Universitas Helsingiensis
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- Spring issue 2007
- Editorial
- In the paw steps of the king of the forest
- A greener tale
- Fairer coffee for Kilimanjaro
- Home away from home
- It's in the genes
- In Mannerheim's footsteps
- High-tech organics
- The trouble with human rights
- Der Fingerabdruck von Moos
- Stadt in Bewegung
- On land, sea and air
- Jäätelötötterö at minus 20 degrees
- The help and support of friends is irreplaceable
- 'I'd like to meet your Excellency'
- It's ironic, isn't it?
- Atom for peace and prosperity - tuberous cassava - tropical root crop improvement
- UH index for 2006
Good teaching requires strategic leadership
The University of Helsinki wants to present itself as a research-intensive university. Producing research that is of the highest international standard is one of our key objectives. We have shown our strengths in many ways. We are a founding member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU). Over a half of the National Centres of Excellence and professorships funded by the Academy of Finland are in the University of Helsinki, although its proportional share of Finnish universities is only one-fifth. Research is a field of fierce competition and the quality of research is constantly measured. But what about teaching? Will teaching be overlooked or under-resourced in research-intensive universities?
The University of Helsinki has made long-term commitments to develop its teaching. Developing university teaching is not only a series of sporadic projects. Achieving high quality requires strategic leadership and clear division of responsibilities. We must all deliver our best. The University Senate has confirmed the Programme for the Development of Teaching and Studies for 2007–2009.
It was drafted through active participation by the university community. The quality of learning and student guidance as well as promoting internationalisation are special focus areas. Based on this, the faculties have compiled their own objectives for teaching. The responsibility of providing students with high-quality teaching lies with the faculties.
A central element in the strategic leadership of teaching is a clear division of responsibilities and strong networks. In university administration, the First Vice Rector is in charge of academic affairs. Faculties appoint the Vice Deans who are responsible for developing teaching and operate as a network. The University of Helsinki has permanent organs for teaching development both at university level and in each faculty. Students are involved in the endeavour at every level of organisation. There are also a number of cross-disciplinary networks supporting the development work.
This year, the Helsinki University Centre for Research and Development of Higher Education was also made permanent. The important task of the centre is to train our teachers for university education and provide them with tools to continuously develop their teaching. It also coordinates, stimulates and supports the development work taking place within faculties. Furthermore, fifteen university lecturers in our university have the special task of supporting and guiding at grassroots level the development of university education. Development work is also something our university rewards. The high-quality units in teaching are selected from among the departments every three years and the awards for outstanding teachers are presented annually. The international evaluation of teaching is carried out every six years. In 2008, it will be targeted particularly on the leadership of teaching.
In implementing the Bologna Process, the University of Helsinki has focused on improving the quality of degrees and teaching. The new curricula for the Bachelor’s (3 years) and Master’s (2 years) degrees were introduced in 2005. In summer 2006, the University Senate accepted the guidelines for doctoral training. Special challenges are faced in the area of effective research supervision and organisation, securing regular and sufficient, high-quality supervision for the doctoral candidates. The goal is for doctoral candidates to complete their degrees in four years. The doctoral degree comprises other studies worth 60–80 ECTS in addition to the dissertation. These studies include the philosophy of science, methodological studies and research ethics. Also, transferable skills, promoting career development, form a part of the degree and could include such skills as leadership and communications.
The University of Helsinki has made strong efforts to bring research and teaching close to one another. The principle is to offer research-based teaching. High-standard teaching must be based on best research. Also, university teaching itself is a research target. Research and teaching are not competitors, they are inseparable from each other.
Hannele Niemi
Vice-Rector