degree students, and made a significant contribution to the internationalisation of the faculty.

Professor Emeritus Thomas Wilhelmsson will be conferred as the honorary doctor of the Faculty of Law in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the fields of civil and commercial law, for innovating research methods and opening up debates on the history of the disciplines, and for his impressive activities as a legal scholar, teacher and academic leader. Professor Wilhelmsson is one of Finland's leading experts in several sectors of civil and commercial law. He is also an accomplished legal theorist. Professor Wilhelmsson's research is of a high theoretical standard and important for the practical legal system. Typically, he approaches his topic as both a legal scholar and a social scientist.

Professor of the University of Oklahoma Stephen L. Vargo will be conferred as the honorary doctor of Turku School of Economics in recognition of his groundbreaking work in advancing marketing and service research. Professor Vargo has published hundreds of scholarly articles and received numerous prestigious awards in the field. He is also one of the most cited marketing scholars globally, with research impact extending across disciplinary boundaries. Professor Vargo's work has profoundly influenced both the academic community and business practices in Finland and worldwide. By fostering dialogue between academia and business, he has significantly strengthened the role of service research as a strategic domain. Professor Vargo has established long-standing and productive collaboration with the University of Turku and the broader Finnish research community.

Executive Vice President Elli Siltala will be conferred as the honorary doctor of Turku School of Economics and the Faculty of Technology in recognition of her distinguished career as a developer of Finnish food production and trade, as well as the security of supply for society. Siltala is a distinguished developer of food production and retail both in Finland and abroad. She is currently responsible for Valio's national and international core businesses and markets. Throughout her career, Siltala has actively contributed to Finnish food culture, focusing on raising awareness of Finnish food, promoting a responsible food chain and highlighting its benefits, thereby enhancing the industry's international competitiveness. Furthermore, Siltala has also been a member of the Board of the Turku University Foundation (2021–2024) and a member of the Board and Chair of the Finfood – Finnish Food Information Association (2018–).

Master of Science in Technology Olli Manner will be conferred as the honorary doctor of the Faculty of Technology in recognition of his long and productive work in building technological excellence in Finland and promoting the development of technology education at the University of Turku. As CEO and Chair of the Board, Manner has led the growth of the Turku-based companies Elomatic and Cadmatic into Finnish high-tech export companies with a global reputation for expertise. He has been committed to strengthening engineering activities and technology education in Turku. As the chair of the FITech Turku management group of the Finnish Institute of Technology, Manner brought together Finnish universities of technology and the industry demands for high-tech talent in the Southwest Finland.

Created 04.02.2025 | Updated 04.02.2025