The University’s assets are managed by the University of Helsinki Funds and Helsinki University Properties Ltd, an affiliate of the University. These two, together with the University proper and the two foundations, comprise the University of Helsinki Group. The Group’s assets mainly consist of real property, limited companies and securities. The Group has a total staff of 10,000 and an overall income of 1.1 billion euros, and its balance sheet amounts to nearly 1.7 billion euros. In 2017 the Group’s returns totalled 33 million euros and its gear ratio was 68 per cent.
University of Helsinki Group
Properties
Throughout its history of almost 380 years, University of Helsinki has owned and managed properties. About three-quarters of the University’s assets are in the form of real property. At the end of 2016, the buildings owned by the University were valued at close to €1 billion on the balance sheet.
Most of the University's properties are located in the City of Helsinki. The University intends to focus its properties in Helsinki on the four campuses. The most renowned University buildings are located on the City Centre Campus, such as the University Main Building on Senate Square and the neighbouring Porthania building. The University also owns properties on its research stations around Finland.
The University aims to ensure suitable facilities for its academic community at reasonable costs. Ownership of the premises enables the University to react quickly to changing facility needs.
In recent years, the number of facilities used by the University has decreased. Efficient use of the facilities saves money for the University’s core duties, i.e., teaching and research.
Approximately two-thirds of the University of Helsinki Group properties are owned by Helsinki University Properties Ltd, and one third by the University of Helsinki Funds.
Helsinki University Properties Ltd
Helsinki University Properties Ltd is a real property investment company focusing on owning and developing premises.
The company is fully owned by the University of Helsinki and is part of the University of Helsinki Group.
Helsinki University Properties works on an absolute net rent basis and primarily rents out premises to its owners.
Key properties, 1 January 2018
The company owns a total of approximately 400,000 square metres in premises, roughly 90% of which is operated by the University of Helsinki. The book value of these properties at the end of 2016 was approximately €558 million.
| The most significant properties owned by the company | floor space |
|---|---|
| Meilahti Campus: Haartman Institute, the building at Topeliuksenkatu 32 | 51 957 |
| Buildings on the Kumpula Campus | 50 335 |
| Viikki Campus: Biocentres | 37 707 |
| Viikki Campus: buildings of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry | 34 424 |
| Forestry Building - Topelia | 24 922 |
| Buildings in Ruskeasuo | 24 615 |
| Porthania | 15 948 |
Contact information, Helsinki University Properties Ltd
Properties owned by the University of Helsinki Funds, 1 January 2018
The University of Helsinki Funds owns a total of approximately 250,000 square metres of premises and housing, roughly 90% of which is operated by the University of Helsinki. The accounting valuation of these properties at the end of 2015 was approximately €350 million.
| The most significant properties owned by the Funds | floor space |
|---|---|
| The “Elk” block (properties from Kaisa House to Porthania) | 45 085 |
| Siltavuorenpenger | 28 073 |
| The National Library + book cave | 23 923 |
| The University’s Main Building | 16 925 |
| Meilahti Campus: Biomedicum I and II | 16 433 |
| Aleksanterinkatu 7 + Yliopistonkatu 4 | 15 894 |
| Housing | 9 146 |
| Viikki Campus: Cultivator I and II | 7 410 |
Affiliates and associated companies, 1 January 2018
Housing company As. Oy Enontekiön Kilpisrivit, 68%
Housing company Fastighets Ab Aleksandersgatan 7, 100%
Joint-stock property company KOy Helsingin kirjastoluolat, 100%
Joint-stock property company KOy Helsingin Kaisaniemenkatu 5, 100%
Joint-stock property company KOy Kehitystalo, 100%
Joint-stock property company KOy Viikinmansio, 100%
Limited company Oy Vuorikatu 3, 100%
Joint-stock property company KOy Fabianinkatu 32, 100%
Tiedepuiston Asunnot group
Limited company Tiedepuiston asunnot Oy (parent company), 100%
Housing company As Oy Viikin Aura 1, 81.99%
Companies
The most important company owned by the University of Helsinki Funds is the University Pharmacy. The University Pharmacy Group, which operates in Finland and Russia, has a turnover of 292 million euros (year 2017).
The core mission of the University Pharmacy is to provide its customers with successful pharmaceutical care and to promote their health and wellbeing. Moreover, the University Pharmacy has special duties of social significance, such as the preparation of rare medicines. Read more about the pharmacy and corporate income tax paid by the University Pharmacy.
The University of Helsinki owns the copyright to the name day lists of Finnish and Swedish names in Finland. The proceeds from these copyrights make up the major part of the turnover of the University of Helsinki Almanac Office.
Helsinki Innovation Services handles invention disclosures at the University and enhances the commercialisation of innovations generated by University research.
Gaudeamus Helsinki University Press publishes high-quality non-fiction and science literature: popular science, research literature, textbooks, professional publications and political pamphlets.
The University of Helsinki Centre for Continuing Education (HY+) offers education in the following fields: tailored language training, teaching, growth and mentoring, organizational development, health and well-being, communication and digitalization, as well as nature and environment.
Unigrafia Oy offers printing, copying and publishing services. The University of Helsinki Funds owns 57.5% of the company, the other owners being Aalto Holding Ltd, Haaga Helia Oy Ab and University of the Arts Helsinki.
4Pharma Ltd specialises in the data management and statistical analysis of clinical research. This Finland-based company also operates in Sweden and Switzerland.
Companies owned by the University of Helsinki Funds, 1 January 2018
University of Helsinki Almanac Office, 100%
Unigrafia Oy, 57.52%
Helsinki Innovation Services Ltd, 100%
Gaudeamus Oy, 100%
HY+ Oy, 100%
Smear Oy, 100%
Unihome Oy, 100%
University Pharmacy Group
Finland
University Pharmacy (parent company), 100%
Medapta Oy, 100%
HBS Finland Oy, 100 %
Russia
Universitetskaja Apteka OOO, Russia
4Pharma Group
Oy 4Pharma Ltd (parent company), 100%
4Pharma AB, Sweden (parent company), 100%
4Pharma Switzerland GmbH, 100%
Associated companies and other shareholdings
The University of Helsinki Funds owns shares in a number of companies, for example, in start-ups grown out of research conducted at the University.
The University of Helsinki Funds is a shareholder in the following companies, 1 January 2018:
Housing company As Oy Isokatu 27, 48.59%
Helsingin Tiedepuiston yrityshautomot Oy, 47.78%
Joint-stock property company KOy Biomedicum Helsinki, 40.34%
Joint-stock property company KOy Helsingin Pohj. Hesperiankatu 23 A, 50.00%
Joint-stock property company KOy Lammin Biokylä 1, 30.00%
Joint-stock property company KOy Helsingin Ympäristötalo, 25.36%
Housing company As Oy Yliopistonkatu 25, 21.20%
Joint-stock property company KOy Liiketalo, 22.90%
Oy WebALT Inc., 36.81%
Next Biomed Technologies NBT Oy, 24.07%
Biomedicum Genomics Oy, 50.00%
Mobidiag Oy, 12,34%
Airmodus Oy, 34.83%
Etsimo Ltd, 30.00%
DiSEL21 Oy, 21.40%
Nanoform Finland Oy, 20.65%
MOPRIM Oy, 30.00%
Panacea Holding Oy, 29.37%
Valo Therapeutics Ltd, 25.00%
Memocate Oy, 31.20%
Other shareholdings
Joint-stock property company KOy Mikkelin Tietotaitokortteli, 9.38% (the Group has a total ownership of 48.44%)
Securities
Read about the securities investments of the University of Helsinki and the University of Helsinki Funds.
Foundations
The University of Helsinki Group includes two foundations, namely the University of Helsinki Research Foundation and the foundation for the Kumpula Sports Centre.
The University of Helsinki Research Foundation was established on the occasion of the University’s 350th anniversary for the purpose of promoting and supporting the research of young scholars. It may also support other research conducted at the University. In 2014 the Foundation adopted the practice of funding young researchers through donated positions in doctoral programmes.
The foundation for the Kumpula Sports Centre owns the Kumpula Sports Centre.