The University of Helsinki has 11 faculties, and it provides teaching on four campuses in Helsinki: the City Centre Campus, Kumpula Campus, Meilahti Campus and Viikki Campus. In addition, the University has research stations in Hyytiälä, Kilpisjärvi, Lammi, Muddusjärvi, Tvärminne and Värriö as well as in Kenya.

Faculties and units

In 2021 a total of 30,817 students pursued a first-, second- or third-cycle degree at the University of Helsinki. The number of international degree students was 2,012 (7%).

The distribution of students by degree pursued in 2020 was the following:

First-cycle (bachelor’s) degree: 15,254 students, of whom 63,5% were women and 36,5% men

Second-cycle (master’s) degree: 10,719 students, of whom 68% were women and 32% men

Licentiate degree: 76 students, of whom 64% were women and 36% men

Doctoral degree: 4,630 students, of whom 60,5% were women and 39,5% men

Other education: 142 students, of whom 92% were women and 8% men

The University employs 8,241 people, of whom 58% belong to teaching and research staff. Women account for 51% of all teaching and research staff.

In 2021 the full-time equivalents (FTE) of all staff amounted to 7,451, of which the share of teaching and research was 4,244 FTEs.

The mean age of University of Helsinki employees is 41 years, while the mean age for the transition to old-age pension is 65.3 years.

Teaching and research staff

A total of 4,801employees (4,244 FTEs) in 2021

628 professors, research directors and senior curators (level 4 on the University’s career path hierarchy)

1,466 university lecturers, clinical instructors, university researchers, senior researchers, research coordinators, curators, assistant/associate professors on the tenure track (level 3)

1,044 postdoctoral researchers and university instructors (level 2)

1,387 doctoral researchers and specialising doctors/dentists/veterinarians (level 1)

276 other teaching and research staff members

Specialist and support staff 

A total of 3,277 employees (3,058 FTEs) in 2021

290 IT staff

270 library staff

25 technical staff

1,208 administrative staff

1,314 teaching and research support staff

170 other staff

The teaching staff of the teacher training schools included 163 people.

In 2021 a total of 5,301 degrees were completed at the University of Helsinki, of which 71% were completed by women. 

First-cycle (bachelor’s) degree: 2,430 degrees, of which 73% were completed by women and 27% by men

Second-cycle (master’s) degree: 2,439 degrees, of which 70% were completed by women and 30% by men

Licentiate degree: 14 degrees, of which 70% were completed by women and 30% by men

Doctoral degree: 408 degrees, of which 58% were completed by women and 42% by men

Other degrees: 10 degrees, of which 90% were completed by women and 10% by men

56,555 continuous learners developed their skills at the University of Helsinki

43,351 students completed Open University courses, of whom 32,411 (75.4%) were non-degree students.

16,813 mature students took part in continuing education.

307 students advanced their skills in professional specialisation education.

A total of 1,317 courses in continuous learning were on offer in a range of disciplines at the University of Helsinki. Of these, 1,140 were Open University courses, including

875 open bachelor’s programme courses

44 open master’s programme courses

11 introductory courses to university studies 

83 massive open online courses, or MOOCs

The University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education HY+ provided 168 continuing education options to businesses, organisations and individual students.

In addition, the University offered 9 professional specialisation education options as well as several opportunities in postgraduate professional education and continuing education provided by faculties and units.

128,847 credits completed in continuous learning

• 165,250 credits completed at the Open University, of which 106,909 (65%) were completed by non-degree students
• 15,181 credits completed in non-degree studies
• 3,475 credits completed in collaborative studies organised by Finnish higher education institutions
• 3,260 credits completed in professional specialisation education

In 2021 researchers of the University of Helsinki produced a total of 11,095 publications. The number of refereed scholarly publications was 8,401, of which 56% were drawn up through international collaboration.

8,213 refereed scholarly articles (74% of all publications)

965 non-refereed scholarly contributions (9% of all publications)

188 scholarly books (monographs, edited works; 2% of all publications)

1,071 publications intended for professional communities (10% of all publications)

658 publications intended for the general public (6% of all publications)

Find out more about the University of Helsinki’s publications.

In 2021 the University’s operating result, or the result without taking investment activities into account, was €4.6 million in surplus. The result generated by investments and fundraising was €70.1 million, making the University’s overall result €74.7 million in the black.

Staff costs constituted almost two-thirds of the overall expenses. Another considerable expense are the facilities required for studying, research and other activities.

The University of Helsinki is the only Finnish university in the League of European Research Universities LERU, an association of leading European universities promoting the conditions and opportunities for basic research in Europe. 

The University of Helsinki is a member of the Una Europa alliance, a network funded by the European Union. Una Europa is a significant partnership between the oldest and most distinguished universities in Europe, whose goal is long-term strategic collaboration to foster the quality and competitiveness of European higher education.

In 2021 the share of University of Helsinki teachers and researchers coming from outside Finland was 30%. The number of international degree students at the University of Helsinki was 2,012.

In 2021 a total of 198 students embarked on a student exchange, while the University of Helsinki welcomed 911 incoming exchange students.

Of the units granted the status of Centre of Excellence by the Academy of Finland, seven are coordinated by the University of Helsinki. In addition, the University is a partner in two Centres of Excellence coordinated elsewhere. In 2021 the University of Helsinki had 12 Academy Professors, or 60% of all Academy Professors appointed.

Academy of Finland Centres of Excellence at the University of Helsinki