A call for Ideas for Joint Research Groups and Research Topics

The vision of the yet to be established Innovation University is to be a world-class university of technology, business studies, and art, design and media by 2020. This will require investments in top researchers, career systems, salaries, incentives and, above all, new research ideas that innovatively combine and develop the competence of the three constituent universities.

The goal of the Innovation University is to create something extraordinary and “greater than mere top research” through the unique blend of competence and corporate cooperation. This will require investments in the creation of new, attractive research environments such as the Low Temperature Laboratory. The best brains in Finland and abroad will thus be motivated to conduct research in Finland and on topics important to Finnish society.

The new Innovation University will have a great opportunity to achieve top results in research. It is paramount that all the three constituent universities now consolidate their competencies in their respective areas of strength. It will be particularly challenging to combine in a new way high-quality academic research with research that serves companies and society.  A large research project should benefit all the parties: companies, researchers and students alike.

While top scientific research will largely be conducted in different departments as hitherto, the new research environments will develop into larger research programs or units through themes that require an interdisciplinary approach. What we now need is genuine and active cooperation between all three universities and the various research teams in order to make innovative moves.

In the preparation for the Innovation University, we are mapping joint research opportunities. At this initial phase, we are interested in research teams that combine the competencies of two or three of the constituent universities. We particularly encourage new ideas and opportunities as well as reasonable risk taking.

Please send us short descriptions (one page max.) of your research topics or ideas and research partners by 29 February 2008 ny maarit.heikkila (a) tkk.fi

The ideas will be collected for the preparation of the Innovation University strategy.

Further information can be obtained from the university project managers.

Best regards,

Eero Kasanen   Matti Pursula   Yrjö Sotamaa