About Aalto University in Finland
Aalto University, located in Finland, is an ancient and innovative world-leading institution of higher learning. Its history can be traced back to the Helsinki University of Technology established in 1849.
The school is one of the members of Nordic Five Tech (N5T for short) and one of the members of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology EIT. It is a top comprehensive university with a high reputation in Europe and the world.
Aalto University is composed of Helsinki University of Technology, the top European institute of technology, The University of Art and Design Helsinki, the largest art institution in Northern Europe, and Helsinki Economics, the first business school in Europe. The Helsinki School of Economics was established by merging three famous universities in their respective fields.
The name of the school is to commend and commemorate Alvar Aalto, a Finnish world-renowned architect who has made great contributions to mankind in the fields of science and technology, economy and art. The current principal is Professor Ilkka Niemelä, a world-renowned expert in the field of computer and artificial intelligence.
Its alumni include Michael Kosterlitz, Nobel Laureate in Physics, Arturi Ilmari Virtanen, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Bengt Holmstrom, Nobel Laureate in Economics , the inventor of the Merlin transformation, Alma Merlin, and Dr. Zhang Xiachang, the inventor of the Chinese alumni biofuel cell, etc.
Ranked 127th in the world in the 2021QS World University Rankings, and ranked 9th in the world in the list of young universities under 50 years. In the 2020QS World University Rankings, it ranks 7th in art and design, 41st in architecture, business and management No. 51.
In the ARWU2019 Shanghai Jiaotong University World Academic Ranking, communication engineering ranks 22nd, electronic engineering ranks 76th, computer science and engineering ranks 47th, Nordic ranks 2nd, remote sensing technology ranks 51st, and business administration ranks 29th.
Source of the school name
The name “Aalto University” symbolizes transformation and is a tribute to the brave and very versatile Mr. Alvar Aalto. Mr. Aalto has outstanding achievements not only in the fields of industry and economy, but also in the field of art. He is a world-renowned outstanding architectural design master.
Aalto himself is an alumnus of the university, but also the creator, planner and designer of the main academic building of the Polytechnic campus Otaniemi. Every detail of the campus buildings reflects Aalto’s outstanding architectural design philosophy, and the name was chosen to reflect the concept, spirit, values and goals of a new type of university.
Student organization
The Aalto University Student Union (AYY) is the student representative organization of Aalto University. It has about 20,000 members and is the student union with the largest number of members in Finland.
The student unions of the three original universities, namely the Student Union of Helsinki University of Technology (TKY), the Student Union of Helsinki School of Economics (KY) and the Student Union of Helsinki University of Art and Design (TOKYO) were terminated in early 2010 and merged into the Aalto University Student Union (AYY) ). However, TOKYO established TOKYO ry to provide services for art students of Aalto University.
AYY has an independent office building and an independent fund system to provide Aalto University students with assistance and services in terms of study, life, and entertainment, manage multiple student associations, and organize rich student activities.
At the same time, AYY also provides student dormitory services for students of Aalto University. AYY has more than 2,500 student apartments in the Helsinki metropolitan area. The apartment environment and supporting facilities are very popular among students of Aalto University.
