University of Helsinki’s Teachers’ Academy Welcomes 2025 Fellows to Drive Educational Innovation

University of Helsinki’s Teachers’ Academy Welcomes 2025 Fellows to Drive Educational Innovation

(IN BRIEF) The University of Helsinki’s Teachers’ Academy has selected ten new fellows for 2025, recognizing their innovative contributions to teaching. These fellows will receive four-year grants to further enhance their educational practices. New projects include AI-generated model patients in medical education, international collaboration in multicultural teaching, and upgrades in teaching equipment. The fellows will also collaborate on initiatives like the use of artificial intelligence in education. Their work aligns with the University’s goals to improve teaching practices and offer a more dynamic learning experience across disciplines.

(PRESS RELEASE) HELSINKI, 11-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of Helsinki’s Teachers’ Academy, a distinguished network of educators from diverse disciplines, has announced the addition of ten new fellows for 2025. These educators are recognized for their innovative approaches to teaching and their contributions to the development of education within their fields.

The new fellows include Jaana-Maija Koivisto, Markus Talvio, Mikko Heinänen, Kaisa Hahl, Eeva Sippola, Rani-Henrik Andersson, Maria Kareskoski, Kjell Lemström, Mihail Kopotev, and Johannes Pernaa. As part of the Teachers’ Academy, these individuals will be instrumental in advancing the quality of education at the University of Helsinki.

We spoke with the new fellows about their expectations for the program and their plans to further enhance teaching practices. University Lecturer Jaana-Maija Koivisto, for example, expressed her pride in being selected for the Academy and shared her ongoing project at the Faculty of Medicine. This project explores the use of AI-generated model patients in medical education, and Koivisto hopes to secure funding for its development and research.

Kaisa Hahl, Senior University Lecturer, is excited about the opportunity to collaborate internationally. She plans to spend time at another university to learn about different teaching methodologies, particularly focusing on multiculturalism and internationalism in the context of future subject teachers in foreign languages.

Professor Eeva Sippola emphasized the importance of collaboration and is currently developing a project that examines first language teaching in Somali and Arabic. She is eager to explore how external partnerships can enhance university teaching practices.

The Teachers’ Academy not only recognizes academic achievements but also provides a four-year grant to each fellow, allowing them to further their development as educators. In addition to personal funding, each fellow’s home department will receive a separate grant to support teaching improvements within their unit.

Some fellows, such as Senior University Lecturer Rani-Henrik Andersson, are planning study trips to deepen their understanding of Indigenous peoples, while others, including University Lecturer Johannes Pernaa and Senior Clinical Instructor Maria Kareskoski, aim to upgrade teaching equipment. Pernaa, who teaches chemistry, plans to acquire new molecular models and textbooks, while Kareskoski intends to purchase a new simulation model for veterinary medicine students.

As part of the Teachers’ Academy, the fellows collaborate with one another, exchanging ideas and creating working groups to address current teaching challenges. In 2023, a working group was established to explore the use of artificial intelligence in education, and their insights contributed to the University of Helsinki’s development of guidelines on AI use in teaching.

Vice-Rector Kai Nordlund, speaking at the award ceremony for the new fellows, highlighted the value of these collaborative efforts in advancing the university’s approach to modern education.

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SOURCE: University of Helsinki