About Us

EduJyväskylä is a unique center of expertise for learning, research, and development, comprising Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia, the University of Jyväskylä, and the City of Jyväskylä.

EduJyväskylä offers students diverse opportunities for flexible study paths and cross-studying, ensuring smooth transitions and credit transfers between different levels of education.

EduJyväskylä also aims to promote high-level skills-based collaboration that positively impacts employment and the mobility of experts both domestically and internationally. Additionally, EduJyväskylä strives to be an agile and approachable partner for businesses.

The cooperation of EduJyväskylä is continuously being developed, and in 2024, the common goals and strategy will be further updated. The EduJyväskylä cooperation concept is based on three strategic promises:

EduJyväskylä-institutions

Jamk University of Applied Sciences
University of Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia

EduJyväskylä has a rotating chairmanship, which in 2025-2027 will be held by the University of Jyväskylä. The responsibility for EduJyväskylä communications and educational support services lies with the units of the chair organization. There are two common staff members: a network manager and a producer. The EduJyväskylä collaboration has a common budget, which covers, among other things, the costs of development projects, personnel expenses, and the costs of joint events. Since autumn 2022, the position of Director of the Finnish Music Campus has rotated among the EduJyväskylä educational organizations. The first three-year term is held by Education Manager Jarmo Kivelä from Gradia.

Management Team

The EduJyväskylä Management Team is responsible for monitoring educational and scientific policy developments, setting strategic objectives for EduJyväskylä collaboration, approving the budget, and coordinating participation in large projects.

The chairmanship of the EduJyväskylä Management Team is biennial. In 2023, the chairmanship moved from the Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia to the Jamk University of Applied Sciences, and from the beginning of 2025, to the University of Jyväskylä. Student representation alternates annually between the Student Union of the University of Jyväskylä (JYY) and the Student Union of Jamk (JAMKO). In 2025, the main representative is from JYY.

EduJyväskylä Management Team members 2025

• Rector Jari Ojala, University of Jyväskylä
• Rector Vesa Saarikoski, Jamk University of Applied Sciences
• Director Anssi Tuominen, Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia
• Mayor Timo Koivisto, City of Jyväskylä

Extended EduJyväskylä Management Team members 2025

• Rector Jari Ojala, University of Jyväskylä
• Rector Vesa Saarikoski, Jamk University of Applied Sciences
• Director Anssi Tuominen, Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia
• Mayor Timo Koivisto, City of Jyväskylä
• Director of Education Services Mari Ikonen, University of Jyväskylä
• Director of Communications Anna-Kaisa Säkkinen, University of Jyväskylä
• Rector Minna Sillanpää, Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia
• Director of education, culture and sports, Eino Leisimo, City of Jyväskylä
• Vice Rector Marja-Leena Laakso, University of Jyväskylä
• Division Director Samuli Laitinen, Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia
• Vice Rector for Education Minna-Maaria Hiekkataipale, Jamk University of Applied Sciences
• Vice Rector for Research Mika Karjalainen, Jamk University of Applied Sciences
• Director of Business Development and Employment Services, Ari Tolonen, City of Jyväskylä
• Development Director Jarkko Pirkkalainen, University of Jyväskylä
• Administrative Director Mikko Salminen, Jamk University of Applied Sciences
• Financial and Services Director Päivi Seppä, University of Jyväskylä
• Development Director for Research Services Pasi Raiskinmäki, University of Jyväskylä
• Student Union Representative Venla Suosalo, JYY Student Union
• Development Director Anu Tokila, Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia
• Financial and Administrative Director, Piia Rissanen, Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia
• Network Manager Anni Wargh, EduJyväskylä

History

The first collaboration agreement between EduFutura Jyväskylä educational organizations was signed in March 2016. The University of Jyväskylä, Jamk University of Applied Sciences, and Jyväskylä Educational Consortium Gradia agreed on deepened collaboration to form the most significant center of expertise in learning, research, development, and application in Finland, recognized in key areas under the name EduFutura Jyväskylä.

The EduFutura teaching collaboration network agreement was approved by the EduFutura executive board on June 8, 2020. In this collaboration agreement, EduFutura institutions agreed to develop cross-studying and network collaboration. The parties commit to offering their students curriculum-based study modules and courses that enable cross-studying between institutions.

The agreement followd sections of the University Act and the Polytechnic Act concerning educational cooperation between higher education institutions. The agreement adheres to the obligation of cooperation between secondary and higher education as stipulated in the Upper Secondary Education Act.

The agreement is also based on the framework agreement on educational cooperation in Finnish higher education institutions (21.11.2019), drawn up jointly by the Rectors’ Council of Finnish Universities UNIFI and the Rectors’ Council of Universities of Applied Sciences ARENE. The purpose and objective of the EduFutura educational cooperation agreement is to implement the educational cooperation goals in line with this framework agreement. No other agreements between educational organizations are needed.

The principles of recognizing and accrediting prior learning within EduFutura institutions were confirmed by the EduFutura executive board on April 8, 2020, and came into effect on August 1, 2020. EduFutura Jyväskylä is a registered trademark.

As collaboration intensified, EduFutura Jyväskylä became EduJyväskylä on January 1, 2025.