University of Helsinki Centre for Research and Development of Higher Education

Erika LöfströmPhD, Academy of Research Fellow, Senior Lecturer

Institute of Behavioural SciencesFaculty of Behavioural Sciences

University of Helsinki in a nutshell

Established in 1640 35.000 students 7.400 staff members,

of these 3500 academic staff 11 faculties

Agriculture and Forestry, Arts, Behavioural Sciences, Biosciences, Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, Social Science, Theology, and Veterinary Medicine

bilingual Finnish and Swedish courses and programmes also in English

The University aims at

a student-centred approach to teaching research-based teaching

as well as evidence-based development of the quality of teaching and learning

high-level research and researcher education member of LERU (League of European Research

Universities)

Centre: aims and principlesResearch-intensive Centre

Our activities are based on research and empirical evidence

Development of courses and counselling on the basis of our research

We are academics as are our “students”Long-term interaction with teachers

no workshopsOur actions are linked with strategic aims of the

UniversityWe serve the whole academic community: teachers,

researchers, students

Duties and responsibilities of the Centre Carries out research on higher education Provides courses on university pedagogy

Up to official teacher qualifications - 60 ECTS(one ECTS=27 hours of work)

Student support Study psychologists provide counselling and

services for students (individual and groups) Research-based quality system for

enhancing the quality of teaching and learning

at three levels: invididual students, departments/faculties and university

Pedagogical support structures at the University of Helsinki

Centre for Research and Development of Higher

Education

Director: Prof. Sari Lindblom-Ylänne

yearly budget appr. 1 m€

Includes both permanent funding & other research funds from

the University and outside

16 senior lecturers of university pedagogy

Permanent positions, salaries paid by central administration

Yearly costs about 1 m€

In addition: Academic Affairs Unit and Educational

Centre for ICT

Open

University: 1 senior lecturer

Academic Affairs Unit

CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION (professor, 4 senior lecturers, researchers, 6 study psychologists, training coordinator, project workers)

Vice-Rector

City Centre Campus (Faculties of Arts, Behavioural Sciences, Law, Social Sciences, and Theology: 8 senior lecturers)

Meilahti Campus (Faculty of Medicine:

1 senior lecturer)

Viikki Campus (Faculties of Agriculture and Forestry Biosciences, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine: 4 senior lecturers)

Kumpula Campus (Faculty of Science: 2 senior

lecturers)

The Educational Centre for ICT

CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION

The Lecturers of University Pedagogy The Lecturers of University Pedagogy form a

networkThe Centre coordinates the activities of the

network The task of the network is to develop teaching

and learning at the University and in all the disciplines as well as to promote research on teaching and learning in their fields

The network discusses and forms opinions about relevant and actual issues concerning developmental challenges in Higher Education

Each Faculty has at least one Lecturer of University Pedagogy

Courses provided by the centre:Basic studies (25 credits) Teaching and learning in higher education

(5 cr)

Constructive alignment in course design (5 cr)

Academic supervising (5 cr)

Assessment of learning practices and quality of teaching (5 cr)

Development of teaching and practical training (5 cr)

Courses provided by the centre: Advanced studies (35 credits)

Subject studies (18 cr)Didactics and discipline-specific approaches to teaching

4 crCurriculum design and quality assurance in higher

education 4 crEducation and society 4 crPsychology of learning 3 crLearning in groups 3 cr

Practical training (10 cr)Practical training in higher education* 5 crPractical training in school and adult education* 5 cr

ResearchResearch in higher education 7 cr

*(Includes supervised practical training in total 18.5 cr)

Main research projectsStudent learning at university

study success, study pace, learning outcomes, approaches to learning, emotions, regulation of learning, motivation to studying, procrastination

Doctoral process and academic supervisionAcademic leadership

University teachingTeacher identity, teacher development, emotions in

teachingAcademic integrity

Teaching and learning research ethics, plagiarismStudent well-beingQuality of teaching and learningAssessment of learning