Faculty

The internationally esteemed and highly successful Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Helsinki is Finland’s leading unit of research and teaching in Educational Sciences and Teacher Education.

The University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Educational Sciences investigates human growth, development, teaching and learning in various contexts. Our research is aimed at realising cultural and social opportunities for the benefit of individuals and humanity in a changing world.

The Faculty of Educational Sciences equips students for positions in education, training, teaching, learning, leadership and management as well as for public positions that require expertise in the educational sciences. Studies in education provide the capacity for maintaining and continually developing professional skills as well as for postgraduate research studies.

Our students, researchers and teachers are united by an interest in human growth, development, behaviour and learning. The Faculty is known for its innovative teaching experiments and development of novel teaching methods. Teaching at the Faculty is based on the latest high-class international research. 

The Faculty of Educational Sciences is organised into two entities: the Department of Education and the teacher training schools. The department encompasses units, networks, research communities and research groups.
The Faculty in figures
Faculty leadership, units and communities
Leadership

The Faculty is headed and supervised by a dean appointed by the Faculty Council. The dean handles and decides on matters pertaining to the Faculty, unless otherwise provided for in the law or University Regulations. Vice-deans appointed by the dean support the dean in developing the Faculty, implementing the University’s strategic plan and promoting Faculty collaboration.

Dean Johanna Mäkelä

Professor , Dean of the Faculty of Educational Sciences, is in charge of bilingual affairs, fundraising and facilities alongside the general duties of the dean.

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Vice-Dean Anu Laine

Docent, University Lecturer is in charge of undergraduate education, continuous learning and academic outreach.

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Vice-Dean Auli Toom

Professor is in charge of research, doctoral education and research infrastructures.

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Vice-Dean Markku Jahnukainen

Professor is in charge of public engagement, especially societal impact, alumni activities, stakeholders and partnerships as well as innovation and business collaboration.

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Vice-Dean Arto Kallioniemi

Professor is in charge of international affairs and public engagement (in part), as well as, in cooperation with the dean, equality, diversity, inclusivity, sustainability and responsibility.

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Faculty council

The Faculty Council is the Faculty’s multimember administrative body chaired by the dean, whom the council itself appoints. In addition to the dean, the Faculty Council has 18 members and deputy members. While the Faculty Council’s term is four years (1 January 2022–31 December 2025), student representatives are selected for two.

The duties of the Faculty Council include overseeing the quality assurance of research and teaching, processing the Faculty’s target programme as well as the human resources plan and budget contained in it, deciding on the standing orders pertaining to the degrees offered by the Faculty, approving the degree requirements and deciding on admission criteria. In addition, the Faculty Council decides on the approval of all theses.
Department of Education

In accordance with the University’s core duties, the Department of Education’s operations comprise research, teaching and public engagement. 

Professor serves as the director of the department.

The Department operates at Siltavuorenpenger in Kruununhaka.

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Training schools

For administrative purposes, the following are regarded as the Faculty’s other department:

Docent serves as the schools’ administrative principal.
Units and networks

Centre for University Teaching and Learning

The trains teaching staff as specialists in the field. The Centre conducts and supports research in the field and is engaged in research cooperation with Finnish and international universities involved in research and teaching in university pedagogy. 

The Centre is headed by Professor .

Centre for Educational Assessment CEA

The provides research and development services focused on the quality of teaching and education. Its work supports decision-making and development at organisations including schools, other educational institutions, municipalities, associations, the Finnish National Agency for Education and government ministries. 

The CEA is headed by Professorr .

Networks and communities

  • The Faculty coordinates the national , funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, which develops teacher training in broad collaboration with higher education institutions and the teaching and education sector.
  • The Faculty coordinates the , a joint innovation and competence platform of the University of Helsinki and the City of Helsinki.
  • The Faculty coordinates the national , which supports and engages schools in organising activities that support the learning of 21st-century skills and contributing to the development of teaching.