Organisation and decision making of Tampere Universities

Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences comprise the corporate group that constitutes the Tampere Universities community. The activities of the University and the University of Applied Sciences are integrated in the operations of Tampere University Foundation sr.

From the perspective of an applicant seeking admission to a degree programme, Tampere University is a higher education institution separate from the foundation, where it is possible to complete degrees up to a scientific postgraduate degree. At Tampere University of Applied Sciences, it is possible to complete degrees supporting professional growth, but not a scientific postgraduate degree.

At both the University and the University of Applied Sciences research is being conducted and innovations that serve society are being developed. However, at the University, the share of research is higher than at the University of Applied Sciences.

Both the University and the University of Applied Sciences use their internal organisational structure to guide their activities, bodies to make decisions, groups, experts to prepare and implement decisions, and procedures to enable students and staff to anticipate the impact of decisions that affect them.

The University’s or University of Applied Sciences’ regulations define the internal organisational structure. The regulations also specify the bodies, their functions, and their composition as far as they are not defined by law.

Both the University and the University of Applied Sciences are mainly functioning by public funds, i.e., they are funded by the Finnish government. Both belong to the administrative branch of the Ministry of Education and Culture and are targets of the performance management used in the administrative branch. In addition, the University and the University of Applied Sciences apply for external funding, for example, receive donations, conduct investment activities, and applying for competitive funding. They may also conduct business within the limits of their statutory duties.

Organisation and decision making of Tampere University

Tampere University has seven faculties. They include Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences, Faculty of Management and Business, Faculty of Education and Culture, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Faculty of Built Environment, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, and Faculty of Social Sciences. Some faculties also operate at the university consortia of Pori and Seinäjoki.

There are several units organising services. They organise services supporting the activities of faculties, and also services to students, for example, the continuous learning services and library services.

Decision-making is based on the bodies and the powers assigned to them, i.e., which bodies decide on what matters. As stipulated by the Regulations, the bodies include the Board, the President, the Academic Board, and the Faculty Councils. The President’s management group and councils act as preparer of the matters for the bodies. The councils, as stipulated by the Regulations, include Faculty Council, Education Council, Societal Interaction Council and Professors’ Council.

Deans lead the faculties, and the Directors of the Service Units are responsible for the management of the units. There is a management group supporting the work of each Dean and Director.

At Tampere University, the Faculties and Service Units operate as profit centres to which the President annually allocates appropriations for operations.

Students may participate in decision-making via, for example, their representatives. The student representatives participate in, for example, the work of the Academic Board, Faculty Councils, and fixed-term working groups. In addition, students may influence via inclusive situations that are open to all, e.g., by answering surveys, participating in discussions, and using feedback channels in education.

As set out in the Universities Act, the universities in Finland may be divided into two types, public universities and foundation universities. Tampere University is a foundation-based university, which means, for example, that the Board must comprise exact seven members. The rules of Tampere University Foundation require that three of Board members shall be appointed among the persons proposed by the founders of the foundation, with the exception of the state of Finland.

Examples of decisions that have a broad impact on the University’s operations include the Board’s decisions on strategy and the allocation of financial resources, and the Academic Board’s decisions on the scope of degree education.