The inaugural lectures of the new professors

As they take up their new role, each professor at the University of Helsinki holds a public inaugural lecture. Inaugural lectures are held twice a year close to the end of each term, usually in May and December.
Upcoming professorial lectures

The next inaugural lectures of new professors at the University of Helsinki will be held on Wednesday, 4 December 2024 at 14.30 in the University’s Main Building (Aleksanterinkatu 5/Fabianinkatu 33). The lectures serve as popular introductions to the professors’ disciplines and current research topics.

The inaugural lectures are open to all, and the audience can follow the lectures on site or watch them on a live Unitube stream. The programme for the December inaugural lectures and the lecturers will be announced on this page closer to the date. 

Further information: helsinkiunievents@helsinki.fi

Professors who gave their inaugural lectures in May 2024

Faculty of Arts:
Leena Kolehmainen, Professor of Germanic Philology | Anu Lahtinen, Professor of Finnish and Nordic History | Anneli Luhtala, Professor of Latin language | Marja Vierros, Professor of Classical Philology | Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen, Professor of Indigenous Studies

Faculty of Educational Sciences:
Riikka Räisänen, Professor of Craft Science and Craft Pedagogy

Faculty of Medicine:
Jari Lahti, Professor of Clinical psychology, mental health, and mental health interventions | Sirkku Peltonen, Professor of Dermatology and Allergology | Pipsa Saharinen, Professor of Biochemistry | Maritta Välimäki, Professor of Development of Healthcare Services 

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry:
Timo Hytönen, Professor of Molecular and Translational Plant Biology | Edward Webb, Professor of Global Forests and Land Use 

Faculty of Science:
Pia Bäcklund, Professor of Regional and Urban Inequalities | Gregor Hillers, Professor of Earthquake Seismology | Antti Honkela, Professor of Data Science (Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence) | Katrianne Lehtipalo, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Physics | Mika Mäntylä, Professor of Computer Science (Software Development Methods) | Simon Puglisi, Professor of Data Science (Knowledge Discovery in Big Data) | Laura Ruotsalainen, Professor of Computer Science (Spatiotemporal Data Analysis for Sustainability Science)

Faculty of Law:
Dorota Gozdecka, Professor of Law | Dan Helenius, Professor of Criminal and Procedural Law

Faculty of Social Sciences:
Minna van Gerven, Professor of Social Policy | Johanna Kantola, Professor of European Societies and Politics | Timo Harrikari, Professor of Social Work| Michiru Nagatsu, Professor of Philosophy of Social Science and Sustainability

Dress code

New professors
New professors giving their inaugural lectures wear a black suit and bring with them their doctoral hats if they have defended their theses at a Finnish university. Members of the clergy may wear clerical dress. Professors who defended their doctoral thesis abroad may wear the doctoral gown of their home university. 

Audience
The dress code for the audience is casual. In the evening session, the audience attire is expected to suit the solemn nature of the event.