The Swedish School of Social Science was established in 1943 to meet the need for competent professionals in various sectors of society. The School became a part of the University of Helsinki in 1984 and moved to the Kruununhaka district on the City Centre Campus in 2009. Over time, the studies offered by the School have developed in a significantly more academic direction. An important part of academic work today consists of public engagement, which is why the School continues to prioritise contacts with the surrounding society.
According to surveys, graduates from the Swedish School of Social Science have good career prospects and are usually employed in leadership positions with a strong connection to their field of studies. In addition, international activities have increased in prominence.
The School cooperates in research and teaching with public authorities and organisations outside the academic world, including ministries, municipalities, the Association of Finnish Municipalities, the Yle public broadcasting company, Business Finland, the Centre of Excellence on Social Welfare in the Swedish-speaking and Bilingual Municipalities in Finland, and various Swedish-language foundations in Finland. The Swedish-language community in Finland is naturally also important for the School’s community relations. A highly important part of the School’s activities is its role in issuing statements in connection with legislative drafting projects, in addition to which many of the School’s researchers contribute actively to public debate.
The Swedish School of Social Science cooperates closely with other universities and higher education institutions in Finland and the Nordic countries and, in recent years, outside the Nordic countries as well. This cooperation encompasses not only research, but also projects connected to teaching as well as public engagement. Significant cooperation partners outside the University of Helsinki include the Hanken School of Economics, the Arcada University of Applied Sciences and Åbo Akademi University in Finland, the universities of Lund, Umeå and Södertorn in Sweden, and Charles University in Prague, the Czech Republic.
In recent years, the Swedish School of Social Science has also participated in projects that have aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of people working in the public, private and third sectors to help groups of vulnerable refugees.