Maire Syrjäkari, Educational Developer

'Although I had decided that I would not be moving from the north to the south of Finland, I ended up at Aalto in 2010. I got interested in the positions and the vantage point offered by the university, and decided to grab the opportunity. I have been very happy with my decision.

My task is to plan and implement training related to the pedagogical competence of the academic staff at Aalto, participate in the evaluation of teaching and support the development of courses and programmes. Our aim is to support the high standard of students’ learning and the progress of their studies with the well-planned and implemented degree programmes.

Teaching courses in university pedagogy is empowering every time: the shared discussions with teachers from different disciplines and cultures are useful and interesting for both the participants and the instructors. The best thing about my job is the open and trusting atmosphere of this community. It allows me to be super excited about the work together with my colleagues, test my boundaries and do something completely new.'