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New professorship brings environmental education into the spotlight

Published on 21.5.2019
Tampere University
Lampi ja sorsa, puun oksia
Tampere University will establish a professorship in environmental education. The new position will be a part of the University’s multidisciplinary hub of environmental expertise that brings together research and education, among other things, in environmental policy, environmental technology, circular economy and sustainable development.

“The position will add yet another dimension to our educational offerings,” says Päivi Pahta, dean of the Faculty of Education and Culture.

“We need to integrate environmental education into the curriculum to promote ecological literacy among prospective teachers and help them cultivate environmental awareness in schools. The new professorship is an extremely important new step towards creating a better future for us all,” says Pahta.

More opportunities for collaboration

Tampere University has provided education and conducted research in environmental education before, but the new professorship or tenure track position will significantly increase the impact of the field.

“The new professorship will also enable us to pursue new multidisciplinary collaborations in the field of education,” Pahta says.
Both the University of Lapland and the University of Helsinki offer education in environmental education, but a professorship in this field has previously only existed at the University of Helsinki. 

The new professorship will allow Tampere University to make expertise in environmental education available to the City of Tampere and the surrounding region.

Financial support from the City of Tampere

The Vitality and Competitiveness Committee of the City of Tampere has awarded Tampere University €240,000 of financial support for the new professorship for the years 2019–2021.

“We are very grateful for the support provided by the City of Tampere,” Pahta says.

“Our support for the establishment of the new professorship is one example of the ongoing collaboration between the City of Tampere and Tampere Universities and demonstrates our commitment to supporting the development of scientific disciplines and fields of study that are aligned with our strategy. The City of Tampere has a goal to become carbon neutral by 2030. Sustainable development is a cross-cutting theme in all our development activities,” says Deputy Mayor Anna-Kaisa Heinämäki.

The City of Tampere is committed to sustainable development in its ecological, social, cultural and economic dimensions. Tampere has been a member of the Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) network since 1994.
The closing date for applications is 10 June 2019.

Read more about the open position.

Inquiries:
Dean Päivi Pahta, tel. +358 50 318 1131, paivi.pahta [at] tuni.fi
Faculty of Education and Culture, Tampere University