The campus solution of Aalto University, planned for the summer of 2011, has provoked much debate at the university, in the student union and other interest groups. There are various views of the best campus solution within Aalto’s student community, which can be roughly divided into two: one common campus in Espoo, Otaniemi, or a decentralised campus along the metro line. Both options have both advantages and challenges. The widely accepted common view is, however, that moving both physically between the various units and within different fields of study should be effortless.
In AYY’s opinion, learning and research environments, meeting places, services, public transport and housing provided by the campus solution are more important than the physical location. Aalto University’s campus should be something unique, compelling and outstanding, and it should also be appealing to those outside our academic community. Aalto should also take the role of a forerunner in constructing campus areas according to sustainable development.
Above all, the campus solution should ensure that the preconditions of students and researchers to carry out their own scientific or artistic work do not decline but rather will improve significantly. None of the existing campuses as such provides sufficient preconditions for top-class learning, teaching or research, let alone for new kinds of encounters.
When preparing the campus solution, it is important to acknowledge and respect the significant differences in opinion prevailing within the academic community. It is often the question about the desire to maintain and develop proven solutions, practices and uniqueness within Aalto University, not only about resisting the change. The presented differing views demonstrate the willingness of Aalto members to participate in the construction of the university, and should therefore not be disregarded without constructive discussion.
AYY does not comment on the location of the university campus but it wants to encourage all students to actively participate in the debate during the spring and bring bold, well-reasoned arguments and openings to the discussion, which concern the location but, above all, the content. All in all, AYY hopes that the whole Aalto community will use many voices and actively participate in the building of our common future. We also hope that the Board of Aalto University will make a bold and a forward-looking decision which will support Aalto University’s strategic goals in the best possible way.
Further information:
- Saara Hyrkkö, Chairperson of the AYY Board, tel. 040 719 7604
Background information on the campus discussion:
- Aalto University’s campus vision document (in Finnish)
- Aalto’s vision blog (in Finnish)