Paulus Torkki, Finland’s leading specialist in the development of social and health care services, has been appointed to the joint professorship of LUT University and the Well-being Services County of South Karelia (Ekhva). He comes to the position from the University of Helsinki and will begin on 18 May 2026.
Torkki will be a professor at LUT and a senior specialist at the South Karelia well-being services county. He will focus on coaching-based leadership and sustainable management.
“Research and development in well-being services need to happen at the front lines, where services meet customers. The best development ideas often come from the grassroots level,” Torkki says.
Torkki’s work is guided by sustainability, quality, and cost-effectiveness. Lean management means continuously improving services around customer needs, eliminating activities that add no value, and engaging staff in development work at every level of the organisation.
“Lean management is often misunderstood: it shouldn’t be applied as such to public services. Lean management can help support health care and social services professionals by strengthening their possibilities to develop their own work and keeping the focus on the customer,” Torkki continues.
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Extensive experience in development and impact research
In his work for the well-being county, Paulus Torkki will serve as a senior specialist, whereas his role at LUT University involves scientific research, assembling and leading a research team, teaching, and societal interaction. The division of work will be 60 per cent for LUT for and 40 per cent for Ekhva.
“Paulus Torkki’s appointment is an excellent addition to the industrial engineering and management department’s expertise in Lean management. His extensive experience in health care process development and impact research will advance the goals we’ve set for this professorship,” says Lea Hannola, head of LUT University’s Department of Industrial Engineering and Management.
Torkki’s job entails coaching employees and providing support for the planning, implementation, and follow-up of development projects at Ekhva. The role also includes providing support in the publishing of Ekhva’s project results in scientific journals.
“We are especially pleased to have brought a nationally respected researcher onto our team. You might reasonably ask why Ekhva needs a professorship in its current financial situation. But right now, it’s exactly what we need in order to get the coaching and insight required to deliver high-quality statutory services with less funding and fewer staff members,” says Juuso Tamminen, chief data and effectiveness officer at Ekhva.
The closing date for applications for the professorship was in October 2025. A total of 15 applications were submitted.
More information:
Juuso Tamminen, chief data and effectiveness officer, Ekhva
+358 40 194 7370
