University of Jyväskylä
Encyclopedia
The University of Jyväskylä is a university
in Jyväskylä
, Finland
. It has its origins in the first Finnish-speaking teacher training college (the so-called Teacher Seminary), founded in 1863. Around 14,000 students are currently enrolled in the degree programs of the university. It is ranked as the second largest university in Finland when measured according to the number of Master’s degrees conferred.
has played a significant role in Finnish
cultural history. Founded in 1863, the university has its origins in the first Finnish-speaking teacher training college, the so-called Teacher Seminary. The teacher seminary evolved into the College of Education in 1937, at which time it was given the authority to grant doctorate degrees. In the 1960s, the college started teaching and researching in the sciences and in 1967 was renamed the University of Jyväskylä.
The university offers a wide range of study programmes for Bachelor's or Master's degree conducted in English, many of which are unique in Finland. Natural Sciences, Human Sciences, Sport and Health Sciences as well as Teacher Education are the university's areas of special expertise.
The university is currently divided into seven faculties:
Each faculty is active in research and provides undergraduate and graduate degree programs in more than one subject.
Joint projects with the University of Helsinki:
Master of Arts
Master of Science
Erasmus Mundus Masters Programme
Several buildings in the main campus area were designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto
. Aalto received the commission to design the College of Education campus following a competition held in 1951. Aalto played on the idea of Jyväskylä's image among the town's inhabitants as it being the "Athens of the North", and layout of the campus reflects principles of Greek acropolis layouts. His scheme even included a Greek-style open-air theatre, though executed in minimal form.
Buildings in the campus area designed by Alvar Aalto:
In 1969-70 an architectural competition was arranged for the design of new university campus sites at Mattilanniemi and Ylistönrinne. The competition was won by architect Arto Sipinen
, who had previously worked in Aalto's office. Sipinen also designed new buildings for the main campus, including a new main library (1974).
The Student Union organises:
Student Union members are entitled to a student card which can be used to purchase discount transportation tickets (e.g. bus, train) and discount student meals in student campus cafeterias.
Kortepohja
Student Village is owned by the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä. Kortepohja, located about 2.5 kilometres from the Main Campus and city centre, housing approximately 1900 students. All rooms in Kortepohja are rented unfurnished but basic furniture is available in the storage rooms. Laundry facilities, saunas and meeting rooms are available in the buildings.
Central Finland Student Housing Foundation, KOAS
KOAS offers ca. 3900 apartments all around the Jyväskylä town area. The apartment buildings are conveniently located in the suburbs of Jyväskylä and offer an excellent opportunity to integrate with people outside the University. International students are usually placed in the furnished apartments in Roninmäki, Myllyjärvi and Keltinmäki. Laundry rooms, saunas and store rooms, as well as hobby rooms, are available in the buildings.
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä is the capital of Central Finland and the largest city on the Finnish Lakeland, north-east of Tampere and north of Helsinki, on northern coast of lake Päijänne. The city has been continuously one of the most rapidly growing cities in Finland since World War II. The city is surrounded...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. It has its origins in the first Finnish-speaking teacher training college (the so-called Teacher Seminary), founded in 1863. Around 14,000 students are currently enrolled in the degree programs of the university. It is ranked as the second largest university in Finland when measured according to the number of Master’s degrees conferred.
History
The University of JyväskyläJyväskylä
Jyväskylä is the capital of Central Finland and the largest city on the Finnish Lakeland, north-east of Tampere and north of Helsinki, on northern coast of lake Päijänne. The city has been continuously one of the most rapidly growing cities in Finland since World War II. The city is surrounded...
has played a significant role in Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
cultural history. Founded in 1863, the university has its origins in the first Finnish-speaking teacher training college, the so-called Teacher Seminary. The teacher seminary evolved into the College of Education in 1937, at which time it was given the authority to grant doctorate degrees. In the 1960s, the college started teaching and researching in the sciences and in 1967 was renamed the University of Jyväskylä.
The university offers a wide range of study programmes for Bachelor's or Master's degree conducted in English, many of which are unique in Finland. Natural Sciences, Human Sciences, Sport and Health Sciences as well as Teacher Education are the university's areas of special expertise.
Size
The University has 13,000 students in addition to its adult education students, representing 40,000 students in total. Each year about two thousand new students are admitted and generally only a seventh of applicants are accepted; this makes University of Jyväskylä one of the most popular universities in Finland. Measured according to the number of Master’s degrees conferred, the University of Jyväskylä is ranked as the second largest university in Finland.Organisation
The University offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, teacher training programmes and over 120 subject area disciplines.The university is currently divided into seven faculties:
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Information Technology
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences
- Faculty of Mathematics and Science
- School of Business and Economics
- Faculty of Social Sciences
Each faculty is active in research and provides undergraduate and graduate degree programs in more than one subject.
Centres of Excellence
University of Jyväskylä is host to several Centres of Excellence in Research nominated by the Academy of Finland:- Evolutionary Research
- Nuclear and Accelerator Based Physics (equipped with a cyclotronCyclotronIn technology, a cyclotron is a type of particle accelerator. In physics, the cyclotron frequency or gyrofrequency is the frequency of a charged particle moving perpendicularly to the direction of a uniform magnetic field, i.e. a magnetic field of constant magnitude and direction...
) - Learning and Motivation Research
- Political Thought and Conceptual Change
Joint projects with the University of Helsinki:
- Analysis and Dynamics Research
- Interdisciplinary Music Research
- Philosophical Psychology, Morality and Politics: Human Conduct in the History of Philosophy
- Study of Variation, Contacts and Change in English
- Study of Virus Research
International Master's programmes
The University of Jyväskylä offers high quality and tuition-free 2 year Master programmes in English (120 ECTS credits).Master of Arts
- Digital Culture
- Educational Leadership
- Development and International Cooperation
- ICC Intercultural Communication
- Music, Mind and Technology
Master of Science
- BPA Biology of Physical Activity
- Corporate Environmental Management
- Family Business
- Mobile Technology and Business
- Nanoscience
- Renewable Energy
- Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Sport Science and Management
- Sustainable Management of Inland Aquatic Resources
Erasmus Mundus Masters Programme
- European Masters in Sport and Exercise Psychology
International Cooperation in Education
The University of Jyväskylä aims to offer its students the opportunity to study abroad and internationalisation at home. Therefore, the University of Jyväskylä is active in a variety of international programmes, such as the Lifelong Learning Programme, Nordplus, North-South-South Higher Education Exchange, FIRST and ISEP. The University has also concluded bilateral agreements on student exchange with 25 universities around the world. Altogether, the University is involved in student exchanges with more than 360 universities worldwide.Campuses
The faculties and departments are mainly located on three campuses: the Main Campus area in the city centre - where the original Teacher Seminary has first started - as well as Mattilanniemi and Ylistönrinne Campuses on opposite shores of Lake Jyväsjärvi, united by a bridge, some 10 minutes walk from the Main Campus area.Several buildings in the main campus area were designed by famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto
Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware...
. Aalto received the commission to design the College of Education campus following a competition held in 1951. Aalto played on the idea of Jyväskylä's image among the town's inhabitants as it being the "Athens of the North", and layout of the campus reflects principles of Greek acropolis layouts. His scheme even included a Greek-style open-air theatre, though executed in minimal form.
Buildings in the campus area designed by Alvar Aalto:
- Teachers Training School 1951-54
- Staff housing 1951 (now the Jyväskylä University Museum)
- Student’s Hall of Residence 1952-54 (now the languages department)
- Lozzi and Lyhty staff and student refectories
- Main Building 1954-56
- Swimming Pool 1954-58, 1964, several alterations (called Aalto-Alvari)
- Physical Education Building 1971
- Library 1957 (now the Aalto Reading Room)
In 1969-70 an architectural competition was arranged for the design of new university campus sites at Mattilanniemi and Ylistönrinne. The competition was won by architect Arto Sipinen
Arto Sipinen
Arto Sipinen is a Finnish architect. He worked in the office of architects Alvar Aalto in 1959–61 and Viljo Revell in 1961–63. He founded his own architect's office in 1965...
, who had previously worked in Aalto's office. Sipinen also designed new buildings for the main campus, including a new main library (1974).
Other Institutes
Other institutes within the university include:- Agora CenterAgora CenterThe Agora Center is a separate institute at the University of Jyväskylä in Central Finland. By its nature, the Agora Center is interdisciplinary and networked. Its purpose is to conduct, coordinate, and administrate top-level research and development that relates to the knowledge society and which...
- Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius
- Information Management Centre
- Continuing Education Centre
- Education Evaluation Secretariat
- Institute for Educational Research
- Institute for Environmental Research
- Language Centre
- Open University
- University Library
- University Museum
Student Union
The Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä (JYY) is the students’ very own organization. The basic task of the Student Union is to represent its members and protect their interests and rights at the University as well as in the surrounding society. All degree and exchange students enrolled in the University of Jyväskylä become members of the Student Union.The Student Union organises:
- Low rent student apartments in Kortepohja Student Village for approximately 2,000 students
- Survival Kits for international students
- Inexpensive health care at the Finnish Student Health Care Services (YTHS)
- Small short-term emergency loans for members
- Various social and free-time activities, such as movie nights, trips, concerts and club nights
- Student newspaper, Jyväskylän Ylioppilaslehti or "Jylkkäri"
- Student cafeteria Ilokivi (lunch for students supported by KelaKELAKela, or Kansaneläkelaitos , also FPA or Folkpensionsanstalten , and SII or Social Insurance Institution , is a Finnish government agency in charge of settling benefits under national social security programs...
)
Student Union members are entitled to a student card which can be used to purchase discount transportation tickets (e.g. bus, train) and discount student meals in student campus cafeterias.
Accommodation
Kortepohja Student VillageKortepohja
Kortepohja
Kortepohja is a neighbourhood of Jyväskylä, Finland. It is located at around 2.5 km from the city centre between the sports and recreational area of Laajavuori and the parks, beaches and walking tracks of Viitaniemi...
Student Village is owned by the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä. Kortepohja, located about 2.5 kilometres from the Main Campus and city centre, housing approximately 1900 students. All rooms in Kortepohja are rented unfurnished but basic furniture is available in the storage rooms. Laundry facilities, saunas and meeting rooms are available in the buildings.
Central Finland Student Housing Foundation, KOAS
KOAS offers ca. 3900 apartments all around the Jyväskylä town area. The apartment buildings are conveniently located in the suburbs of Jyväskylä and offer an excellent opportunity to integrate with people outside the University. International students are usually placed in the furnished apartments in Roninmäki, Myllyjärvi and Keltinmäki. Laundry rooms, saunas and store rooms, as well as hobby rooms, are available in the buildings.
Notable People and Alumni
- Alvar AaltoAlvar AaltoHugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware...
- Seminaarinmäen mieslaulajatSeminaarinmäen mieslaulajatSeminaarinmäen mieslaulajat aka Semmarit is a male choir from Jyväskylä, Finland formed in 1989. The group extremely seldom performs traditional male choir music. They deliberately break the boundaries of choral music, and it is difficult to place their music in a specific genre. It is however...
- Dr. Randolph Wieck
External links
- University of Jyväskylä - Official site