Newsletter > Archive > Newsletter 1/2008 > Project Managers prepare the New University

Project Managers prepare the New University

Vice Rector, Professor, Project Manager Olli Ahtola:

”The managers make sure that the decisions made later on would apply to all three universities. Also the exploitation of common interfaces and especially encouraging to find them is part of the work. Besides, we give propositions to the ministry how the resources could be used.”, says Olli Ahtola.

HSE’s Vice Rector Olli Ahtola is one of the officials directing the Innovation University project. There are altogether three officials in the project group, one from each constituent university: Professor Mauri Airila represents TKK and Director of Administration Pekka Saarela TaiK. In addition, Project Director Jari Jokinen represents the Ministry of Education in the group.

Ahtola describes that the officials are mostly doing the preparation work, they are not making decisions. Besides preparation, the officials organize, steer and give advice to theme groups and discuss about the Innovation University with the Rectors and Vice Rectors.

Personnel and students are encouraged to participate

Ahtola hopes that especially the personnel and students would participate in the preparation work. “You can contact me or other officials. The quickest way is by e-mail because we are so busy. On the other hand, the theme groups’ work is more concrete.”

Theme groups handle specific theme areas, they generate ideas and visions for the common and operational areas of the new university. Tripatriate groups and their members are introduced on the Innovation University’s web pages at www.innovaatioyliopisto.info

”The work of the theme groups has gone well. Groups have met often and have produced good results. Some of the matters are a little behind the schedule but there’s no problem with that.”

Everything is on schedule

According to Ahtola, the fund-raising of the overall preparation is also on schedule. “The mission, vision and operational papers are being prepared at the moment. It seems that the foundation will be established in April or in May.”

A competition for naming the new university started on 12 March. “In my opinion the Innovation University is only a working title and the top university is not good either. In some countries universities are named after people or places, for example Goethe or the London School of Economics. The name should be applicable both in Finnish and English, which also sets certain demands for it. I don’t have name suggestion of my own, and I look forward to the name with a great interest,” says Ahtola.

The Finnish Parliament decides on the name of the new university and the name is not necessarily the one which wins the competition.

Project Group

Members of the project group are Vice Rector Olli Ahtola (HSE), Professor Mauri Airila (TKK), Director of Administration Pekka Saarela (TaiK) and Project Director Jari Jokinen (Ministry of Education).

Theme Group

Tripartite theme groups have been appointed to handle specific theme areas. These groups link the academic communities of the constituent universities to preparations. They generate ideas and visions for the new interfaces in research, education, the third mission, and support services. There are 15 theme groups.