Anna Laakkonen, an information specialist, views the Union of Research Professionals as a vital community. Anna works as a specialist in information and publishing services at Laurea University of Applied Sciences. The Union has offered her an arena for professional interactions and networking. Anna is clear on what types of values she wants to uphold as part of the scientific community.
Melissa Plath works as a project manager at the University of Helsinki. She has personal experience with the challenges and hurdles that international researchers are confronted with when settling in Finland. The Union of Research Professionals has offered Melissa a platform and community through which she can help to improve the conditions of international researchers in Finland.
Panu Minkkinen serves as Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Helsinki. He feels that the identity of an academic is, however, more important to him than titles and disciplines. The Union of Research Professionals offered Panu a home base when he returned to Finland from his positions abroad. Panu feels that the Union plays an important role as the defender of researchers and teachers in Finland.
The staff of Research Professionals will mostly be on Christmas leave until Epiphany. Legal counselling, including phone consultations, will be unavailable from December 24, 2025, to January 7, 2026....
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We have compiled current information, advice and guidelines for early career researchers.
Acatiimi is the trade union magazine for the members of the Union of Research Professionals, the Finnish Union of University Professors, and the Union for University Teachers and Researchers in Finland (YLL). Established in 1997, Acatiimi is published in print 5 times a year.
Through our 16 member associations, the Union of Research Professionals has local activities in Espoo, Helsinki, Joensuu, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Oulu, Tampere, Turku, Vaasa and Rovaniemi. Three of our member associations are nationwide: the Information Academics (Informaatioalan Akateemiset, INA), the Finnish Association of Academic Researchers (Suomen akateemisten tutkijoiden yhdistys, SATY) and the Suomen ammattikorkeakoulujen tieteentekijät, Samkot ry.