Cooperation negotiations concerning centralised support staff to begin at Tampere University

The negotiations do not concern teaching and research staff and other staff placed in the faculties. Staff at the Finnish Social Science Data Archive (FSD), the Tampere University Doctoral School and Tampere Institute for Advanced Study will likewise fall outside the scope of the negotiations. In addition, the negotiations do not apply to individuals working at the University Consortium of Pori and the University of Seinäjoki who perform nationally funded tasks.   

The goal of the cooperation negotiations is to find savings amounting to roughly €14 million yearly by reducing personnel costs. Achieving the financial target is estimated to require a reduction of approximately 215 person-years. During the negotiations, the University will work together with staff to make every effort to minimise the impact on employees. The reduction in person-years is an estimate and will be further specified as the cooperation negotiations move forward. The cooperation negotiations are conducted to make permanent structural changes and rethink the framework for providing centralised support services.

Tampere University Foundation, which operates as Tampere University, started its operations as a higher education institution on 1 January 2019. Staff of the former University of Tampere (UTA) and Tampere University of Technology (TUT) were transferred to the service of the new Tampere University as old employees in accordance with the principles of business transfer.

Tampere University Foundation, which operates as Tampere University, has reported an operating deficit in all the fiscal years since its establishment. The University’s operating deficit was €16.1 million in 2020, €8.9 million in 2019 and €10.4 million in 2018. In the years 2022–2024, the operating budget would continue to show a deficit of approximately €10 million. Personnel costs are the single largest item of expenditure. 

The total amount of basic funding received by Tampere University from the Ministry of Education and Culture will be reduced from €196.5 million in 2021 to €190.9 million in 2022. This is due to, among other things, a relative decline in the amount of indicator-based funding and especially the end of the funding earmarked for managing the university merger.

Tampere University must focus on safeguarding the future of its core operations, namely research, teaching and interaction with society. The purpose of the cooperation negotiations is to scale support services to ensure they meet the needs of Tampere University which was created by merging the University of Tampere and Tampere University of Technology.

According to President Mari Walls, the University’s ability to carry out its core operations must be maintained despite changing circumstances. “Balancing the budget is necessary to safeguard the University’s future. The autumn will be difficult, especially for our support staff. Tampere University knows its responsibilities as an employer, and we will carry our this challenging, yet unavoidable process openly and responsibly and support our staff amidst the changes.”

Inquiries:

President Mari Walls
Tampere University
tel. +358 29 4521001

Director Emilia Katajajuuri
Operations Management and Administrative Services, Tampere University
tel. +358 40 5515552