Research excellence at Tampere University

The Academy of Finland’s Centres of Excellence (CoE) are at the very cutting edge of science in their fields. A CoE is a research and training network that has a clearly defined set of research objectives and is run under a joint management.

Tampere University coordinates four CoEs:

• Centre of Excellence in Tax Systems Research (2022–2029) coordinated by Professor Kaisa Kotakorpi
• Centre of Excellence in History of Experiences (2018–2025) coordinated by Professor Pirjo Markkola
• Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research (2018–2025) coordinated by Professor Minna Kellomäki
• Centre of Excellence in Game Culture Studies (2018–2025), coordinated by Professor Frans Mäyrä

In addition, Tampere University is a member of six other Centres of Excellence:

• Centre of Excellence in Life-inspired Hybrid Materials (2022–2029) coordinated by Aalto University, contact person at Tampere University is Professor Arri Priimägi
• Centre of Excellence in High-Speed Electromechanical Energy Conversion Systems (2022–2029) coordinated by Aalto University, contact person at Tampere University is Associate Professor (Tenure Track) Paavo Rasilo
• Centre of Excellence in Virtual laboratory for molecular level atmospheric transformations (2022–2029) coordinated by the University of Helsinki, contact person at Tampere University is Associate Professor (Tenure Track) Matti Rissanen
• Centre of Excellence in Research on Ageing and Care (2018–2025) coordinated by the University of Jyväskylä, contact person at Tampere University is Professor Marja Jylhä
• Centre of Ex­cel­lence of In­verse Mod­el­ling and Ima­ging (2018–2025) coordinated by the University of Helsinki, contact person at Tampere University is Associate Professor (Tenure Track) Sampsa Pursiainen
• Centre of Excellence in Tumour Genetics Research (2018–2025), coordinated by the University of Helsinki, contact person at Tampere University is Professor Matti Nykter

The European Research Council (ERC) funds excellent ground-breaking research. ERC grants are awarded by the career stage: Starting grants (STG) 2-7 years after the PhD defense, Consolidator grant (COG) 7-12 years after the defense and Advanced grant (ADG) more than 12 years after the defense. Proof of Concept (POC) funding is intended for exploring the commercial and social innovation potential of the previously granted ERC proposal. 

ERC funding at Tampere University:

• Mattia Thibault, A Systematic Exploration of Interreal Translations in the Media Multiverse (InterReal), ERC-2024-STG
• Mikko Joronen, Dwelling with Crisis: Home at Spaces of Chronic Violence (HOMCRI), ERC-2022-COG.
• Arri Priimägi, Light-driven surface shaping for holographic optical elements (HoloShape), ERC-2022-POC2.
• Hao Zeng, From light fueled self-oscillators to light communicating material networks (ONLINE), ERC-2022-STG.
• Arri Priimägi, Light-reconfigurable substrate for cell cultures (L-CELL), ERC-2021-POC.
• Arri Priimägi, Multimodal Sensory-Motorized Material Systems (MULTIMODAL), ERC-2021-COG.
• Olli Pyyhtinen, Ontologies of Waste: A Relational Study of How Waste Comes to Matter for Humans, Society, and Future (WasteMatters), ERC-2021-COG.
• Dario Greco, dAta-dRiven integrated approaches to CHemIcal safety assessMEnt and Drug dEvelopment (ARCHIMEDES), ERC-2021-COG.
• Robert Fickler, Twisted Ions – A novel tool for quantum science (TWISTION), ERC-2021-STG.
• Matti Rissanen, Autoxidation of Anthropogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (AVOC) as a Source of Urban Air Pollution (ADAPT), ERC-2020-COG.
• Timo Laaksonen, Photoactivatable Drug Releasing Implants (PADRE), ERC-2020-COG, joint project: University of Helsinki 60%, Tampere university 40%.
• Eeva Puumala, Coexistence and conflict in the age of complexity: An interdisciplinary study of community dynamics (EmergentCommunity), ERC-2020-STG.
• Paavo Rasilo, Multiscale Magnetic Models for Emerging Energy Conversion Applications (MULTIMAG), ERC-2019-STG.

Previously granted:

• Humeyra Caglayan, Time Keeping with Epsilon-Near-Zero Metamaterials (TIMEKEEPER), ERC-2022-POC2.
• Humeyra Caglayan, QUAntum nanophotonics in Rolled-Up Metamaterials (aQUARiUM), ERC-2018-STG.
• Billy Brumley, Side-Channel Aware Engineering (SCARE), ERC-2018-STG.
• Eeva Luhtakallio, Imagi(ni)ng Democracy: European youth becoming citizens by visual participation (ImagiDem), ERC-2018-STG.
• Johanna Kantola, Gender, party politics and democracy in Europe: A study of European Parliament’s party groups (EUGenDem), ERC-2017-COG. Moved to University of Helsinki 1.1.2023.
• Arri Priimägi, Optical sensing of relative humidity using photoswitchable molecules (Optosense), ERC-POC-2017.
• Tuomas Virtanen, Pre-Commercialisation of Sound Recognition for Surveillance Applications (Smartsound), ERC-POC-2016.
• Mircea Guina, Advanced III-V Materials and Processes Enabling Ultrahigh-efficiency ( 50%) Photovoltaics (Ametist), ERC-ADG-2015.
• Arri Priimägi, Tunable Photonic Structures via Photomechanical Actuation (Phototune), ERC-STG-2015.
• Tuomas Virtanen, Computational Analysis of Everyday Soundscapes (Everysound), ERC-StG-2014.

The Academy of Finland Flagship Programme promotes excellent research and versatile impact arising therefrom.

Tampere University coordinates one flagship:

• Photonics Research and Innovation (PREIN). The flagship focuses on light-based technologies and their applications. Photonics and light-based technologies play a central role in telecommunications, biomedicine, health care, energy and environment, manufacturing, and consumer products. The flagship is lead by Professor Goëry Genty.The other partners in the consortium are Aalto University, University of Eastern Finland, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland LTD.

In addition, Tampere University is part of five other flagships:

• ACCC – The Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center. The flagship is coordinated by Helsinki University. Tampere University's part is lead by Professor Miikka Dal Maso.
• UNITE – Forest-Human-Machine Interplay: Building Resilience, Redefining Value Networks and Enabling Meaningful Experiences. The flagship is coordinated by the University of Eastern Finland. Tampere University's part is lead by Professor Juho Hamari.
• FAME – flagship for applied mathematics and physics. The flagship is coordinated by the University of Eastern Finland. Tampere University's part is lead by Professor Sampsa Pursiainen.
• FQF – Finnish Quantum Flagship. The flagship is coordinated by Aalto University. Tampere University's part is lead by Professor Teemu Ojanen.
• iCAN – flagship for precision cancer medicine and digital health. The flagship is coordinated by the University of Helsinki. Tampere University's part is lead by Professor Matti Nykter.

The Academy of Finland grants competitive funding, often referred to as Profi, to Finnish universities to support them in strengthening their research profiles. The funding is aimed at expediting the strategy-based research profiling of Finnish universities and at supporting the development of the quality of research.

The latest funding round, PROFI6, supports four profiling areas at Tampere University:

• health data science,
• games as a platform to tackle grand challenges,
• TAU imaging research platform, and
• the sustainable transformation of urban environments.

Tampere University has received more than 40 million euros of funding in the first six Academy of Finland calls.

Read more about profiling areas at Tampere University