Collaboration

New partnership agreement strengthens Tampere’s position as a pioneer in the media sector

Published on 28.10.2020

Tampere Universities

Tilanteena oli XR-Factoryn livestriimin harjoitukset YLEn virtuaalistudiossa

Tampere University, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Business Tampere, Wakeone and Yle organised an international virtual extended reality (XR) event in early October. The event showcased XR technologies used in industrial and media contexts. Photo: Isabella Presnal.

Tampere University, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, the City of Tampere and Yleisradio, Finland’s national public service broadcasting company, have signed a partnership agreement to safeguard Tampere’s position as a pioneer and dominant force in the media sector.

The partners are working towards the shared goal of bringing media research and development closer to people and communities. Real-life environments serve as living labs that shed light on the social, societal, ecological and economic factors that affect interaction between people and media.

“We are looking to create new forms of collaboration for both research and teaching. An open, user-centred co-creation culture will open up new avenues of thought. In the agreement, the collaboration between the partners is described as inclusive, digital, multidisciplinary, eventful and educational. These words illustrate our vision perfectly,” says President Mari Walls of Tampere University.

Bridging the gap between research and practice

“We already have a long history of collaboration, but we are now stepping up our cooperation to carry out more large-scale strategic projects. With events going digital as a result of the global pandemic, the role of Mediapolis is becoming increasingly important,” says President Markku Lahtinen of Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

From the perspective of the Tampere Universities community, the agreement will promote interdisciplinary collaboration and pave the way for new research, teaching and development initiatives. The themes will especially focus on the future media landscape, media education and media literacy.

The partners have a mission to safeguard Tampere’s position as a leading hub of new media in Finland.

“The digital transformation is reshaping journalistic narratives and the role of the audience. The new partnership will help bridge the gap between research and practice when we are looking to understand the expectations and needs of media audiences,” says Matti Apunen, professor of practice at Tampere University.

Inquiries:
Director Pauli Kuosmanen, Innovation Services and Partnerships, Tampere University: tel. +358 50 304 5934, pauli.kuosmanen [at] tuni.fi (pauli[dot]kuosmanen[at]tuni[dot]fi)