Welcome to the anniversary celebration 2022!

Dear members and friends of the University community,

We wish to invite you to celebrate the 382nd anniversary of the University of Helsinki and follow the virtual events of the University’s anniversary week on the and the from Monday, 21 March to Friday, 25 March 2022.

In addition to the celebratory speeches by Rector as well as the announcement of the recipient of the J. V. Snellman Award and a speech given by the recipient, the programme of the anniversary week entails video greetings from students and alumni of our University, including a speech by Mayor Juhana Vartiainen of the City of Helsinki. A ‘researcher live’ provides us with a peek into researchers’ work on the campuses and research stations. On Friday, the week of celebrations culminates in an anniversary speech by Rector Sari Lindblom on the University’s 382nd anniversary.

From Monday, we will also have the opportunity to share our ideas for the content of a time capsule to be stored in the University's Main Building. The time capsule will be opened in 2082 on the 250th anniversary of the Main Building. Submit your proposal on the capsule’s content through the University’s social media accounts or by emailing the Helsinki University Museum at yo-museo(at)helsinki.fi (write ‘time capsule’ in the subject field). Please submit your proposal by 26 March. A panel headed by Chancellor Kaarle Hämeri will choose the items to be placed in the time capsule, and information on the content of the capsule will be published in spring 2022.

Read more about the daily programme of the anniversary week below. All pre-recorded programmes will have subtitles in Finnish, Swedish and English.

During the week, you can share photos, thoughts and greetings with the University and the University community on social media using the hashtag #WeAreHelsinkiUni and mentioning the university account.

Let’s meet online and on social media!

On Monday, 21 March at 10.00, the week’s programme will be kicked off by student ambassador Jussi Sokkanen, providing us with an action-packed skateboarder’s view of the University’s campuses. The programme continues at 11.00 with an opening address by Rector Sari Lindblom. The videos can be viewed on the .

On Tuesday, 22 March, we will celebrate Alumni Day at the University of Helsinki, with happy memories from the University presented by alumni at 11.00. After that, we will hear a speech by Mayor Juhana Vartiainen of the City of Helsinki, an alumnus of the University. The videos can be viewed on the from 11.00.

Also on Tuesday, themes related to sustainable development and specifically the sustainability transition of professional life will be discussed in an event targeted at alumni to be held at Think Corner at 17.30. The Alumni day 2022 event will be streamed live. 

On Wednesday, 23 March at 11.00, it is students’ turn to have a say on the , where they will describe what being a student and the student community mean to both individual students and organisations.

On the same day, a discussion entitled  will be streamed from Think Corner from 13.00. The event focuses on the kinds of roles universities have in building an increasingly sustainable world. The event will see the publication of the University of Helsinki’s first sustainability and responsibility programme, as well as a summarising report on sustainability and responsibility efforts. Discussing the topic are Riikka Heikinheimo (Confederation of Finnish Industries), Susanna Lehvävirta (HELSUS), Suvituuli Lundmark (National Union of University Students in Finland) and Mari Pantsar (Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra). Also participating are Anita Lehikoinen (Ministry of Education and Culture), Tom Böhling (University of Helsinki) and Riina Koivuranta (University of Helsinki). The event will be hosted by journalist Jari Hanska. The event will be held in Finnish, but will be recorded and subtitled in Finnish, Swedish and English. . 

On Thursday, 24 March, the recipient of the J. V. Snellman Award for efforts to disseminate scholarly knowledge will be announced and their acceptance speech will be broadcast on the at 11.00. 

At 12.00 on the same day, a ‘researchers’ live’ will launch on , providing a peek into the everyday life of researchers on the campuses and research stations. On Thursday, ‘researcher live’ will also be displayed on the info screens located on the campuses.

On Friday, 25 March, Rector Sari Lindblom will give the anniversary speech on the University’s 382nd anniversary. The speech can be viewed on the at 11.00.