University of Turku

The modern University of Turku was founded in 1920. The Finnish intelligentsia wanted a purely Finnish university, the first of its kind in Finland. 22,040 people contributed to the fund-raising campaign. Newly gained independence and the campaign are reflected in the motto of the University about a free people's gift to free science. To honour the memory of these donors, the University has named its specially created liqueur "22 040". Developed by the University's own food chemists, the liqueur does homage to some of the distinctive fruits of the Finnish landscape: the cloudberry, therowan and the sea buckthorn.

The first premises of the University of Turku were in the centre of the city, by the market square. In the 1950s a new campus was built on Ryssänmäki (Russian Hill[2] – now known as University Hill). In the 1960s the University started to expand rapidly, a process that still continues.

The University was made a public institution in 1974.

Since 1995 the University of Turku has been a member of Coimbra Group.

In January 2010, Turku School of Economics merged with the University of Turku, forming a seventh faculty of the university.

The University has approximately 18,000 students, of which 5,000 are postgraduate students having completed their MSc or MA. The largest faculties are the Faculty of Humanities and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.

Natural Science Building I (left) and Main Building (right)

ICT Building

Department of History

Turku School of Economics

The university is governed by three bodies, the Board of Directors, The Rectorand the Chancellor.

The Board is the highest decision-making organ of the University and is made up of 19 individuals both from academia, politics and studentship. It develops the University's operating processes and approves plans concerning its financing and activities; it decide on the guidelines of granting appropriations; it give its opinion in any matters of significance that concern the University in principle and the Board approves the service regulations and other similar rules.

The Rector directs the activities and processes of the University and solves any issues concerning its general management. The Rector represents the University and uses the University's right to speak in courts of law and in dealings with the authorities. Prof Keijo Virtanen is currently the elected Rector.

The Chancellor, appointed by the President of Finland upon proposal of theFinnish Government, shall promote science and scholarship, look after the general interests of the University and supervise its activities. The Chancellor confirms the standing orders and other corresponding general regulations of the University. The most visible task of the Chancellor is the appointment of the Professors and the Docents of the University. Professor Pekka Puska currently holds this position.

The university is divided into seven faculties. Some of the departments are listed under the faculty header.

The university also has number of special units not affiliated with the faculties:

In addition to being a destination for international exchange, the University also has several English-language Master’s degree programmes and one Finnish-language Master's degree programme for international degree students:

Source: Wikipedia