History of Turku School of Economics

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1950 Turku School of Economics was founded at the initiative of local businesses. Turku School of Economics first operated in the centre of Turku. 

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1958 Turku School of Economics' premises were built at Rehtorinpellonkatu street. The building was expanded in the 1980s and 2000s. 

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1960 TSE's first conferment of master's degrees was held in connection with the School's 10th anniversary on 8 May 1960.

1970 The first doctoral degree was completed at Turku School of Economics. 

1977 TSE was transferred to State ownership. Prior to this, TSE was maintained by its foundation.
 
1982 The first JOKO programme began.

1983 TSE's Centre for Supplementary Education was founded. 

1984 As a result of cooperation between Turku School of Economics and Tampere University of Technology, the Pori Research and Education Centre was established in the city of Pori. The eMBA programme was launched.

1986 marked the launch of the operations of the Corporate Research Centre. In 1987, the Institute for East–West Trade was linked to its operations, and in 1993, the European Institute was established as part of the Corporate Research Centre. In December 1998, the Institute for East–West Trade and the European Institute were merged into a new unit called the Pan-European Institute.  

1989 marked the first conferment of doctoral degrees. At the time, 10 honorary doctorates and 11 doctorates were conferred. 

1992 TSE's Finland Futures Research Centre was founded. 

1996  Professor Tapio Reponen became the Rector of Turku School of Economics. The rectors of Turku School of Economics throughout the years are:

  • Ikola, Niilo, 1950–1954 
  • Virtanen, Unto, 1954–1956 
  • Säntti, Auvo, 1956–1959, 1962–1968 
  • Halme, Veikko, 1959–1962, 1968–1977 
  • Kanerva, Reino, 1978–1995 
  • Reponen, Tapio, 1996–2009

1997 Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration education began in the Pori Unit. 

2010 Turku School of Economics and the University of Turku merged, forming a new University of Turku. Professor Satu Lähteenmäki became Director (Dean) of Turku School of Economics. TSE's 60th anniversary was celebrated in the autumn.
  
2011 The Centre for Collaborative Research CCR -unit was established.

2012 The third conferment of master's degrees in TSE's history – and the first in fifty years – was organised. Professor Markus Granlund became Dean of Turku School of Economics. 

2013 The Finland Futures Research Centre returned to the School of Economics. The International Advisory Board of Turku School of Economics was established.

2016 The sixth and last independent doctoral graduation ceremony and the fourth master's graduation ceremony was the first combined doctoral and master's graduation ceremony in history. The first tenure track professor was recruited in the fall.

2017 The first Professor of Practice was recruited.

2018 The first tenure track professor was tenured. The first international Innovation Camp was held in Singapore.

2019 Turku School of Economics was awarded AACSB accreditation.

2020 The Entrepreneurs in Residence (EiR) program was established.

2023 Ranked among the top 75 business schools in the world on the Shanghai list. Working spaces were consolidated, and the building section completed in 1988 was abandoned.

2024 Turku School of Economics was awarded AACSB reaccreditation.

2025 A joint professorship in Intelligence Studies with the National Defence University was initiated. The 18th Professor of Practice was recruited, four of whom are or have been joint appointments with other faculties. The first English-language bachelor's program, the International BSc program in Sustainable and Social Entrepreneurship, will start in the fall.