University management
Board
The Board decides on the University’s strategy, approves key regulations, determines the organisational structure and ownership policy, and appoints the President, Vice Presidents and Deans. In addition, the Board approves the University’s operational and financial plan and confirms the annual financial statements.
The Board of Tampere University Foundation, which operates under the name Tampere University, comprises the following members:
Chair
Vuorineuvos (Finnish honorary title) Jorma Eloranta
Vice Chair
Professor Jussi Välimaa, University of Jyväskylä
MD Marina Erhola, County Chief Executive of PIRHA, the wellbeing services county of Pirkanmaa
DTech Anne Jalkala, EVP, Weather, Energy and Environment Business, Vaisala
Professor Johanna Kantola, University of Helsinki
Student Tiina Mikkonen, Tampere University
Professor Jukka Törrönen, Stockholm University
President and Vice Presidents
The President leads the University’s operations and holds overall responsibility for the efficient, effective and financially sustainable performance of its functions. The President also prepares matters for the Board, presents proposals and oversees the implementation of the Board’s decisions.
The President decides on the number of Vice Presidents and their mutual division of responsibilities.
Keijo Hämäläinen, President
Professor, Doctor of Philosophy Keijo Hämäläinen took office as the President of Tampere University on 1 June 2023.
Before Tampere University, he worked as the Rector of the University of Jyväskylä in 2017–2023. He has also worked at the University of Helsinki as a Vice Rector, Dean and professor of physics. Hämäläinen has conducted research abroad for several years in, among other things, the United States (Brookhaven National Laboratory) and France (Grenoble). Hämäläinen earned his doctoral degree in the field of physics at the University of Helsinki in 1990.
Hämäläinen currently holds several positions of trust as, for example, a board member of Sitra and the Finnish Cultural Foundation. He served as the Chair of Universities Finland UNIFI in 2020–2021. Hämäläinen is a member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters and the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters. In 2002, the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters awarded him the Väisälä prize.
Contact:
Executive Assistant Johanna Harju
Tapio Visakorpi, Vice President for Research
MD, PhD Tapio Visakorpi has been Vice President for Research of Tampere University since 2022.
He has served as dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology at Tampere University and formerly as dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Life Science at the University of Tampere. Visakorpi was appointed as professor of cancer genetics at the University of Tampere in 2002. He has headed and coordinated countless national and international research projects and has been a member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters since 2007. In addition, he has occupied positions of trust relating to the development of national and international research infrastructures and research funding for more than a decade.
Contact:
Assistant Johanna Hellman
Marja Sutela, Vice President for Education
Doctor of Administrative Sciences Marja Sutela was appointed as Vice President for Education at Tampere University in 2019. After her first term ended in 2023, she was re-appointed for a further five-year term running from 2024 to 2028. Sutela served as Vice President for Education and RDI at Tampere University of Applied Sciences between 2010 and 2018. In addition, she has previously worked as a professor of public law, associate professor and researcher at the universities of Joensuu, Tampere and Lapland.
Sutela received her doctorate in administrative sciences in the field of public law from the University of Joensuu in 2000. She has been awarded the title of docent by the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Vaasa.
In January 2024, Sutela was elected as Chair of the Universities Finland UNIFI’s Network of Vice-Rectors for Education for a two-year term. Sutela’s most important international position of trust is her membership on the Learning & Teaching Steering Committee of the European University Association (EUA) in 2020–2023. Sutela has built up experience in quality management in higher education, for example, by serving on the quality audit teams of Ghent University, Dublin City University and the University of Ljubljana.
Contact:
Assistant Johanna Hellman
Jarmo Takala, Vice President for Stakeholder Relations and Partnerships
DSc (Tech.) Jarmo Takala took office as Vice President for Stakeholder Relations and Partnerships on 1 January 2024.
He served as Provost of Tampere University between the years 2019–2023. Prior to that he has served as vice president for research at the former Tampere University of Technology (TUT), as dean of the Faculty of Computing and Electrical Engineering and as head of the Department of Computer Systems. He has also occupied research positions at Nokia Research Center and the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. Takala has led numerous national and international research projects. He headed TUT’s international master’s programme in information technology and participated in setting up a bachelor’s programme in information technology and electrical engineering at TUT. Takala is an active member of international scientific associations dedicated to the advancement of information technology.
Contact:
Assistant Johanna Hellman
Antti Lönnqvist, Vice President for Strategic Development
Professor Antti Lönnqvist, DTech, has served as Vice President at Tampere University since April 2025. He is responsible for the strategic development of support services.
Lönnqvist transitioned to his current role from his position as dean of the Faculty of Management and Business at Tampere University, having previously served as dean of the Faculty of Built Environment. Before Tampere University was established, Lönnqvist was the dean of the School of Management at the former University of Tampere. Earlier, he held the position of professor of information and knowledge management at the former Tampere University of Technology.
Contact:
Assistant Johanna Hellman
Academic Board
As stipulated by the Finnish Universities Act, the Academic Board is a multi-member governing body that represents the entire university community.
The Academic Board is responsible for academic decisions regarding curricula, degree requirements, admission criteria and other general provisions related to teaching and research. It appoints committees and administrative bodies that manage matters related to degrees, grading and appeals. In addition, the Academic Board appoints members to the Board of Tampere University and determines the length of their terms.
Members of the Academic Board:
Chair
Arto Laitinen
Vice Chair
Arri Priimägi
Professors
Hannu-Matti Järvinen
Matti Mäntysalo
Frans Mäyrä
Matti Nykter
Juha Vinha
Eija Vinnari
Other teaching and research staff and support staff
Jani Hakkarainen
Ismo Isopoussu
Riikka Lahtinen
Maria Mäkelä
Soile Nymark
Ville Vuolanto
Student representatives
Onni Härkönen
Teemu Juutilainen
Nina Kovanen
Ellinoora Laaksonen
Mika Pajala
Deans
Deans are responsible for overseeing the faculties, including their strategic development and financial management.
Jyrki Vuorinen, Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences (ITC)
Marko Seppänen Faculty of Management and Business (MAB)
Tiina Silander, Faculty of Education and Culture (EDU)
Seppo Parkkila, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology (MET)
Pekka Verho, Faculty of Built Environment (BEN)
Martti Kauranen, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences (ENS)
Liisa Häikiö, Faculty of Social Sciences (SOC)