The University of Helsinki says that the Ministry of Finance's budget proposal is focusing a large part of its education sector cuts to this largest of Finnish universities unfairly. If the budget proposal goes through next month, the University of Helsinki may face minus figures in its turnover as early as the end of 2015. The University calculates the savings from cuts aimed directly at its work at some 100 million euros annually.
"Universities are certainly prepared to be involved in sensible savings rounds for the good of the economy, but all such cuts should be instituted with the quality of teaching and research in mind," says Jukka Kola, who has been serving a five-year term as Rector of the University of Helsinki since 2013. "With this budget proposal the government is cutting important cords from the one Finnish university that has gained the most international acclaim."
Kola says research and education should be a top priority when deciding the government's top investment opportunities, and that "important and much-awaited" measures to improve Finnish research should be implemented poste haste.
The University also says that splitting the higher education system's resources into too many units actively hinders the improvement of quality research, and also the ascent of any other Finnish universities into the world top 400. Finnish institutes of higher education should focus on specialising and cooperation, the University of Helsinki says.
