The University’s research profile enhanced – JYU succeeds in Academy funding applications
The funded fields comprise interdisciplinary nanoscience; the behaviour change, health, and wellbeing across the lifespan in sport and health sciences; social sustainability for children and families; and, as a new field, emergent work in the digital age.
What is in common to all the funded profiling activities is a multidisciplinary approach and striving for increased wellbeing and expertise in accordance with the University’s strategy. Rector Keijo Hämäläinen will decide on the allocation of these funds among the four fields.
The profiling areas continue the long-term development of JYU research and education. The introduced new profiling area deals with digital work, and wellbeing and expertise at future work are key aspects therein. The other funded profiling activities are related to further strengthening of previously funded research fields.
In the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, behavioural changes are studied especially from the viewpoints of health, physical activity, and wellbeing. This line of research investigates individual and societal factors affecting behaviour change.
Social sustainability for children and families brings together researchers from different fields to study how children, youth and families thrive and how the diverse environments they live in and opportunities available for them contribute to their growth and development. Social sustainability is seen as equal opportunities for all, promotion of pluralism and increased well-being.
Interdisciplinary nanoscience research integrates chemistry, physics and biology at the nanometre scale. Research results can be utilised in medicine and technological development, for example.
Profiling speeds up and supports the qualitative development of research in accordance with the strategy of the University of Jyväskylä. The panel of reviewers considered that the strengths of JYU include concentrating on the focal areas of the strategy and directing research to highly topical and societally influential issues. In addition, the University’s international cooperation was considered important.
The Academy of Finland supports the development of research fields that universities have chosen based on their strategies. Similarly, the Academy also promotes further enhancing of conditions for high-quality research. In this application round, the total sum sought for was 178 million euros, and the granted total sum was 100 million euros. The granted six-year fundings range from 750,000 euros to 28 million euros. This was the sixth round of applications. The University of Jyväskylä has received funding in all these rounds, from 3.7 to 5.6 million euros, in total 27.7 M€.
Further information:
Vice Rector responsible for research Henrik Kunttu, tel. 050 599 6134, henrik.m.kunttu@jyu.fi
Head of Research Development Timo Taskinen, tel. 0400 648 504, timo.taskinen@jyu.fi
Academy bulletin:
