Our academic staff contribute research-based knowledge to support decision-making in different sectors of society, among other things, by drawing up statements, holding advisory roles in governmental committees and serving on numerous working groups. A growing share of our research output was made openly accessible in 2021, and experts representing our three priority areas frequently appeared in national and international media as specialist commentators.
In 2021, we participated in 13 new European partnership projects. We build Horizon Europe partnerships to help our researchers connect with European research networks and make a long-term impact on European research policy. Our faculties made a special effort to also build strategic partnerships with institutions located outside of the EU/EEA, for example in the USA, Asia, India, China and Africa. These efforts were made possible by a new internationalisation programme for higher education institutions, which was launched by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and includes about a dozen networks called global pilots.
We generate future expertise, sustainable solutions and economic growth through participation in research projects funded by the Academy of Finland’s Strategic Research Council and the Academy’s Centre of Excellence and Finnish Flagship Programmes. We also maintain long-term partnerships, among other things, with the City of Tampere, Pirkanmaa Hospital District and Yleisradio, Finland’s national public service broadcasting company.
We are actively involved in Neurocenter Finland, which was established in 2021 as a collaborative network comprising seven universities and five hospital districts. Neurocenter Finland has a mission to foster collaboration between academia, hospitals, industry and business and increase the international visibility of neuroscience research conducted in Finland. Neurocenter Finland is included in the Finnish government’s Health Sector Growth Strategy and Personalised Medicine project.
Of all the universities in Finland, Tampere University receives the largest amount of company funding. One of our latest university-industry collaborations is the SoC Hub (System-on-Chip) ecosystem initiative. Supported by Business Finland and regional development funding, the SoC Hub seeks to disseminate knowledge of System-on-Chip design, develop expertise and attract more professionals to the SoC sector. The SoC Hub taps into the expertise and technologies of Tampere University, Nokia Oyj and a group of Finnish partner companies.
Read more about the Soc Hub ecosystem.
The Aerosol Physics Laboratory won the 2021 Societal Impact Award granted by Tampere University. The Laboratory carries out research that meets international standards of excellence and helps to improve the health and well-being of people and address climate change. The two support foundations of Tampere University presented Publisher of the Year Awards to three researchers: doctoral researcher Vadim Romashov, who conducts research in social sciences, Project Researcher Marjaana Jones, who specialises in health sciences, and doctoral researcher Jesse Saari, whose area of expertise is physics. Antti Kaunonen, President of the Kalmar Business Area of Cargotec Corporation, won our 2021 Alumni of the Year Award. The University’s fundraising team continued the Support us campaign.
Events were severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, but virtual and hybrid event formats have become common practice and allowed us to reach wider audiences. For example, the Leadership Symposium, which was organised for the tenth time in the autumn of 2021, drew 10,000 participants as a virtual event.
In late 2021, Tampere Universities opened Paidia, a public space for research and collaborative activities especially in the fields of gamification and extended reality, at Nokia Arena next to the City centre campus. Paidia brings the research and other activities of Tampere Universities closer to the public and opens up new avenues for exploring research in collaboration with society.
Read more about the Paidia living lab of play.