Financial results in 2021: The recovery of research productivity increased both revenue and costs

In 2021, the activities of the Tampere University Foundation, which operates as Tampere University, increased compared to the previous year mainly due to the recovery of research productivity after the drop caused by Covid-19. This growth in productivity was showed as an increase of external research funding and a corresponding increase in personnel costs related to heightened research project activity.

Decisions were made on support services and facilities to improve the University’s internal efficiency. In the year under review, the University conducted cooperation negotiations concerning centralised support staff. The number of employees decreased, and the operational model and organisation of support services was rethought. In December 2021, the Board decided on measures to increase the efficiency of facilities use in accordance with our Facilities Programme that spans until 2025.

In 2021, the total revenue from ordinary operations amounted to €335.8 million. The ordinary operations of Tampere University cover all the revenue and expenses related to research, education and societal impact that were allocated to the financial period. We received €193 million in government funding. Other important sources of funding were the Academy of Finland (€38.6 million), the European Union (€14 million), Business Finland (€9.6 million) and Finnish foundations (€9.1 million). The result from business operations was positive with revenues of €24.8 million generated by the Vaccine Research Centre, continuous learning services, and research projects commissioned from the faculties.

The University’s operating expenses amounted to €346 million. Personnel costs increased by €16 million from the previous year and came in at €231.1 million. The increase in personnel costs was mainly due to the growth of external funding and fixed-term staff recruited to new research projects, the across-the-board pay increases awarded in the autumn of 2020 under the collective agreement, and the harmonisation of job titles and salaries that was carried out following the merger that resulted in the creation of Tampere University. Personnel costs also include a total of €5.3 million allocated to the 2021 financial year for severance packages and related incidental costs. At €39.6 million, rental costs were at the same level as in 2020. Total facilities costs amounted to €49.4 million.

We invested €9.7 million in the development of our research and teaching environments in 2021. These investments activated in the balance sheet will be reported as depreciation expenses in the operating results of upcoming financial years.

In accordance with the University’s strategy, a total of €4.2 million of the Foundation’s capital returns were allocated to the development of research, education and international activities. This funding was used, among other things, to support the launch of the Tampere Institute of Advanced Study and two new multidisciplinary research platforms, the establishment of new tenure-track professorships and the development of teaching methods and information systems.

The University’s losses from ordinary activities for the financial year were €10.2 million, which corresponded to the forecast and was €5.7 million less than in 2020. When adjusted for the allocated use of capital returns, we recorded an operating loss of a little under €6 million. Based on the changes in fair value, the result of the investments and financial activities of the Tampere University Foundation amounted to €69.2 million in the financial statement, and the resulting deferred profit was €55.5 million in 2021. The Board decided to transfer the profit of €55.5 million from the 2021 financial year to the new Development Fund.