University of Jyväskylä celebrates its 160th anniversary highlighting education and equality

The roots of the University of Jyväskylä can be traced back to the year 1863 and to the first Finnish-speaking Teacher Training Seminary. The University celebrates its 160-years-long history by highlighting the significance of education and equality: Indeed, the pioneering goals of the founder of the Seminary, Uno Cygnaeus, regarding educational equity are still topical.
Harjoitukset kevätjuhlaa varten toukokuussa 1957, Ahti Rytkösen kuvakokoelma. Jyväskylän yliopiston tiedemuseo.
Published
26.1.2023

The festive year 2023 is crowned with the Conferment of Degrees Ceremony, the greatest academic celebration, which will also show in the local streetview on 19-21 May. The three-day ceremony keeps up a nearly eight century long tradition and emphasises the high appreciation of education in society. The Conferment of Degrees Ceremony of the University of Jyväskylä is to our knowledge the only one in Europe that is still arranged jointly for all faculties and as a shared inauguration for Masters, Doctors and Honorary Doctors.

The University celebrates its anniversary on 8 March, accompanied with the famous Semmarit choir. Founded in 1989 by student teachers, this joyfully entertaining ensemble has creatively reformed the art of choir singing and is an excellent messenger for the festive year. On the day of anniversary Semmarit gives own concerts for students as well as for staff and invited guests.

Also at the heart of teacher education, in Ruusupuisto the festive year is celebrated in the spirit of Cygnaeus and Canth. The polarisation of schooling and education is discussed in different events during the year, such as in the National Teacher Training Days on 16-17 August. The topic is also in focus in various theme issues of educational journals.

Along the festive year, the University also offers numerous public ”Science for All” events; the first one of these was Science Days (Tieteen päivät) in Jyväskylä on 11-15 January. A number of events are also organised with cooperation partners; for example, the speech programme of Jyväskylä Summer on 6-12 July with the theme “People for Future Expectations”. The University Days in October will concentrate on specific issues of teachership with university alumni as a special target group.

This is a special year also for the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, which is celebrating its 60-year journey. The Faculty’s main event for the festive year will take place on 26 October.

We wish the whole university community as well as all friends of science welcome to participate in the celebrations! Event information available here:

Website for Conferment of Degrees Ceremony

Science for All events

Further information:

Anu Mustonen, Head of Relations, tel. 050 564 9022

Matti Rautiainen, Senior Lecturer, Department of Teacher Education, tel. 040 805 3368, matti.a.rautiainen@jyu.fi