- Year 2020 introduced new technology education in Turku and increased the interest in technology.
- The new framework agreement for technology will increase education and teaching co-operation between universities.
- Faculty of Technology at the University of Turku is starting on 1 January 2021.
A co-operation platform of the City of Turku, four universities and Turku Science Park Ltd, TechCampus Turku serves as the backbone for the development of strategic co-operation in training and research in the field of technology. As a result of the co-operation, technology has gained a stronger position in the education supply in Turku.
Technology in Turku has great pull
In 2020, TechCampus Turku conducted close co-operation with the STEAM Turku actors in the marketing of higher education in technology to students. Arranged together by the universities, the #turuntekniikka roadshow reached some 1,500 upper secondary school students in Southwest Finland and the Vakka-Suomi and Satakunta regions. The joint application in spring 2020 was very successful, and the number of applicants increased in the University of Turku and Turku University of Applied Sciences in particular. The new Master of Engineering studies in Machine Technology and Materials Engineering were especially popular among the applicants, and Machine Technology succeeded in attracting the best students in certificate-based admission. The great pull of the technology in the Turku region was also indicated by the large number and high quality of experts and professors who sought teaching and research positions in the universities.
Training and teaching co-operation between universities increases
Signed in November, the framework agreement for technology studies in universities aims at deepening the strategic co-operation of the universities in the field of technology, increasing the teaching co-operation and studying between the universities, and reducing overlapping supply of teaching. Closer co-operation will strengthen the higher education in technology and enhance the local education paths from Bachelor to Master of Engineering. That will help to complete studies and acquire new experts of technology to the labour market. Increasing shared use of Machine Technology Center Turku and other teaching and research infrastructure has also contributed to closer co-operation between the universities.
One of the joint achievements of the actors within TechCampus Turku is the expansion of the training for Masters of Engineering. In autumn 2020, nearly 300 new students of bio and machine technologies, materials engineering and information technology were admitted. Those students will be working in local companies in different summer jobs and practical training positions, bringing the latest academic know-how to the companies.
Competitiveness of the region improves through academic and applied research
Setting up of research groups in machine technology and materials engineering has created new opportunities for co-operation between the universities, which will be further strengthened by the Faculty of Technology that will start operating in the University of Turku on 1 January 2021. The local businesses have provided considerable support to the new Faculty of Technology. So far, 10 professorship donations have been made to support the research and training of technology. In addition, partnership agreements have been made relating to new training, for example the University of Turku’s strategic partnership with Meyer Turku.
The focus areas of the joint research strategy for technology support naturally the business development of local companies and are in line with Southwest Finland’s focus areas of smart specialisation and goals of regional politics. A good example is the ongoing joint negotiations on establishing a Fraunhofer Innovation Platform research unit with emphasis on maritime industry and logistics in Turku. Successful negotiations may result in Finland’s first FIP research unit being established in Turku. Inclusion in Fraunhofer’s international science network of over 70 research institutes and tens of thousands of researchers would open up significant opportunities both for local businesses and universities, and would crucially enhance the competitiveness of the region.
Further information on the TechCampus Turku activities is available from the contact persons of the TechCampus.