Dear Colleagues, we wish you welcome to the conference 'Innovations in Higher Education 2000' at the University of Helsinki from August 30 - September 2, 2000. The University of Helsinki is the oldest and the largest university in Finland, and it is also among the oldest universities in the world. The University was founded in Turku 360 years ago, and was moved to Helsinki in 1828. For nearly 300 years, the University of Helsinki was the only university in the country and was therefore called the 'University of Finland'. The University of Helsinki has nine faculties: Theology, Law, Medicine, Arts, Science, Education, Social Sciences, Agriculture and Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine. The University of Helsinki attracts researchers, teachers and students from all over Finland. The total number of students is about 33 000. Of these, about 1300 are foreign students from nearly 85 countries covering practically the entire globe. More than 2000 teachers and researchers work at the University of Helsinki. The University of Helsinki is Finland’s most multidisciplinary higher education institution. High-level research is carried out at the departments of the faculties, departmentally affiliated research stations, as well as at independent research institutes. During recent years much attention has been paid to development of curricula and of instructional methods. The future, the University of Helsinki is ready to meet new challenges for higher education in future. The Scientific and Organising Committees invite you warmly to participate in this interesting multidisciplinary conference. On behalf of the Scientific and Organising Committees, Raija Sollamo Chair of the Scientific Committee Vice Rector of the University of Helsinki Sari Lindblom-Ylänne Chair of the Organising Committee Conference Manager