Embrace the New with Determination

Minister Sari Sarkomaa:
The new university a first-class place to research, teach and learn

The central aim of the blue-green government is to make Finland a country of creativity, expertise and advanced education. This is also the aim of the Innovation University, which has been under determined and focused preparation. Less than a year ago the objective of creating a university that would aspire to become one of the internationally leading institutions was recorded in the government program. This is now swiftly becoming reality.

The state has in its part made the decisions that have allowed the new university to begin its activities. In a framework meeting held on Tuesday this week, the cabinet decided to prepare to allocate 500 million euros in total funding towards the Innovation University foundation by the year 2010 on the condition that other funding bodies commit themselves to a contribution of at least 200 million euros.

Within this context the cabinet also decided that the basic funding for the activities of the Innovation University, together with the funding of the current three universities, would see an annual increase of 100 million euros by the year 2012. The additional funding would be transferred in stages to all universities by the year 2020 through tender.

The preparation of a university law ensuring stronger economic and administrative autonomy to all universities is progressing rapidly. The aim is that the new university law could be addressed by parliament during the 2009 spring term and that the law would be enforced from the beginning of August next year.

The aim is also to form the Innovation University foundation before next summer. The foundation will then have adequate time to organize itself before the enforcement of the new university law. The foundation is the judicial form of the new university that should act according to the common ethical principles of internationally high-standard university activity. Among other things, this means that the starting point of the activities of the Innovation University includes the freedom of education, research and art.

I challenge the entire university community to join forces in the formation of a new university that will be an excellent place to work, pursue research, teach and learn. This innovation will succeed given that the three higher education institutions are fully motivated to support it. We cannot hesitate in this innovation work.

Sari Sarkomaa
Minister of Education