Shared premises are a competitive advantage in Turku

The universities in Turku engage in effective cooperation across language boundaries. A new multi-user building will soon make this cooperation even smoother. Highly functional premises attract students as well as researchers.

The University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University cooperate on m any levels, from education and research to equipment maintenance and regional advocacy efforts. Other higher education institutes in the region are often involved in the cooperation as well.

“We don’t insist on going solo when we can achieve more together. Sometimes it’s just the two universities working in tandem. Sometimes there are other parties involved as well,” says Ulla Achrén, Head of Administration at Åbo Akademi University.

The universities also have shared facilities, including some in the Agora building, which serves the University of Turku’s Department of Future Technologies and Åbo Akademi University’s Department of IT. The languages used at the building include Finnish, Swedish and English. The aim is for everyone to be able to use their native language at the shared facilities.

“Of course, we could cooperate from a distance, but having shared facilities makes it easier. It creates encounters that might not otherwise happen,” says Päivi Mikkola, Chief Operating Officer of the University of Turku.

Positive experiences

The University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University cooperate on m any levels, from education and research to equipment maintenance and regional advocacy efforts. Other higher education institutes in the region are often involved in the cooperation as well.

“We don’t insist on going solo when we can achieve more together. Sometimes it’s just the two universities working in tandem. Sometimes there are other parties involved as well,” says Ulla Achrén, Head of Administration at Åbo Akademi University.

The universities also have shared facilities, including some in the Agora building, which serves the University of Turku’s Department of Future Technologies and Åbo Akademi University’s Department of IT. The languages used at the building include Finnish, Swedish and English. The aim is for everyone to be able to use their native language at the shared facilities.

“Of course, we could cooperate from a distance, but having shared facilities makes it easier. It creates encounters that might not otherwise happen,” says Päivi Mikkola, Chief Operating Officer of the University of Turku.

Highly functional premises are a competitive advantage

New facilities will create new opportunities. Mikkola believes students will increasingly enrol in courses with the other university in the building as well. A connecting corridor will provide direct access to the University of Turku’s Department of Physics.

Achrén highlights the competitive advantage created by the facilities. Highly functional facilities are an advantage in recruiting researchers as well as students.

“Students know what kind of education and teaching they want. The facilities and equipment we can offer are very significant,” Achrén says.

Cooperation across the organisational boundaries between universities is routine for researchers, but Achrén and Mikkola point out that awareness of its value has increased in recent years in the context of funding applications, for example. The universities have ambitious goals for their cooperation.

“We want to win the Nobel Prize together,” Achrén says with a smile.

“It’s only a matter of time,” Mikkola says.

TEXT: Susanna Rapp