In its meeting on 14 February, the University Board of the University of Turku approved the principles of a co-operation agreement made with the City of Rauma regarding the Rauma campus. The final decision on the involvement of the City of Rauma is made by the City Council of Rauma.
The co-operation agreement reinforces the teaching and research collaboration of the City and the University. The agreement is in force for a fixed term until the end of 2033, after which it will be valid until further notice, unless discontinued by the parties.
According to the agreement draft, the City of Rauma supports the operation and development of the Rauma campus with €1.25 million per year. The University of Turku commits to carrying on university education leading to a degree and related research activities in Rauma. The extent of the operations of the Department of Teacher Education of the University of Turku at the Rauma campus will remain at least on the level of the academic year 2022–2023.
The operation of the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centre Rauman pikkunorssi is transferred to the City of Rauma with a separate agreement. At the moment, the operation of the centre is run by Pikkunorssi Oy owned by a subsidiary of the University of Turku, and the enterprise will be transferred to the City of Rauma on 31 December 2023 at the latest. The University of Turku commits to continuing the development and research collaboration in early childhood education with Pikkunorssi.
“It is great that the City of Rauma is actively involved in supporting the continuation of education and research in the city. If this agreement comes into force, there is no need to carry out the planned actions on discontinuing the degree programme in Technology Education and transferring Class Teacher Education to Turku,” says Rector Jukka Kola of the University of Turku.
“Both the campus and the teacher training are a significant part of the history of Rauma. Teachers have been graduating from Rauma already for over 120 years. We are extremely pleased to be able to say that teachers will continue to be trained in Rauma in the future as well. The agreement we have negotiated with the University of Turku further reinforces the vitality and attractiveness of our city,” says Mayor Esko Poikela.
The Rauma unit of the Department of Teacher Education of the University of Turku, Rauman normaalikoulu teacher training school and the ECEC centre Pikkunorssi Oy owned by a subsidiary of the University of Turku operate at the Rauma campus of the University of Turku. The University organises both degree and open education in the degree programmes of Primary Teacher Education, Early Childhood Teacher Education and Technology Education as well as research and scientific post-graduate studies at the campus. The Department of Teacher Education, established in 1896 and originally known as Rauman seminaari, is the longest continuously operating unit of the University of Turku.
Updated on 14 Feb 2023 at 21.41: Removed the date of the City Council meeting.
