By title, Panu Minkkinen is a Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Helsinki, but by job description, he is a multidisciplinary researcher. He has an exceptionally broad perspective on both research work and the academic world in general.
Panu Minkkinen was raised in a middle-class family, where the only acceptable options were specific educational paths. As he began to whittle down the choices, he landed on law studies by ruling out all other alternatives.
“One possibility would have been technical studies but that didn’t feel like the right fit for me. I pass out when I see blood, so medical studies were definitely out. My father was an economist and I didn’t want to go into the same field, for fear of constant comparisons. After that, the only choice really open to me was law”, Minkkinen says with a laugh.
Passion and personal challenges
Mikkinen says that he has never experienced work as a lawyer to be his calling. The opportunities for multidisciplinarity and internationalisation became clear to him as his studies progressed. When working on his thesis, his supervisor allowed for the inclusion of a social perspective and that opened the door to Minkkinen’s future career.
“I found my own way to work through the multidisciplinary science field. Social interactions can be taxing and laborious, but in the end, they enable you to find a smaller community that helps take your ideas further.
Minkkinen explains that he doesn’t need for his work to provide immediate gratification, and this is a good trait for a researcher. In addition to perseverance, he emphasises the importance of challenging oneself and having a true passion – both in the academic world and in life, in general.
“Challenging yourself opens up new doors, and passion maintains your enthusiasm. In the research profession, the relationship with work is dictated by passion and drive, and there are no clear working hours. On the other hand, the working hours also have a tendency to take over one’s free time, and that is a double-edged sword in this type of work.”
Finding a home in FUURT
Minkkinen worked for a long time as a professor in England. His relationship with FUURT was initiated through practical issues when he returned to Helsinki in 2011 and it was time to join a trade union and unemployment fund.
“I searched around for the right home for myself. Professor is my title, but I didn’t want to choose my home based on that, nor on my law education. Finally, I realised that I am a pure-blooded researcher, which meant that my natural home was the Finnish Union for University Researchers and Teachers.”
“It’s not science that needs defending and fostering, it’s the people who create that science. The people are the valued aspect that needs to be safeguarded. That’s why we need actors like FUURT to bridge the gap between individuals and universities.”
According to Minkkinen, the benefits of joining a trade union aren’t always clear to everyone. He feels it is important to know and understand the pragmatic reasons for joining, including collective agreements and unemployment security.
“No one joins a trade union just because it stands for ‘something’. Trade union activities should be backed by a strategic mission. Pleasant union events are, of course, always a good thing. The general meetings alone already provide an opportunity to meet interesting people, and, for example, international researchers can share their viewpoints on the conditions and challenges at different campuses.
Science doesn’t need protection – people do
Panu Minkkinen says that he is very satisfied that, in the end, he specifically chose to join FUURT. At the same time, he emphasises the fragmentation of the academic association field as a challenge: FUURT is just one actor in the field, and close co-operation between different organisations is necessary.
According to Minkkinen, the atmosphere, for example, at collective bargaining negotiations is different now than it used to be. Universities have lost their communal and sympathetic approach, becoming more like pure employers.
“The fact is that universities have become tougher and harsher as employers. It’s not science that needs defending and fostering, it’s the people who create that science. The people are the valued aspect that needs to be safeguarded. That’s why we need actors like FUURT to bridge the gap between individuals and universities.”
Join now as a member of FUURT!
We are offering all new members their first month of membership free of charge. If you join the Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers (FUURT) during the period 1 September–31 December 2024, you will get your first month free. All you need to do is fill out a membership application during the aforementioned time period and you will automatically receive your first month free of charge!
Campaign terms: The campaign is valid 1 September–31 December 2024. The free month of membership is the calendar month in which the membership application is submitted to the Union. The membership fee will then be charged for payment normally from the first day of the following calendar month. Read more about FUURT’s membership fees here. To ask more about joining, membership, and the campaign, please contact our member services.