University of Helsinki

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University of Helsinki

• A leading European university

UH V / 2006
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University of Helsinki in brief

• Tasks include research, teaching and interaction
  with society
• Bilingual (Finnish and Swedish), teaching also in
  English
• 11 faculties
• 38,000 undergraduate students, 57,000 continuing
  education and Open University students
• 7,600 employees, 3,700 of whom researchers and
  teachers
• Funding 509 million euros (2005)
• Established in Turku 1640, moved to Helsinki 1828
• Operates on 4 campuses in Helsinki and in 20
  other towns in Finland
• Aims at establishing its position among the
  leading multidisciplinary research universities
  in Europe

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Faculties

• Theology
• Law
• Medicine
• Arts
• Science
• Pharmacy
• Biosciences
• Behavioural Sciences
• Social Sciences
• Agriculture and Forestry
• Veterinary Medicine

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Independent institutes

• Aleksanteri Institute
• Open University
• Institute of Biotechnology
• Helsinki Institute of Physics (HIP)
• Helsinki Center of Economic Research (HECER)
• Helsinki University Library
• Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies
• IPR University Center
• Finnish Institute for Verification of the
  Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFIN)

• Language Centre
• Palmenia Centre for Continuing Education
• Finnish Museum of Natural History
• Neuroscience Center
• Undergraduate Library
• Ruralia Institute
• Institute of Seismology
• Finnish Genome Center
• Helsinki Institute for Information Technology
  (HIIT)

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University of Helsinki

• Strategy 20072009

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Strategy 20072009 Vision

• The University of Helsinki will maintain its
  position as the most versatile institution of
  edification and intellectual stimulation in
  Finland
• The University will establish its position among
  the leading multidisciplinary research
  universities in Europe
• The University will raise its profile especially
  in research and researcher education
• The University will engage in cooperation based
  on an active, mutual interaction with society at
  large

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University of Helsinki

• International contacts

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International action plan 20042006

• Promoting internationalisation at home
• Increasing the mobility of students
• More undergraduate and postgraduate students to
  Finland
• More teacher and researcher exchanges
• More teaching in English
• More international staff
• Increasing the international aspects of adult
  education
• Closer contacts with leading universities abroad
• The University enhances the international
  competitiveness of the Helsinki region

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International contacts

• member of the League of European Research
  Universities, LERU, since 2002
• wide scientific contacts all around the world
• approximately 80 international co-operation
  agreements with universities in various countries
• approximately 350 partner universities in the
  European Socrates programme
• involved in the Nordic Nordplus programme

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In 2005, the University of Helsinki had

• 1,387 international undergraduate students144
  degrees
• 717 exchange students
• 307 international teachers or researchers
• undergraduate studies given in a foreign
  languagecourses provided 3,252 creditscourses
  taken 36,185 credits

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In 2005, the University of Helsinki sent abroad

• 779 exchange students
• 318 teachers or researchers
• 3,746 international papers
• 3,754 experts on assignments in international
• scientific journals
• 591 officers in scientific societies
• 356 officials in other scientific bodies
• 136 referees in filling up professor or docent
  posts in foreign universities
• 113 opponents or preliminary readers of doctoral
  dissertations

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University of Helsinki

• Renvall Institute for Area and Cultural Studies
• Faculty of Arts

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Renvall Institute for Area and Cultural Studies

• An interdisciplinary department in the Faculty of
  Arts
• Six area studies programmes North American
  Studies, Latin American Studies, Asia-Pacific
  Studies, Russian and East European Studies,
  European Area and Cultural Studies, and Nordic
  Studies
• Also home to MA Programme in Intercultural
  Encounters
• In Academic Year 2006-2007 44 courses are given
  in English, 12 courses are taught by native
  English speakers
• Occasionally courses are also given in Russian,
  Spanish and German

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Renvall Institute for Area and Cultural
StudiesTeaching in English Benefits

• The Institute is an attractive destination for
  exchange students
• Interaction between local and exchange students
• Chance to improve skills in a foreign language
• New qualifications for the teachers
• Native experts can be invited to teach in the
  programmes
• Internationalisation at home

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Renvall Institute for Area and Cultural
StudiesTeaching in English Challenges

• Language skills of non-native English speakers to
  teach in English
• Language skills of non-native English speakers to
  attend and complete courses in English
  successfully
• Study counselling and guidance
• Recognition of credits at home university,
  personal study plan
• Motivation of the students

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International Cooperation in the Future

• Reciprocity
• Aim at cooperation with acclaimed universities
• -gt cutting down the number of exchange
  agreements and focusing on the best partners
  (criteria?)
• Cooperation should go beyond student exchanges
• Goal 1100 outgoing, 1100 incoming students
  2007-2009