Vice Rector for Cooperation Petteri Alahuhta: "Universities have an important role in this world"

Petteri Alahuhta, the new Vice Rector for Cooperation is looking forward to his role with enthusiasm. Alahuhta used to work as a Director of the Cognitive Production Industry Research Area at VTT. He worked at VTT from 1994 onwards and started his work at the University of Oulu in the summer 2025.

"It feels great to change my perspective and move on to a new position. I enjoyed working at VTT for a particularly long time in various tasks and responsibilities, but now is a good time to move on."

Alahuhta has studied at the University of Oulu, so the field is not entirely new. He appreciates Oulu university in its many different meanings as a provider of both high-quality science and higher education. In this world and in the midst of many global and vitality challenges, Alahuhta sees the university as an important actor.

"Through research, education and multidisciplinary cooperation, the world has developed. These also play a crucial role in solving the great challenges facing humanity today."

Learning journey

Alahuhta wants to familiarise himself with his work, the university's strategy and the university community as widely as possible and openly admits that he is on an inspiring learning journey to a multidisciplinary university.

"Personally, I am interested in how for example technological development change processes, operations, societies, us humans, and do we truly understand the change that takes place in the wake of this fast development. That intangible intellectual capital that is created in various research projects can be particularly significant in many ways."

The growth of innovations into companies and artificial intelligence in different fields of science are also of interest to the vice rector of cooperation. His own role is defined through common policies, strategy and goals and working together.

"I hope that I can help scientists within the framework of my own role so that together we can find the best opportunities to promote innovation activities and get the operating conditions and growth opportunities that expertise deserves."

What does the Friend Book say?

We asked Petteri Alahuhta to answer a few friend book questions that are familiar from his school days. This is how he replied:

Name, age, education

Petteri Alahuhta, 56, Doctor of Philosophy

Family

Spouse, three adult children

Describe yourself in three words

Curious, contemplative, optimistic

My leisure activities

I'm a hobbyist. I read, exercise and try all sorts of things. My longest-standing hobby is archery, which I have practiced in different ways and with varying intensity since the early 1980s.

Favorite song (and why)

Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-Changin' I recently watched the movie A Complete Unknown about Bob Dylan and remembered how much I've always liked his music (and singing style). In addition, this song is still amazingly topical.

A memorable book (and why)

Hans Rosling – The World of Facts (Factfulness) While reading the book, I realized that things can be both bad and good at the same time. And that many things are better than you think.

A secret skill that is not related to work

I can improvise solutions to everyday situations – sometimes perhaps less elegantly, but surprisingly functionally.

Motto: The future cannot be predicted, but it can be built: together, by learning and experimenting.