The New Aalto University Launches in Helsinki

Aalto University celebrates its launch in Helsinki on Friday 8th January 2010. The official launch party for 2500 guests is held at the iconic Finlandia Hall, but the celebrations are also visible on the streets of central Helsinki from 2 pm onwards.

Aalto University merges three Helsinki's top universities: Helsinki School of Economics (HSE), University of Art and Design (TaiK) and Helsinki University of Technology (TKK) creating a new learning environment with great possibilities for multidisciplinary education and research.

Aalto University aims to create a student-centred culture passionate with new ideas and learning, and it focuses on major global questions in its research. New research environments are often turned into broader research programmes or units through themes that demand a cross-disciplinary approach. Networking and creating an active dialogue on both the national and international markets and co-operating with the world's leading universities and networks are also a crucial part of Aalto University's activities.

Aalto University is supported by a foundation. The endownment of the university foundation will be formed by donations from the government and other industries and financiers. Aalto University has already been actively raising funds from Finnish industries during 2008 and 2009. The aim is to raise 200 million euros by the end of 2010. If the target is reached, the government will donate the University 500 million euros. All the donations have so far been from Finnish companies, but now, after its official opening, Aalto University also plans to fundraise abroad.

HSE's, TaiK's and TKK's existing strengths will be enhanced further and Aalto University will actively draw on its multi-science and multi-arts nature.

"We aim high", enthuses Aalto University's new President, Tuula Teeri, "we want to be amongst the world's top universities in the next ten years - and my team and I are leading the way for the next five years."

More information:
www.aalto.fi