Following a proposal by the appointment committee, Johanna Viimaranta was named dean of the Faculty of Arts at the Faculty Council’s meeting on 30 September 2025. The Council decision was in line with the committee proposal.
The appointment committee paid particular attention to Viimaranta’s strategic and future-oriented vision for developing the Faculty as well as her capacity to engage in inclusive decision-making.
Viimaranta is currently Professor of Russian Language and Literature at the Faculty of Arts. Since completing her doctoral degree at the University of Helsinki in 2006, she has held positions including that of professor of Russian at the University of Turku, and director of the Master’s Programme in Languages and the Department of Languages at the University of Helsinki.
Johanna Viimaranta is excited about her appointment, while remaining mindful of the role’s considerable demands.
“The Faculty of Arts holds a strong and prominent position both on the City Centre Campus and within the University more broadly, thanks in part to its impressive rankings. People in the humanities are sometimes too modest: it’s important to be more vocal about the research we do and the careers our graduates go on to pursue.”
In her upcoming term as dean, Viimaranta is committed to preserving the Faculty’s strength, namely, the diversity of its research topics, even though financial pressures may call for more streamlined teaching.
“It must remain possible at the Faculty of Arts to continue exploring a broad range of topics and seek funding to support that work.”
The University had announced a call for the position of dean for a term beginning on 1 January 2026. Under the University’s Regulations, faculty councils appoint deans for a fixed term of up to five years to manage faculty operations and oversee the efficient, economical and effective performance of faculty duties.
After the dean’s appointment, faculties will begin accepting applications for vice-dean and department director positions. All deans, vice-deans and department directors are set to commence their new terms of office on 1 January 2026.