Background
Psykonet is a university network of psychology consisting of all seven departments of psychology in Finland that award a legally certified degree needed to work as a practicing or academic psychologist in the country. The network was established at the end of 1980’s as the outcome of a suggestion by a group of academic psychologists to the Ministry of Education that instead of reducing the number of psychology departments, new challenges could be tackled by a network consisting of all of them.
Since the beginning of the network, three clear targets for the joint action have been central to Psykonet’s activities: the teaching of psychology, doctoral training and continuing education of practicing psychologists.
Aim and Mission
Psykonet’s mission today is to educate high-class psychologists and researchers with comprehensive professional and scientific knowledge, as well as to ensure that educational demands within the field of psychology are met on all levels of education (basic, continuing and doctoral). The operational ambition of the network is to combine high quality psychological research and its application in day-to-day psychological work. The operational ambition of the network is to combine high quality psychological research and its application in day-to-day psychological work. One of core tasks of Psykonet is to provide specialization training leading to a special psychologist’s qualification. The training is given in five fields of specialization: children and adolescents, clinical health psychology, neuropsychology, psychotherapy, and work and organisational psychology.
Organization
Psykonet’s organization consists of a director, a board, various operational task forces, and teaching and administrative staff.
Psykonet is an important actor in the Finnish field of psychology. It serves as a common voice of psychology departments in matters concerning developments in the field; providing information e.g. to ministries, analyzing the needs of the field of psychology etc. It enhances cooperation, synergy and building distinguishing profiles between departments of psychology.