Professor Kari Neilimo to chair the new Board

The new Board of the University of Tampere has elected Professor Kari Neilimo to be its chair. At its first meeting on Wednesday 23 September the Board elected Director Riitta Varpe as its vice-chair. The Board is to serve until the end of 2012.

“The University of Tampere is a strong and manysided university with strong roots and a bright future,” comments Kari Neilimo, and continues:

“I am happy to chair a strategic board: together we shall create strategy with the operational management, namely the Rector and Vice-rectors, the Director of Administration, the Board – we shall be a team. We shall do things together and all Board members will be one hundred percent involved. That's what it takes for success.”

“The real strategic success factor of the University is ultimately always its dedicated personnel and motivated students. And that is where the University's core competence lies. ”

In Riitta Varpe's estimation “The University of Tampere has many sides to it and a characteristic profile of its own. The strategy work undertaken one year ago is a sound basis from which to take things further.”

She continues:

“In the Board I would hope to strengthen the position of the University of Tampere both in the making of science and in university-level teaching. Then the University would be attractive to researchers and students and out there in the international competition.”

“It is also very important to increase active conversation between the university and the society surrounding it especially in the field of big social challenges like aging, climate and entrepreneurship.”

Kari Neilimo PhD was a professor of economic sciences at the University of Tampere, director of S-group and member of the University of Tampere Board 2005–2008. He is chair of the board of the Finnish public service broadcasting YLE. His special field is strategic management.

Riitta Varpe Lic.Sc.(Tech.) is the Director of the Pirkanmaa Employment and Economic Development Centre. While on leave of absence she worked in Brussels to promote the operations in Europe of the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (TEKES) where she managed its office. She has ample experience both national and international of business life and commissions of trust in public bodies.