The University Board initiated the filling of dean positions, reviewed the UniOGS Graduate School evaluation report, and decided on tuition fees

The University of Oulu Board of Directors, in its meeting on 26.2.2025, selected Vesa-Heikki Kemppainen, a civil engineering graduate, as the university's real estate manager. Kemppainen is transitioning to the university from the position of Head of Real Estate at SSAB and has over twenty years of experience in real estate management and development leadership roles. He will start as the university's real estate manager on 1.4.2025.

Most of the four-year terms of the deans and education deans are ending on 31.12.2025. The board authorized the rector to initiate the filling of the dean positions and to decide on the preparation groups. The task of the preparation groups is to finalize the job announcements, decide on the detailed selection procedure, and prepare the rector's selection proposals for the board.

The terms of the deans and education deans of the Faculties of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Humanities, and Natural Sciences, as well as the Business School, will end at the turn of the year. In the Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, the dean's term will end, and in the Faculty of Education and Psychology, as well as in the Faculty of Medicine, the terms of the education deans will end. The term of the dean of the Faculty of Medicine will end earlier on 31.7.2025. The terms of other deans started later and will continue.

The activities of UniOGS will continue

The board reviewed the report of the working group that evaluated the activities and organization of UniOGS and decided on further actions. The working group's proposal is that the activities of the University of Oulu Graduate School will continue. The graduate school is seen as having a central role in the development and quality assurance of doctoral education, as well as in shortening graduation times. The improvement suggestions raised in the evaluation will start to be implemented. The working group does not propose changes to the University of Oulu's regulations regarding the graduate school.

The working group operated from 1.8.2024 to 8.1.2025. The working group heard the entire university community during two hearing sessions. Additionally, the university community had the opportunity to comment on the working group's proposal. The progress of the working group's work and its proposals have been regularly presented to the research management team and the research council, and feedback has been received from these bodies.

Educational offerings, starting places, and tuition fees for 2026

The board approved the educational offerings, starting places, and tuition fees for 2026. In bachelor's and master's education, there will be a total of 2732 starting places in 2026 (2025: 2693) and 1256 starting places in master's education (2025: 1287). Additionally, there will be 250 starting places in commissioned education.

According to the amendment to the University Act, tuition fees for students from outside the EU and EEA countries in foreign-language degree programs must cover the costs of organizing the education from 1.8.2026 onwards. Based on cost calculations, the university board approved tuition fee categories of 10,000, 12,000, and 14,000 euros. Faculties can set the tuition fee amount for each degree program.

The annual tuition revenue must also cover scholarships and other grants paid to students. Part of the tuition fees exceeding the costs will be transferred to the university's scholarship fund. Scholarships will not be offered to students starting in the autumn of 2026, at least for the first year. The planning of the scholarship system will begin, and the working group will present its proposal to the board in 2026.

The board also approved small increases in starting places for early childhood education and psychology programs starting in the autumn of 2025.

Additionally, the board:

• Reviewed the reporting of the university's Whistleblower reporting channel for 2024. Between 1.1.-31.12.2024, three reports were received, which were processed according to the board-approved process. One report was found not to fall within the scope of the reporting channel. The other two reports led to a formal investigation process.
• Noted the reporting of the board's finance committee.
• Held a Q&A session for the university community after the meeting.

Read more: Vesa-Heikki Kemppainen Appointed as the Real Estate Director of the University of Oulu