Three teams awarded at the opening ceremony
Aalto Act of the Year was fashion design education
The Aalto Act of the Year award was granted to Professor Pirjo Hirvonen, Lecturer Tuomas Laitinen, Studio Master Sari Kivioja, and Aalto fashion design students for their outstanding efforts in making Aalto University a global leader in fashion design education. President Niemelä said: “This achievement is built on the exceptional creativity, ambition, competence, and collaboration of our talented students, committed faculty and skillful studio personnel.”
Ilkka Niemelä (left), Pirjo Hirvonen, Tuomas Laitinen, Sari Kivioja, Reea Peltola and Eero Eloranta, Vice President.
Donor Engagement Team was Success Enabler
The Aalto University Success Enabler 2017 is the Donor Engagement Team. The fundraising campaign ended this summer and exceeded its goal of 20 million euros. Ilkka Niemelä said: “The Aalto community participated in the campaign in many invaluable ways, but the role of the Donor Engagement Team in arranging high-quality events and meetings was pivotal.”
Ilkka Niemelä together with Teppo Heiskanen, Director, Advancement and Corporate Engagement; Anne Hirvonen, Coordinator; Nora Rahnasto, Senior Manager; Sinikka Heikkala, Head of Donor Engagement; Maria Böling, Marketing Manager and Sakari Luukkainen, Senior Manager; and Hannu Seristö, Vice President.
Community Award granted to Slush
The recipients of the Community Award were Slush and its organizing body StartupSauna for their outstanding achievements in advancing entrepreneurship, especially, in tackling the most difficult Finnish growth obstacle, namely shortage of capital, by creating a world leading get-together of investors and entrepreneurs. Ilkka Niemelä said: “The event has been organized in partnership with Aalto, respecting Aalto values and facilitating significantly Aalto University to reach its ambitious objectives.”
Ilkka Niemelä together with Vice President Hannu Seristö, StartupSauna Chair Ilkka Kivimäki and CEO Marianna Vikkula.
Photos Lasse Lecklin.
Read more news
Apply Now: Unite! Visiting Professorships at TU Graz
TU Graz, Austria, invites experienced postdoctoral researchers to apply for two fully funded visiting professorships. The deadline for expressions of interest is 20 February 2026, and the positions will begin on 1 October 2026.
Elina Pyylampi wants to combine renewable energy solutions and commerciality
The first-year student in Electrical Power and Energy Engineering wants to work with renewable energy and electrical systems.
Hanaholmen’s 50th anniversary exhibition lives on online – making the history of Finnish–Swedish cooperation accessible worldwide
MeMo Institute at Aalto University has produced a virtual 3D version of the anniversary exhibition of Hanaholmen.