LUT is once again Finland’s most prestigious university – Tampere University sees the biggest rise in reputation
The Reputation&Trust " survey of universities conducted by T-Media found that Finland's most reputable universities are LUT, the National Defence University, and Aalto University. The University of Tampere saw the biggest rise in reputation compared to the previous year.
T-Media surveyed the reputation of all Finnish universities among the general public in February–March 2024. The survey, which included a total of 2,137 respondents, revealed that all Finnish universities enjoy a good reputation. The survey used a scale of 1–5, with good ratings ranging from 3.50 to 4.00.
The top-ranked universities are Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT) with a score of 3.83, the National Defence University (3.77), Aalto University (3.72), and the University of Eastern Finland (3.71).
Universities’ Reputation&Trust Survey: A university’s ranking in the list is based on the reputation scores obtained in the survey. The figures shown in the table have been rounded to two decimal places.
“Four very different universities top the reputation rankings again this year, although the order has shifted slightly from last year. This is a great illustration of just how different the most prestigious universities in Finland can be,” says Nina Laakso, Senior Advisor at T-Media.
The University of Tampere is the biggest climber in research
In this round of research evaluations, the University of Tampere received a score of 3.59. This represents an increase of 0.17 points from the previous year’s result, making the University of Tampere the biggest climber in the rankings.
“The University of Tampere was particularly successful in improving its leadership image. Previously, the University of Tampere’s reputation had been affected by leadership-related crises; now, the university has seen a remarkable increase of 0.39 points in the leadership category. New leadership often has the opportunity to reverse the direction of a reputation’s trajectory, and this may already be reflected in the results. Alongside Tampere, several regional universities are distinguishing themselves through leadership. Openness and interaction are important,” says Laakso.
“The University of Tampere’s core activities—research and education—have been highly regarded year after year, as evidenced by Reputation&Trust. This year, our reputation continued to improve across all areas. We owe this to our staff, who actively strive to increase the impact of our operations in line with our strategy. The results likely also reflect how constructive dialogue and collaboration within the university community are key factors in our reputation and are quickly recognized by external stakeholders as well,” says Keijo Hämäläinen, Rector of the University of Tampere.
Universities generally enjoy a good reputation in Finland – social responsibility has the greatest influence on Finns’ attitudes toward and behavior toward universities
The study also examines the public’s general perception of universities. Finnish universities generally have a good reputation among the public (3.71). The public rates the reputation of universities in the area of products and services as good (3.90), close to excellent (≥4.00).
Of the eight components of reputation, responsibility has the greatest impact on how Finns view and behave toward universities.
The Overall Reputation of Finnish Universities in 2024
“We cannot take the public’s trust and the legitimacy they grant to universities and their funding for granted. There are already serious indications worldwide that trust in and respect for the role of universities and scientific knowledge have declined. Deliberate misinformation is gaining ground, and views are becoming increasingly polarized. It is important to monitor this development in Finland as well and ensure that universities and their activities continue to enjoy strong public support in the future,” says Laakso.
“Accurate, evidence-based information is one of the key factors contributing to social harmony in a democracy. Continuously building and maintaining trust is particularly important.”
This is how we conducted the study
The aim of the " Reputation&Trust " survey of universities was to assess the reputation of Finnish universities among the general public. All 14 universities in Finland participated in the survey.
The universities were evaluated using T-Media’s Reputation&Trust, in which a university’s reputation score is calculated as the average of eight different sub-areas. The sub-areas are corporate governance, finance, leadership, innovation, interaction, products and services, workplace, and responsibility. The study used a five-point rating scale (1–5).
Data for the survey was collected via an online questionnaire between February 20 and March 5, 2024. A total of 2,137 Finns participated in the survey. The survey’s target group consisted of Finns aged 15–65 nationwide (excluding the Åland Islands). The sample was weighted to be representative of the population by gender, age, and region of residence.
More information
Nina Laakso, Senior Advisor
+358 400 808 940, nina.laakso@reptrust-staging.fi-p.seravo.com
Featured image: LUT Lappeenranta Campus © Teemu Leinonen
