For the term 2025–2028, the University of Helsinki’s special duties prescribed by law and treaties are the following:
Cultural heritage is shared wealth, and we are all responsible for its preservation. The National Library of Finland is responsible for the collection, description, preservation and accessibility of Finland’s printed national heritage and the unique collections under its care. The Library also functions as a national service and development unit for the whole library branch. National Library of Finland website
The Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus is an independent institute of the University of Helsinki. It preserves and maintains the national collections in the natural sciences and conducts related research. Luomus website
The Swedish School of Social Science is a Swedish-language unit of the social sciences with a Nordic and international profile that employs a multidisciplinary approach to both education and research. The school conducts a significant part of the bilingual operations of the University of Helsinki. Swedish School of Social Science website
The Veterinary Teaching Hospital is a top-level unit in veterinary care that provides treatment to more than 20,000 animal patients every year. Veterinary Teaching Hospital website
The Aleksanteri Institute is a national research centre in the field of Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian studies under the auspices of the University of Helsinki. Aleksanteri Institute website
The Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy KRIMO, formerly the National Research Institute of Legal Policy, is a research institute at the University of Helsinki, specialising in the research and monitoring of crime and legal policy in Finland. KRIMO website
The Centre for Consumer Society Research studies the development of consumption and the consumer society, as well as the links between cultural, social, economic and political phenomena, and consumers and the consumer society. Centre For Consumer Society Research website
The Helsinki Institute of Physics HIP is a joint research institute between the University of Helsinki, Aalto University, the University of Jyväskylä, the LUT University and the Tampere University, with national duties. HIP website
The Mikkeli University Consortium (MUC) is a networked academic community based on an agreement between Aalto University, the University of Helsinki, LUT University and the City of Mikkeli, which employs roughly 130 individuals. Mikkeli University Consortium website
The Lahti University Campus is an international competence cluster based on an agreement between universities and the City of Lahti, part of Lahti's regional innovation environment. At the campus, universities conduct multidisciplinary research and provide research-based teaching, as well as promote the regional impact of operations. Lahti University Campus website
The aim of LUMA Centre Finland is to inspire and motivate children and youth to do mathematics, science and technology through the latest methods and activities of science and technology education, as well as to support the lifelong learning of teachers throughout Finland from early childhood education to universities and to strengthen the development of research-based teaching. LUMA Centre Finland website
The academic mission of the teacher training schools is to organise the teaching practice included in the University’s teacher education in a teacher training school, to supervise this teaching practice and to develop it further. University of Helsinki teacher training schools
The University of Helsinki has a special duty of national importance in education and research related to rare languages and cultures. Faculty of Arts, University of Helsinki
Helsinki Graduate School of Economics is a joint research and teaching unit of Aalto University, University of Helsinki, and Hanken School of Economics. The mission is to produce high-impact, high-quality research, train the next generation of economists and promote the cooperation between economics, the other fields of science and society.
Institute of Seismology carries out research on and monitors seismic activity of Finland and adjacent areas.
Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention VERIFIN supports the disarmament of chemical weapons by development of identification methods for chemical warfare agents (CWA).