Tampere University’s activities in Seinäjoki focus on technology, health and well-being as well as regional and urban development. We carry out research and development activities and provide continuous learning services within these thematic areas. UCS has a long history of offering basic and specialist training in medicine as well as Open University courses.
UCS housed a total of 22 research groups in 2020. They study topics that fall within UCS’s four multidisciplinary research priority areas. The research interests of Tampere University’s groups are in smart technology, well-being and creativity. Committees that are mainly comprised of key stakeholders, companies and development organisations convene regularly to support the work of the research groups at UCS.
The recruitment processes of four new professors and one group leader were completed at UCS in late 2020. Three of them have an international background. Tampere University recruited three of the four new professors. In addition, four new postdoctoral research fellows were exceptionally hired in 2020 to strengthen the research groups.
In education, UCS placed the highest priority on the delivery of degree programmes and the provision and development of continuous learning services. Tampere University offered a Finnish-language master’s programme in digital manufacturing and the University of Vaasa a Finnish-language master’s programme in start-up management. The range of continuous learning services included Open University courses, professional development programmes and seminars relating to the activities of UCS-based research groups.
UCS has a long-standing tradition of offering pathway programmes as an alternative route to higher education. Made up of Open University courses, for example, in the field of social work, health sciences or management, these programmes have enabled motivated students to gain admission to university.
Despite Covid-19, UCS hosted a variety of events both for internal audiences and stakeholders in 2020. The support groups for professors convened virtual meetings. Expert lectures, a seminar on regional development and ecosystems, and the Tietoprovinssi conference that showcases UCS research also took place in an online environment.
Launched in the autumn of 2019, the collaboration with the newspaper Ilkka-Pohjalainen continued in 2020. The weekly specialist commentaries authored by members of the UCS community have received excellent feedback.
The University of the Arts Helsinki conducted development in organising Covid-safe arts event, experimenting with exceptional musical performances delivered in exceptional surroundings and streamed live.
Statistics
| Staff | Teaching and research staff | Support staff | Professors | Total staff | ||||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| Tampere University | 10 | 11* | 13 | 34 | 28 | |||
| University of Helsinki | 10 | 14 | 1 | 25 | 27 | |||
| University of Vaasa | 19 | 3 | 5 | 27** | 21 | |||
| University of the Arts Helsinki | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | |||
| University of Turku | 6 | 1 | 7 | 11 | ||||
*This number includes the UCS-wide team of coordinators (5 persons in 2021)
**Several staff members affiliated with the University of Vaasa are employed on a short-term basis.
Total students (all universities at UCS)
| BSc and MSc | Doctoral* | Total | Open University | ||||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 |
| 45 | 57 | 13 | 13 | 58 | 70 | 772 | 752 |
*UCS offers workspaces for researchers regardless of their institutional affiliation. The number of doctoral students is based on the persons who actively use these workspaces and are members of UCS’s scientific community.
In addition to the number of students in the table above, 1,271 persons attended professional development programmes at UCS.
Degrees conferred (all universities at UCS)
| Bachelor’s
degrees |
Master’s
degrees |
Doctoral degrees | Total | ||||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 |
| – | – | 6 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 9 | 16 |
*There are no bachelor’s programmes and no annual MSc programme intake at UCS.
Publications (all universities at UCS)
The Finnish JUFO rating scale for scientific publication channels includes three categories: 1 = basic; 2 = leading; 3 = top.
| JuFo 1 | JuFo 2 | JuFo 3 | Total (JuFo 0-3) | ||||
| 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 | 2020 | 2019 |
| 56 | 20 | 7 | 88 | ||||
*Publications were classified based on the Academy of Finland’s eight-tier ranking up until 2019.