Chair of the Board Jorma Eloranta: Challenges but more opportunities on the horizon for universities
The University is not working alone to achieve a sustainable world. It works closely with regional, national, and international research organisations, businesses, and communities.
“Tampere University's has broad and diverse business cooperation. From materials research to wood construction, from intelligent transport solutions to automation and robotics, and from stem cell research to the development of cancer treatments,” says Jorma Eloranta, Chair of the Board of the Tampere University Foundation.
The Board of the Tampere University Foundation, which acts as Tampere University, decides on the allocation of the Foundation’s capital returns. This year, almost €5 million will be allocated to education and research, internationalisation, and networking.
“Good researchers, teachers and students create the level of the University community. Research and education generate new skills, businesses, and employment. Collaboration with businesses and communities produces proven solutions based on the latest research, which can be exploited globally.
Now is the time to support research and education
In Finland, the future of the entire University institution is challenged by the public deficit, shrinking age groups and international competition. The positive development of the University’s activities depends on a stronger core funding base and the ability to attract external funding.
Fund-raising is a well-established method of obtaining external funding also at Finnish universities, which involves collecting donations from organisations and individuals. Tampere University is running a fund-raising campaign following the decision of the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra to award a one-off grant of €100 million to universities. In the best-case scenario, the government will capitalise universities with a 2.5-fold matched funding corresponding to the private donations they are able to raise in 2020–2022.
“A donated euro may grow to as much as €3.5 because of the government’s input. If we achieve our fund-raising target of €4.4 million, the matched funding may amount to as much as €11 million,” Eloranta mentions.
Thus, now is the time to support research and education. The matched funding campaign will run until the end of June 2022.
If a certain field of study is close to a donor’s heart, a minimum sum of €10.000 may be allocated to the field with the deed of donation. Tampere University’s fields of education include education and teacher training, theatre and arts, medicine and pharmacy, as well as humanities, business studies, natural sciences, psychology, engineering, health sciences and social sciences.
A private person may benefit from a tax deduction when the donated sum amounts to €850–€500.000. Corporations get the tax benefit when the donation is from €850 to €250.000.
“Donations enable new research openings and provide long-term support for education. Tampere University will continue to provide high-quality education based on the latest research and encourage creative and innovative thinking,” Eloranta notes.
Read about the matched funding scheme
