Innovation Europe > News > Innovation EU Vol1-1 > The University of Eastern Finland

The University of Eastern Finland (UEF) is a multidisciplinary university which is internationally recognised for its high standard of research and education. Beginning its operations in 2010, the University of Eastern Finland is a result of a merger involving the Universities of Joensuu and Kuopio in Finland.

Thanks to its high standard of teaching and competitive research, the university is a central actor in the international innovation system. Furthermore, being one of the foremost universities in Finland, the university aims to be among the top 200 leading universities in the world. Using as indicators scientific publications and citations, the university has significantly greater importance than its size would presume.

The University of Eastern Finland meets working-life needs by providing a high level of research-based education in nearly one hundred major subjects and degree programmes. A total of 1,800 degrees are completed at the university each year, which amounts to a 10th of all university degrees awarded in Finland.

Distinct areas of expertise

The academic disciplines represented at the University of Eastern Finland support one another, enabling the new university to face the challenges of the changing global research and innovation environment. The university targets resources on its areas of expertise, which comprise the most efficient and successful fields of the university.

The high standard of basic research in natural sciences at the University of Eastern Finland serves as a foundation for developing new technologies and applications in biotechnology, information technology, materials technology and nanotechnology.

Life-course management skills, access to education and intercultural competence are essential elements that are necessary for individuals to cope in our society. The strong expertise in cultural and behavioural sciences at the University of Eastern Finland rests on its research into cultures, education, teaching, learning and the human life course.

Globalisation, on the other hand, is posing great challenges for the welfare state. The development of European fringe areas and border regions, their differences in levels of prosperity and interaction with Russia are among the topical themes of research at the University of Eastern Finland.

Health and well-being are the cornerstones of all human activity. The University of Eastern Finland provides training for a variety of social welfare and healthcare professionals and researchers. Furthermore, molecular medicine and clinical research are used to develop disease diagnostics, new treatment methods and disease prevention.

The extensive research conducted by the University of Eastern Finland on forests and other renewable natural resources, the human habitat, climate, and water systems underscores the sustainable use of natural resources and constitutes an internationally unique research cluster in the field.

Excellence in research

Research groups of the University of Eastern Finland are involved in three Academy of Finland Centres of Excellence and in three Nordic Centres of Excellence.

The University of Eastern Finland co-ordinates the Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence in Cardiovascular Diseases and Type 2 Diabetes Research. Furthermore, the university’s research groups are involved in the Centre of Excellence in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Meteorology of Atmospheric Composition and Climate Change, and in the Centre of Excellence in Inverse Problems.

The University of Eastern Finland co-ordinates the Nordic Centre of Excellence SYSDIET on Food, Nutrition and Health and is involved in the Nordic Centre of Excellence HELGA, which investigates the health aspects of wholegrain products. The university’s research groups are also involved in the Nordic Centre of Excellence in Neurodegeneration, which is part of the Nordic Centre of Excellence Programme in Molecular Medicine.

More information:
www.uef.fi
www.joensuu.fi
www.uku.fi