LUT's recently introduced field of research and education, civil engineering, has received a donation of 400,000 euros for a four-year period from the Erkki Paasikivi Foundation. With its donation, the foundation supports the creation and practical implementation of innovations in building services engineering.
The donation supports the industry professorship of building services engineering, to which LUT appointed Kim Hagström, DSc (Tech.) and chief technology officer at Halton. In his new role, Hagström will foster strong collaboration between LUT, companies in the field, and other universities. The Erkki Paasikivi Foundation also considers strong collaboration and networking important between businesses and the university.
“New technologies need to be incorporated into higher education in the field, because it improves the quality of work in the construction industry. Research and education will also introduce new talent to the field and help set new standards in the industry,” says Terhi Aaltonen, executive director of the Erkki Paasikivi Foundation.
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Practical and innovative instruction
Aaltonen says that with its donation, the foundation wishes to ensure that theoretical knowledge can be applied to practice and that the new degree programmes are closely tied to realities in the field. According to Kirsi Taivalantti, development director at LUT University, this is already taking place.
“We’re extremely grateful for this generous donation. Our new Finnish- and English-language degree programmes focus particularly on meeting the future needs of the professional world,” Taivalantti states.
Taivalantti mentions that building services engineering is a field that merges energy technology and construction, making its development is essential. The donation will help strengthen civil engineering research and support the modernisation and international growth of the construction industry.
More information:
Terhi Aaltonen
Executive director
Erkki Paasikivi Foundation
terhi@erkkipaasikivensaatio.fI
+358 50 534 4990
