THE UNIVERSITY OF JOENSUU

Organisation
Mission of the University
Strengths and Areas of Expertise
Graduate Schools for Postgraduate Students
Research Liaison Office
International Relations Office

THE UNIVERSITY OF JOENSUU

The University of Joensuu , founded in 1969 in the North Karelian city of Joensuu, in eastern Finland , is a research-oriented public university with eight faculties and nine non-faculty institutes. The University has campuses in Joensuu and Savonlinna. Mekrijärvi Research Station is located in Ilomantsi. The University has over 8500 students. Every year approximately 1500 new students are admitted. The staff comprises about 1400 people. Almost 600 international students annually study at the University of Joensuu .

Teaching at the University rests on its ability to carry out quality scientific research. The University has fared well in international scholarly comparisons and has received national recognition in several fields. In recent years, the Finnish Higher Education Evaluation Council and the Ministry of Education have awarded the distinction of being “A centre of excellence in university teaching” to the Mathematics and Physics Teacher Education Programme, the Department of Psychology, the Department of Biology, the Department of Chemistry, and the Faculty of Forest Sciences.

The University of Joensuu believes that it must foster a truly global approach. Through internationalisation, the university seeks to achieve and maintain the highest international standards in both teaching and research, as well as in continuing and adult education and consulting services. The University has concluded bilateral agreements of cooperation with a large number of universities and research centres throughout the world. In order to take advantage of changing circumstances, the University also encourages new, innovative ways of cooperation, including those not based on formal agreements. The University also participates actively in many educational and research and development cooperation projects sponsored by the European Union, the Nordic Council of Ministers, and other international funding agencies.

THE UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN FINLAND

The University Senates of the Joensuun yliopisto and Kuopion yliopisto  have decided on the establishment of Itä-Suomen yliopisto to be formed of the Joensuun yliopisto and Kuopion yliopisto in 2010. The foundations of the new university rest on cooperation between two equal universities.

Itä-Suomen yliopisto will start its activities on the 1st of January 2010 assumed that Finnish Parliament will accept a new Universities Act as expected in  spring 2009 and act will come into  force on the 1st of August 2009.

Itä-Suomen yliopisto to be launched in 2010 is an international and multi-disciplinary university with a firm status among the leading universities in Finland. The new university will be formed of the main campuses in Joensuu and Kuopio, and there will also be a campus in Savonlinna. The project for the Itä-Suomen yliopisto  is one of the Finnish  Ministry of Education spearhead projects in the structural development of higher education institutions.

LINK: www.uef.fi/english/

USEFUL LINKS

 General information - http://www.joensuu.fi/general/index.html

 Source of Innovations (video)

Map of University Campus - www.joensuu.fi/osoitteet/opaskartta.pdf

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MISSION OF THE UNIVERSITY

The University of Joensuu carries out research and education that are socially relevant and internationally recognised as being of high quality. The University seeks to specialise in its chosen areas of strength and expertise. The University promotes the national development of Finland and the regional development of eastern Finland in particular. The University of Joensuu has a strong international mission. It is committed to meeting the challenges of globalisation and the needs of the adjacent areas.

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THE STRENGTHS AND AREAS OF EXPERTISE 

1. Education and human development
This area of expertise rests on multidisciplinary research and teaching relating to education and human development, pedagogy and educational technology, learning and learning communities, as well as to counselling and life course studies.

2. Forests and the environment
This area of expertise rests on research and teaching relating to the study of environmental and natural resources within forestry and natural sciences, as well as on related research in social sciences and law.

3. Optics, new materials and information technology
This area of expertise rests on research and teaching relating to optics, information and communication technologies, as well as on research and teaching relating to new materials and bio-molecules.

4. Border studies and Russia
This area of expertise rests on humanistic, theological and sociological research and teaching relating to state borders and cultural boundaries, as well as on research and teaching relating to law, forestry, environmental sciences and education. The border of the European Union and North-West Russia is geographically of special interest to the University of Joensuu.

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GRADUATE SCHOOLS FOR POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

Increasingly, postgraduate students work for their doctorate within a graduate school programme. The University of Joensuu coordinates the following national Graduate Schools for Doctoral students:

Inorganic Materials Chemistry - www.chem.joensuu.fi/education/emtko/index.html

Cultural Interpretations: Nationality, Locality, Textuality - www.joensuu.fi/kultukoulu/english.html

Language Studies - Langnet - www.helsinki.fi/hum/langnet/engdex.html

Forest Sciences - www.joensuu.fi/metsatdk/gsforest/

Modern Optics and Photonics - www.joensuu.fi/fysiikka/

Environmental Science and Technology - www.joensuu.fi/biologia/enste/

Russia in Europe - www.joensuu.fi/ktl/english/

The University also participates in the East Finland Graduate School in Computer

Science and Engineering, ECSE - www.it.lut.fi/opiskelu/ecse/ecse.html

For postgraduate students with a Master's degree in Computer Science or

Education, the University offers International Multidisciplinary PhD Studies in Educational Technology - www.impdet.org/

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RESEARCH LIAISON OFFICE

The Research Liaison Office is the unit responsible for assisting researchers and other staff with matters connected to managing research projects. The Research Liaison Office offers help pertaining to research contracts, funding applications and IPR issues, for example.

Contact details:

Head of Research Liaison Office

Soili Makkonen

Tel. +358 13 251 2464

soili.makkonen@joensuu.fi

USEFUL LINKS ON RESEARCH FUNDING IN FINLAND

The Finnish Secretariat for EU R&D - www.tekes.fi/eu/eng/index.html

The Academy of Finland - www.aka.fi

Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation - www.tekes.fi/eng

SITRA – the Finnish Innovation Fund- www.sitra.fi/en

CIMO – Centre for International Mobility - www.cimo.fi/

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OFFICE

The International Relations Office, IRO, is responsible for general administration of international affairs at the University of Joensuu . The duties of the IRO include strategic planning of internationalisation, coordination of international cooperation (especially as regards international educational cooperation programmes), negotiation and updating of the universitys international agreements of cooperation, international public relations and marketing, as well as communication concerning international affairs within the university.

Contact details:

Director of International Relations

Outi Savonlahti
Tel. +358 13 251 4383
outi.savonlahti@joensuu.fi

updated 02/05/2009	print	back