FUURT’s working groups  

Active FUURT members participate in a variety of ways, for example, in the Union’s working groups. In 2023, the Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers has five working groups:  

  • Organisational activity working group 
  • Early career researchers committee 
  • Information and open science working group 
  • Researcher pensions working group 
  • Language policy working group 

Organisational activity working group

The working group investigates the Union’s need for changes in its rules and prepares proposals on rule changes for the Union meeting, develops the activities and division of labour within the Union and its member associations, and participates in mapping out the Union’s development needs as part of the Union’s strategy work.

  • The group’s term runs from 4/2022 until 12/2023.
  • The chair is Sanni Tiitinen, and the secretaries are Johanna Moisio and Ira Laitakari-Svärd. 

Early career researchers committee

The early career researchers committee supports FUURT’s promotion of interests on the special issues concerning early career researchers, grant-funded researchers, and international researchers. The committee also participates in the activities of the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers Eurodoc. In 2023, the committee participates in, for example, conducting a grant investigation and prepares the Union’s next survey for early career researchers.

  • The group’s term runs until the end of 2023.
  • The chair is Pauli Väisänen and secretary Miia Ijäs-Idrobo. 

Information and open science working group 

The working group supports the Union Board and office in their work on the promotion of interest in issues related to open science and information by preparing statements and commenting on open science projects, among other things. The working group also shares information and understanding about current topics in open science and information and provides peer support.  The working group also considers the broader and principled foundation of open science. 

  • The group’s term runs until the end of 2023.
  • The chair is Jussi Hyvärinen and secretary Miia Ijäs-Idrobo. 

Researcher pensions working group

The Union Board has assigned a special working group to investigate the pension security of grant-funded researchers. The working group listens to pension policy experts at, for example, Akava, the Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution Mela, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Arts Promotion Centre Finland.

  • The group’s term runs from 5/2023 until 5/2024, and it elects a chair and secretary from within (information updated later).   

Language policy working group 

In June 2023, the Union Board assigned a working group to prepare FUURT’s language policies and recommendations to take a stand on the language of science and science publishing, the language used in higher education and universities, universities of applied sciences and research institutes, the language policy of the Akava community as well as the Union’s operating languages.

  • The group’s term runs from 9/2023 until 6/2024.
  • The chair is Terhi Ainiala and secretary Miia Ijäs-Idrobo.