What you should know when you plan to donate by bequest
Lawyer Olof Rehn answers our questions on bequeathing assets in a will.
Leave a better future as your legacy
Leave a legacy of a better tomorrow for future generations by supporting long-term research, teaching and innovation. By remembering Aalto University in your will, you leave a legacy of a sustainable future and show your appreciation for the makers of science and art.
Why does the university need legacy gifts?
The university plays a key role in society, as it leads the way to development and acts as the catalyst of inspiration for the business world. Although society is changing, science and art cannot stop – on the contrary, they must keep driving progress and change.
Did you know that approximately 50% of Aalto expenses are covered by the funds annually allocated by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, while the other half of funds come from other sources? This means that donations have a great impact on the operations of the university.
Aalto focusses on building a sustainable life for all of us, now and in the future. The students of today are the experts of tomorrow. Now is the time to prepare for the imminent skills shortage and make sure that our education gives our young people the tools they need to succeed. Doing so, we are also supporting Finland’s competitiveness and position in the world market.
Research is a long-term effort, and therefore also expensive. Not all inventions, however great they may be, lead to groundbreaking innovations. We can plan and execute long-term research projects only if our funding is secured in the long term.
Your legacy gift will allow the university to...
- create groundbreaking and sustainable solutions to global challenges
- educate future experts to key positions in society
- offer an environment that supports cross-disciplinary learning and research and novel creative solutions.
By including Aalto University in your will, you can turn your legacy into a sustainable future.
Ilkka Niemelä, President of Aalto UniversityYour last will may be the first step to something new. A legacy gift for the university is an act for a better future.
Who can leave a legacy gift?
Anyone can leave a legacy gift. Each donor distributes their wealth for different reasons based on their worldview.
Those who have left a legacy gift to Aalto University in the past have done do so in appreciation of the education they have received, and as a way to thank the university for equipping them for a successful career. For some, a legacy gift is a way of giving back: they wish to support young students or researchers in the same way as they were supported – such as in the form of a grant or scholarship. For others, a legacy gift is a way to pay it forward or to do their share in taking care of future generations by supporting the advancement science and art.
While the reasons for leaving one vary, all legacy gifts are equally valuable.
The road from idea to impact is long. By leaving a legacy gift to Aalto University, you will support our top-quality research and help it to achieve breakthroughs at the frontiers and intersections of science, art, technology and business – now and in the future. That is why every donation counts.
How to leave a legacy gift?
Although drafting a will requires precision, it is not as complicated as you might think. See below for legal advice or contact us directly to ask any questions you may have on leaving a legacy gift to Aalto University.
Information?
Architect Annikki Paasikivi legacy gift has a significant impact on numerous student generations
Architect Annikki Paasikivi Scholarship Fund operates actively at Aalto University. Every year, dozens of scholarships are awarded to students of architecture from the fund established in the 1950s.
Aalto University alumnus Petteri Isotupa: ‘Dare to think and to ask why’
With his bequest, alumni Petteri Isotupa wants to support future generations’ opportunities for a good education.
Einar A. Haapala portrait on display at Undergraduate Centre
Grants for student exchanges from a substantial bequest from businessman Haapala and his spouse continue to be available to students at the School of Business taking part in student exchange programmes abroad
Two suitcases and one man
Life is a game and this – working and studying – is my way of playing it, Kalevi Hyyrynen used to say. The Aalto alumnus, who remembered his alma mater generously in his will, was keen on learning new things throughout his life.