Our plan 2025-2028
Explore our strategic plans for 2025-2028
Management of education
At Aalto University, the educational path covers the lifewide learning needs. Key actors in the education are the students as well as the university professors and lecturers, along with the program directors, whose work is enabled with support from the university management and teaching and learning services.
The future-oriented development of teaching and learning is one of the main strategic goals of the university. Aalto University promotes the development of a positive learning culture and atmosphere, with a particular emphasis on systematic curriculum development and streamlining of study paths. The strategic goal of learning services is to user-centrically develop and build services and digital tools that enhance teaching and learning experience.
Organisation of education
The vice-president for education is responsible for leading the university's educational activities regarding undergraduate (Bachelor's and Master's degrees) and lifewide learning. The vice-president for research is in charge of leading the university's research activities, including doctoral education. The Learning Steering Group (LeSG), consisting of vice deans for education of Aalto Schools, managers of Learning Services, and representatives from key academic units (Language Centre, AEE, Open University), guides and directs the strategic and operational development of education, and serves as a platform for sharing common practices. Additionally, LeSG coordinates joint development projects and prepares education-related items for decision-making. The operative management teams of Learning Services (LESjory), comprising the management of Learning Services, serves as a key preparatory body for LeSG. In addition to LeSG, future-oriented learning trends and guidelines are examined in the Future-led Learning Working Group. The core of the working group consists of representatives of academic leadership in education, and its aim is to highlight and prepare strategic guidelines for education and learning and provide input, for example, to LeSG discussions.
Decision-making in education
According to the Aalto University Bylaws, the Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) of the university is responsible for deciding on the university's curricula, degree requirements, admission criteria, and degree regulations, as well as appointing key bodies to support teaching and research. Some of the tasks of the university's academic committee have been delegated to the academic committees of the schools (e.g. Schools’ curricula). Furthermore, the schools also have degree programme committees or similar bodies, which prepare and partially decide on study-related matters of the degree programs.
Regarding education-related decisions, the Aalto University president has decision-making authority (e.g., establishing or discontinuing educational programs, annual decisions on study options and intake quotas). Additionally, the vice-president for education has the authority to provide guidelines and operational instructions, for example, to implement the university's degree regulations.
Administrative framework for educational management
The management, development and monitoring of teaching and learning and related learning services (LES) are based on the university's strategy and legislation concerning education, guidelines from the Ministry of Education and Culture, and other instructions.
The General rules for teaching and studying at Aalto University are supplemented by the degree regulations of Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and Degree regulations on Doctoral degrees as well as other rules and guidelines issued by the rector, provost, or the vice president responsible for education.
The Schools are responsible for organizing education and degrees. Each Schools is responsible for appropriate allocation and prioritization of resources to ensure the organization of teaching and the achievement of the agreed academic targets. The Deans are in charge of educational leadership within the universities but may delegate decision-making responsibility to vice deans for education.
Lifewide learning at Aalto University includes not only degree education but also Aalto Junior, Open University, Aalto Summer School, FITech Network University, and the educational portfolio of AaltoEE (Aalto Executive Education Ltd).
The Learning Services (LES) is responsible for the services and processes related to teaching and learning throughout the students’ study path. The mission of the Learning Services is to ensure the framework for smooth everyday management and support seamless studying. Coordination and development bodies within the university and between Schools ensure effective preparation and handling of operational and long-term education matters at School and university levels.
Strategic guidelines for educational development
The strategic plans for teaching and learning have been made for the next four years, from 2024 to 2027. Following the principle of a living strategy, the choices are regularly reviewed. The plans are updated annually as part of our annual planning process.
Quality assurance in education
The Program Management Handbook brings together guidelines and best practices to support program management at Aalto. The Teacher's Handbook provides practical information on teaching practices, digital teaching and learning platforms, and campus teaching facilities. The quality of teaching is monitored and evaluated using both student feedback and peer assessments. Peer assessment is conducted through regular evaluations of teaching, where an international panel assesses the quality and impact of education.
| Roles and responsibilities | Communication | |
| University Academic Affairs Committee (ACC) |
Makes decisions about the university's curricula, degree requirements, admissions criteria and other general regulations pertaining to education Sets up the official bodies for education, appoints their chairpersons, members and deputy members, decides on the rules and regulations governing those bodies May delegate the above tasks to the schools' academic committees (Aalto University Bylaws, Section 13) |
Minutes on aalto.fi |
| President |
Decides on the introduction and termination of degree programmes and their areas of specialisation and annual student intake numbers Decides about any written reprimand requested by the Dean to be given to a student Approves regulations concerning the Student Financial Aid Committee |
President's decisions on aalto.fi |
| Provost | Oversees all processes related to the university's education. | Provost's decisions on aalto.fi |
| Vice President for Education |
Manages bachelor's and master's-level education and doctor's education at the university and the university's development of teaching and LES Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness and multidisciplinary nature of teaching Decides on university-level matters relating to the practical arrangement of studies, such as schedules for periods of the academic year |
Vice President's decisions on aalto.fi |
| Academic Appeals Board |
Processes petitions for correction of study attainments Processes appeals directed against the decisions taken on the basis of the correction petitions made under the provisions of Section 82 of the Universities Act |
|
| Student Financial Aid Committee | The tasks of the Student Financial Aid Committee have been defined in the Student Financial Aid Decree |
| School-level actor | Roles and responsibilities | Communication |
| Dean |
Manages the education activities of the school Appoints the directors of the degree programmes Admits students to the school, handles rectification matters related to student admission and rights to study, makes decisions related to extension to the maximum time of the right to study and to reinstatement of the right to study Grants degrees Acts as the chairman of the school's academic committee |
Dean's decisions on aalto.fi |
| Vice Dean in charge of Teaching | Handles the Dean's education-related matters as delegated by the Dean | Reports to the Dean |
| School Academic Affairs Committees |
Approve the curricula and degree requirements (delegated by the university-level AAC) Submit proposals on school-specific degree requirements and admissions criteria and on other matters related to academic activities Perform other tasks assigned by the Dean and the AAC |
Committee minutes on aalto.fi |
| Degree Programme Director | Plans, implements, evaluates and develops the programme; coordinates and develops the curriculum process; monitors student progress, time to degree, and course and programme feedback; negotiates financial and other resources for the programme with the heads of departments; and collaborates in education within the school, with other Aalto schools and with important interest groups in the education | Vice Dean |
| Head of Department | Provides the resources for teaching activities, responsible for the planning of teaching and for monitoring and developing the effectiveness and quality of teaching at the department | Reports to the Dean |
| Roles and responsibilities | Communication | |
| Learning Steering Group (LeSG) |
Prepares and coordinates implementation of the university strategy and joint education-related affairs Prepares all education-related affairs to the university AAC and PMT Conducts the strategic management of learning-related affairs Coordinates all joint education-related development efforts Provides a platform for the sharing of best practices across schools Enhances the harmonisation of learning-related processes and actions Coordinates quality management in learning areas Conducts the performance management of learning and LES (including KPI development) Conducts the management of permanent and temporary task forces related to learning and teaching |
aalto.fi |
| Learning Services Advisory Board (LESJory) | Leads the operative management of LES at the university | |
| School Teaching Competence Assessment Committees | Evaluates the teaching competence of employees applying to or advancing in the tenure-track and lecturer-track career systems |
The strategic plans for teaching and learning are prepared for the period of 2022-2025. According to the principles of the living strategy, there is a regular process, University Dialogue, for evaluating and revising the strategic focus areas.
The programme director's handbook provides a holistic set of guidelines and good practices for programme management purposes at Aalto University. The teacher's handbook seeks to provide practical information on teaching practices, digital platforms for teaching and learning, and physical learning spaces for teaching.
Programme director's handbook
The programme director's handbook is a collection of guidelines, templates, and good practices. The handbook gathers together information about processes, schedules and tools and the aim is to support degree programme directors, heads of majors and others involved to succeed in implementing, evaluating and developing the degree programmes.
Teacher’s Handbook
This handbook contains practical information for a teacher on teaching at Aalto University.
The quality of teaching and learning is monitored and evaluated utilising student feedback and peer reviews. Peer reviews are conducted as regular teaching and education evaluations in which an international panel is assessing the quality and impact of education.
Quality assurance and evaluation of education
A comprehensive quality assurance framework is implemented to evaluate our educational activities.
Learning analytics support and development
This page describes what learning analytics solutions Aalto University offers and how to get support for using them.
Learning Services – enabling success
Learning Services (LES) supports future-oriented learning and the smoothness of daily work.
General language guidelines
Aalto University language policies and principles
Learning steering group (LESG) coordinates the planning, implementation and evaluation processes in education. The Learning services provide details on how the strategic objectives guide the curricula preparation. In addition the implementation of the education major development activities are described.
Learning Services
Aalto University Learning Services (LES) is responsible for all services which facilitate the smooth progression of studies at the university.
Future-led Learning Working Group
Future-led learning is a key element in our strategy, and the Future-Led Learning Working Group has been established to support it.
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