University of Oulu takes a leading role in research and development in vocational education
The professorship in vocational education represents a nationally significant initiative. It is the only professorship in Finland whose core mission is to study and develop vocational education in close dialogue with working life. The professorship is supported by a large group of donors who aim to advance the field of vocational education in Finland.
The professorship strengthens the University of Oulu’s role as a national, Nordic, and international actor in developing professional expertise, continuous learning, and work-life-oriented education.
“The donation-funded professorship in vocational education strengthens the University of Oulu’s ability to respond to the rapidly changing competence needs of working life. At the same time, it brings together research, education, and practical development in a way that has genuine societal impact. The goal is to fill the position through an open recruitment process starting at the beginning of 2027,” says Maija Lanas, Dean of the Faculty of Education and Psychology.
Close cooperation with working life
The professor will work in interactive collaboration with working life. A national cooperation forum will be established to support this work, bringing together representatives from the donor organizations. The forum’s task is to anticipate research and development needs, guide activities in line with the demands of working life, and create new co-development models to address evolving competence needs.
The professorship in vocational education will be located in the Faculty of Education and Psychology at the University of Oulu, which has strong research expertise in working life development, teacher education, and learning technologies.
The professor will work closely with Anu Kajamaa, Professor of Continuous Learning at the University of Oulu, and with a multidisciplinary research community. In addition, collaboration with Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OAMK) will strengthen the connection between practice and research and support the development of professional competence in the region.
With the establishment of the professorship, the University of Oulu will build an even stronger framework for the development of vocational education, higher education, and working life. The goal is also to develop, launch, and establish a master’s degree programme in the field.
Funding for the donation-funded professorship is based on joint contributions from several donor organizations and the University of Oulu’s own funding. The aim is that within five years, research and education in vocational education will be well established and internationally recognized at the University of Oulu.
“The support of donors located across Finland enables long-term research and development work whose impacts extend broadly to education, working life, and society,” Lanas emphasizes.