Aalto University

Key figures of 2020 and reports

Aalto University’s academic results and international recognition maintained momentum in 2020. The university was able to promptly adjust to the exceptional situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic. On this page also the Annual Board Report and Financial Statements 2020.
Kaksi henkilöä kampuksella.
Photo: Aalto University / Mikko Raskinen.

Research

  • We direct our research towards seven key areas: ICT and digitalisation, materials, art and design, business, energy solutions, living environments, and health and wellbeing.
  • The number of refereed articles in scientific journals has increased by 78% since 2010.
Competitive_research_funding_2020

Competitive research funding (€ million)

2010–2020

The number includes e.g. research funding from the Academy of Finland, Business Finland and companies, as well as competitive EU funding.

International_articles_2020

International peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals

2010–2020

Quality_of_publications_2020

Quality of publications

2015–2020

Share of Aalto University publications that belong to the top 10% most highly cited publications in the world in the same subject area. This indicator has been used since 2015.

International_faculty_2020

International academic faculty (%)

2010–2020

 Excellence in research

  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Recipients of European Research Council (ERC) funding

 6 6 10 13 16 17 21 26 26 24 27

Academy of Finland Centres of Excellence

 9 9 7 7 7 7 7 7 6 6 3

Academy of Finland
Academy Professors

 6 5 7 7 7 6 7 5 5 5 4

Academy of Finland
Research Fellows

 39 38 37 34 36 34 38 40 41 44 44

Professors

  • The tenure track career system is the university's most important strategic investment.
  • 73% of all professors in 2020 are recruited after 2010.
  2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

All professors

 230 239 293 329 369 388 386 386 389 390 393
International 4% 6% 12% 15% 17% 18% 20% 22% 24% 24% 26%

Women

 10% 11% 13% 16% 17% 20% 19% 20% 20% 21% 20%
New professors * 0 18 83 131 185 216 228 243 268 278 286
International - 28% 29% 31% 29% 28% 30% 31% 33% 32% 34%
Women - 17% 19% 23% 24% 27% 25% 26% 26% 26% 27%
                       

* New professors refer to professors appointed to the Aalto University tenure track career system, implemented in 2010.

Education

  • Thanks to the systematic development of online teaching, ​we were able to promptly shift to remote teaching.
Bachelors_degrees_2020

Bachelor's degrees

2010–2020

Masters_degrees_2020

Master's degrees

2010–2020

Degree reforms and their transition periods have affected the number of master’s degrees in 2010, 2011 and 2018.

Doctoral_degrees_2020.png

Doctoral degrees

2010–2020

Students_55_ects_2020

Students with a minimum of 55 ECTS credits per year (%)

2010–2020

Degree_students_2020

Bachelor’s and master’s degree students

2020

*Full-time equivalent degree students

Art and creative practices

  • Despite the pandemic, our artistic activities were prominently visible in international arenas.​
  • Art and creative practices offer fresh insights for all lines of research and studies.

Artistic excellence

Art and design 6th in the world​
The QS Rankings put Aalto’s art & design to 6th place worldwide and architecture to 42nd place worldwide (in 2021).​

​33 university-wide art courses​
1 100 students from all Aalto schools attended the Design Inside course and 400 students the university-wide art courses. In the Design Bits course pilot 170 students participated.​

​Visibility in important events​
Ars Electronica, World Economic Forum, Pitti Uomo, Helsinki Design Week, Stockholm Furniture & ​Light Fair.​

​Significant awards​
Dezeen Awards, Japan Good Design Award, Finlandia Prize for Architecture, Jussi and Venla awards, Young Designer of the Year, Designer's Nest, CAMERIMAGE Silver Frog, International Creative Media Award. ​

University's art collection grew​
Artist group IC-98’s staircase artwork Mare Tranquillitatis was installed at the School of Business. Winners of the campusart competition were rooted in bioart and quantum physics.​

​Helsinki Design Week ​2nd time on campus​
Designs For a Cooler Planet Exhibition showcased over 40 ​trans-disciplinary projects.​

    Significant_artistic_outputs_2020

    Significant artistic outputs in 2020

    Significant artistic outputs

    Significant outputs in world's most important artistic forums.

    Significant artistic outputs

    Other significant artistic outputs.

    Rankings in key research areas

    • In field-specific rankings Aalto ranks among the best in the world.

    • In 2020, QS placed Aalto 9th in the world among universities founded less than 50 years ago.

      Key research areas_all

      Aalto University key research areas

      Click on the arrows to see examples of rankings attached to these areas.

      Key research areas_ICT

      ICT and digitalisation​

      • ShanghaiRanking: ​Telecommunication Engineering 34 (2019: 22)​
      • ShanghaiRanking: Computer Science & Engineering 51–75 (2019: 47)​
      • US News: Computer Science 56 (2019: 33)
      Key research areas_Bus

      Global business dynamics​

      • ShanghaiRanking:​ Management 27 (2019: 32)​
      • ShanghaiRanking:​ Business Administration 24 (2019: 29)
      Key research areas_Mat

      Materials and sustainable​ use of natural resources​

      • ShanghaiRanking: Mining and​ Mineral Engineering 76–100 (2019: 76–100)​
      • QS: Materials Sciences 98 (2020: 101–150​)
      Key research areas_art

      Arts and design ​knowledge building​

      • QS: Art & Design 6 (2020: 7)
      Key research areas_liv

      Human-centred living environments​

      • QS: Architecture/Built Environment 42 (2020: 41)​
      • QS: Marine/Ocean Engineering 35 (2019: –)
      Key research areas_ene

      Advanced energy solutions​

      • ShanghaiRanking: Electrical & Electronic Engineering 76–100 (2019: 76–100)
      Key research areas_hea

      Health and wellbeing​

      • ShanghaiRanking: Medical Technology​ 101–150 (2019: 101–150)

      Campus

      • The long-term campus development programme proceeded as planned. ​
      • ​Renovation of Aalto University Töölö was completed and renovation of the old Otaniemi shopping centre began.
      Campus roadmap 2018-2035
      Facility_usage_2020

      Facility usage (1000 sqm)

      2010–2020

      Facility_costs_2020

      Facility costs (€ million)

      2010–2020

      Personnel

      • 43% of the academic faculty is international.
      Personnel_2020

      Personnel structure

      (31 December 2020)
       

      The number of full-time equivalent personnel was 4 218.

      Personnel_structure_2010_2020

      Personnel structure development, indexed

      2010–2020

      2010 = 100

      Finance

      • In 2020, the pro forma operative income totalled €343 million.​
      • ​Main sources of income were government funding, €212 million, and grant income from Academy of Finland, EU and Business Finland, €83 million.
      Income_2010_2020

      Income (€ million)

      2010–2020

      Expenses_2010_2020

      Expenses (€ million)

      2010–2020

      Sources and uses of funds 2020

      Sources_and_uses_of_funds_2020
      Board report and financial statements 2020, pdf, attachment
      2.65 M
      Aalto University in 2020 (pdf), pdf, attachment
      7.87 M

      Aalto University sustainability reports

      Aalto University’s academic results and international recognition maintained momentum in 2020

      Annual board reports from previous years

      Web materials from previous years

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      • Updated: