Jari Ojala appointed rector of the University of Jyväskylä

Ojala is currently the dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, and a professor of comparative business history. He served as the faculty’s vice dean for research from 2018 to 2021 and as the head of the Department of History and Ethnology from 2008 to 2017. He leads the administration of the University’s JYU-Well community and is the head of a profiling area building cooperation with the University of Eastern Finland. He is also a member of the advisory board on research, education, development and innovations (TKKI) in a collaboration of the wellbeing services counties of Central Finland, South Savo, North Karelia and North Savo.

Ojala has led several research projects related to economic, business and maritime history. He has received national and international recognition for his research (including the Eino Jutikkala History Prize). He has served on numerous development groups at the University of Jyväskylä and as an external member of the Faculty of Mathematics and Science faculty council. Ojala is the chair of the advisory board for the National Archives of Finland, and he was a board member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters in 2020–2022. He completed his doctoral degree at the University of Jyväskylä in 1999 and his current professorship started in 2009.

“Based on the overall assessment of the Board, Jari Ojala has excellent qualifications and expertise for the rector’s position,” says Antti Koivula, the chair of the University Board. “The Board is convinced that he will lead the University of Jyväskylä with a strategic and sustained approach, build the sense of community, and manage the university’s finances in a responsible manner.”

“It is magnificent opportunity to be able to develop our university as rector, together with the whole university community,” says Jari Ojala, the newly elected rector of the University of Jyväskylä. “We are a multidisciplinary university that has a lot to offer to society through our research and education, as the need for multidisciplinary experts will only grow in the future. Key issues in the coming years will be to strengthen the attractiveness of our work and study community, invest in the quality of research and cooperate with different actors in society.”

The University Board of the University of Jyväskylä started the application process on 11 April 2023. Marja-Leena Laakso, the vice rector for education at JYU, will continue as rector until the start of Ojala’s term of office.

In compliance with the Universities Act, the University Board elects the rector for a maximum term of five years. The rector is required to have a doctoral degree, the expertise and professional skills needed in the position, as well as good leadership skills demonstrated in practice. Ten applicants applied for the position before the deadline. One of the applicants withdrew their application after the end of the application period. Based on an overall assessment, the University Board selected four candidates. The labour unions and the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä arranged a public interview event for the selected candidates on 26 May 2023.

Further information:

Antti Koivula, Chair of the University Board
Jari Ojala, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Interview requests: Anna-Kaisa Säkkinen, Director of Communications +358 40 657 7211, anna-kaisa.sakkinen@jyu.fi