According to the Universities Act, the mission of the universities is to promote independent academic research as well as academic and artistic education, to provide research-based higher education and to educate students to serve their country and humanity at large. In carrying out their mission, the universities shall promote lifelong learning, interact with the surrounding society and promote the social impact of university research findings and artistic activities.

Åbo Akademi University is the Swedish-language multidisciplinary academic university in Finland. We implement our culture-bearing task by providing the surrounding world with high-level, multilingual academic competence and professional expertise.

Systematic quality assurance

The Åbo Akademi University Strategy 2021-2030 summarizes the university’s mission and ambitions for quality. In accordance with our strategy, we strive to develop a quality culture with openness and systematic quality assurance in all processes.

Academic quality at a university is created in the meeting between researchers, teachers, students and the university’s learning environment. High-quality results are related to high-quality operations. We review and continuously and systematically follow up our operations. Our quality assurance system is described in a document on management and quality systems, approved by the University Board 13 August 2015 and updated 2 February 2022.

We continuously evaluate the description of our decision-making procedures and governing documents.

Evaluation and follow-up

According to the Universities Act, the universities shall arrange their activities so as to ensure a high international standard in research, artistic activities, education and tuition in conformity with research integrity. The universities must evaluate their education and research, and regularly participate in external evaluations of their activities and in quality assurance systems.

• In 2022, Åbo Akademi University passed the national audit of the quality system of the universities and universities of applied sciences, conducted by the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre. The quality label is valid for six years. Åbo Akademi University will be audited again in 2028.

Åbo Akademi University has committed to follow the guidelines for responsible conduct of research, developed by the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK. The Finnish National Board on Research Integrity TENK prevents research misconduct in all fields of science and promotes the responsible conduct of research in Finland.

The quality of our administrative processes is ensured through proactive and effective strategies, for example for facilities, digitisation, research and internationalisation. We follow up the processes through regular communication between the administrative support, the university operations and the management and through regular evaluations, for example concerning the well-being of employees and students.