The University of Vaasa (UVA) promotes Sustainable Business, Energy and Society by conducting research and delivering higher education in its strategic focus areas: Business Management, Energy Transition, and Governance and Society. UVA delivers bachelor’s-, master’s- and doctoral-level education in business studies, technology, administrative sciences and communication studies. Built upon the University’s core values of Community, Courage, and Responsibility, the University profiles itself as a full-service, business-oriented university with 5600 students (over 4300 full-time equivalent students), ca. 350 teaching and research faculty, and ca. 250 professional support staff comprising the UVA community.
The University’s school-based structure comprises four schools (Figure 1). This structure is complemented by three multi-disciplinary, cross-cutting research platforms to stimulate impactful, phenomenon-based, and cross-disciplinary research and collaboration with industry. The affiliated institutions support the University in delivering its key education and research activities. University services provide services for personnel and students.
Figure 1. University of Vaasa organisational structure.
The University Board comprises 11 members, of whom 6 are elected members of the university community, including a student member, and 5 are appointed by the UVA Collegium. The Collegium is chosen via democratic election and consists of 15 members of the university community. The Board selects the Rector and Vice-Rectors.
The University’s mission, vision and strategy (Figure 2) were renewed in 2023 using a participative strategy process and they serve as the foundations for defining the goals and actions towards 2030. UVA has adopted the ambition of becoming an internationally recognised, high-impact research university. Development programmes and operational strategies have been redefined with that overall vision in mind. The core elements of UVA’s strategy (education, research, and societal interaction and impact) culminate in a four-year Strategy and Performance Contract between UVA and the Ministry (see contract between UVA and the Ministry).
Figure 2. Overview of the University of Vaasa Strategy 2030.