University of Helsinki - A Leading European University

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The University of Helsinki received markedly improved results in an international evaluation.

In 2005, a total of 148, mainly European, experts evaluated all of the University of Helsinki’s units that were engaged in research. The period under review covered all research from 1999 to 2004 and comprised a total of 21,000 researcher person-years, during which the researchers produced more than 60,000 publications.

Nearly two-thirds of the 75 units under review engaged in research received the highest or second-highest grade on a scale of 1 to 7 when compared with other comparable European research institutions.

According to Rector Ilkka Niiniluoto and Vice-Rector Marja Makarow, who is in charge of research and researcher training, the result is flattering to the university.

“This and other recent international comparisons confirm that the University of Helsinki is progressing towards its strategic goal of being one of the best multidisciplinary research universities in Europe.”

Peer reviews reveal that the University of Helsinki has been able to further improve the quality of its research from the high level it had already attained in the previous evaluation carried out in 1999.

When all the units involved had received their grade from 1 to 7, the average score of all the units was 5.8, showing an impressive increase from 4.6 in the previous evaluation.

None of the units were ranked in the lowest two grades, and only one was classified as grade 3.

The University of Helsinki will reward the units that were most successful in the evaluation with a total of € 15 million. The 20 units that received the highest grade, 7, will receive extra funding for the next six years.

The complete English-language research evaluation report and unit reports are available on the University's website at http://www.helsinki.fi/research2005/.

Text: Simo Salmela
Photo: Ida Pimenoff
1.3.2006
www.helsinki.fi/digitalcommunications

Translation: Valtasana Oy

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