University of Helsinki reports a 10.8% return on its investments in the first half of 2024

From January to June 2024, the University of Helsinki saw a 10.8% return on its investments. The return has been 12.6% per annum since the beginning of 2019, when the University adopted its current investment strategy.

The five-year return calculated at the end of June 2024 has been 11.4% per annum and is comparable with U.S. endowments’ corresponding returns.

“Last year, the included 688 U.S. universities, colleges, and related foundations. For this group, the average five-year return was 7.0% per annum. A 9.2% per annum return was required to make it to the top tenth. We still must await the completion of the 2024 study but are confident that the University of Helsinki’s investments are competitive in a U.S. and consequently also an international context,” says Chief Investment Officer Anders Ekholm.

The investment activities of the University of Helsinki are based on research and particularly encompass diversification, low costs, risk level maintenance and the mitigation of climate change. At least 90% of the investments are diversified globally into listed equities and bonds. In addition, up to 10% of the investments are primarily allocated to businesses established in conjunction with the University.

“As a responsible investor with high solidity, we can fund the commercialisation of research-based innovations sustainably in the long-term. , which benefit our researchers, students, University, and society more broadly. We intend to continue investing in our entrepreneurial activities to make the University of Helsinki internationally competitive in this field too,” adds Deputy Chief Investment Officer Marko Berg.