Uniarts Helsinki receives 2.2 million euros from the Academy of Finland for research profiling
Funding will be used for profiling measures in artistic thinking to promote the existing profiling area in artist pedagogy. This most recently granted funding is so far the biggest Profi funding in Uniarts Helsinki’s history.
The objectives of the profiling area are to increase understanding about the epistemic qualities of artistic thinking, develop artist pedagogy that is driven by artistic thinking and innovate new research methodologies and theories. Another objective is to re-envision and reform the arts from the perspective of artistic thinking. The funding term began on 1 January 2023, and it will end on 31 December 2028.
The aim of the research profile funding granted by the Academy of Finland is to support and speed up the strategic profiling of Finnish universities in order to improve the quality of research.
“Like other funding granted by the Academy of Finland, Profi funding is applied for in open competition. Regardless of the size of the university, applications that presented a credible, insightful and well-structured plan did very well in the peer review carried out by the international panel,” commented Johanna Myllyharju, chair of the Academy of Finland Board, and Riitta Maijala, vice president for research, in a news release by the Academy of Finland.
Several universities continue the development of their profiling areas with funding acquired through consecutive Profi application rounds. This applies to Uniarts Helsinki, too. The latest Profi 7 funding further develops the research foundation that was built with Profi 6 funding for artist pedagogy. The research area of artist pedagogy complements Uniarts Helsinki’s prior research focus areas, which include arts education, history of arts and artistic research.
The potential of art in solving crises
In practical terms, profiling will lead to the recruitment of researchers, formation of a group of artists and researchers, establishing an international exchange programme for the researchers to increase mobility, and increasing the societal impact of artist pedagogy.
“We will generate better understanding on how artistic tools, models and approaches can be used to address the world around us,” vice rector Jaana Erkkilä-Hill explains.
According to Erkkilä-Hill, the short-term impact of research profiling is evident in curriculum development. The long-term impact is connected to the question of how art and artistic practices can be applied outside of their own sphere and the potential that art has in solving emergencies and crises by opening up a dialogue and bringing out different perspectives.
Profi funding is granted based on peer review. The applications are reviewed by an international panel of experts coordinated by the Academy of Finland, and the panel members are rectors and vice rectors from European universities.