UniPID welcomes a new director!

Kaisa Kurki has been appointed as the new director of UniPID starting from March 2023. With vast experience in academic and international affairs in the higher education sector, Kurki is ready to lead and foster global academic partnerships from the UniPID Coordination Unit.

The lighter and longer Spring days have brought winds of change to UniPID, as Kaisa Kurki joins the coordination team of the network. The new director is excited to take up the work to support Finnish higher education institutions in bringing global responsibility and Global South perspectives into their education, research, and societal impact activities.

“UniPID has a pivotal mission to promote global partnerships for sustainable development. It caters for Universities Finland UNIFI’s thesis for sustainable development and responsibility and contributes to all member institutions’ strategic goals of resolving global challenges”.

Before joining UniPID, Kurki held positions as Head of Student and Academic Affairs at the University of Jyväskylä, Manager of International Affairs at Tampere University and Director of International Education Services at the former University of Tampere. In addition, Kurki has extensive experience in international university networks and developing university partnerships with the Global South.

Regarding her academic path, Kurki holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Tampere and conducts doctoral studies in higher education management and leadership, with a focus on internationalization of higher education, at Tampere University’s Faculty of Management and Business.

In leading UniPID’s activities, I wish to foster and engage in a vivid dialogue with both the university community and policy makers, thus, aiming to increase the role of higher education institutions in addressing global challenges.

“UniPID supports its member universities by and promoting discussions on sustainable development and global responsibility. We bring a global development perspective into education, by offering a versatile virtual studies course catalogue. Many of our courses are delivered in collaboration with institutions in the Global South, enabling students to interact and engage with peers all over the world.”

“Furthermore, UniPID has been leading the discussion on ethical and responsible partnerships with the Global South. For example, UniPID is drafting guidelines to support Finnish universities in developing and building new partnerships with the Global South, in collaboration with TENK, the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity”. Kurki highlights among UniPID’s recent priorities.

Outside of work, you can find Kaisa with her daughters (visiting museums, taking piano lessons and playing different board and card games at home), walking her cirneco dell'Etna dog and gazing at her pond goldfish.

“I am happy to be able to work with such a brilliant team of committed experts in the UniPID coordination unit.” Kaisa expresses.

The coordination unit warmly welcomes Kaisa Kurki and is looking forward to work together in promoting global responsibility within Finnish higher education institutions.

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Photo credits: KOBU Agency, 2019 on UnSplash.