Opening of the Academic Year 2023: Hanken delivers quality by all measures

Hanken also passed the national audit of the quality system, and the university continues to perform well in international rankings in both research and teaching.

“A business school is above all a product of its employees - researchers, teachers and support staff - its students, its alumni and its friends. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for what you have done for Hanken,” said Björkman.

Last year, teaching could finally return to Hanken's facilities. Björkman emphasised the importance of the campus for learning, social relations and the sense of belonging that has always been at the heart of the Hanken spirit.

“New facilities are being finalised for our students on both campuses, and a new auditorium is being built in Helsinki where the EMBA teaching will take place in the future," Björkman said.

The former President of Estonia and Hanken's honorary doctor Kersti Kaljulaid said that five per cent of Estonia's population is Ukrainian, who are now preparing themselves for life in a free Ukraine.

"They want to learn about democracy, the rule of law, how to avoid corruption in society and they want to return to Ukraine, the generation which will take the new Ukraine to a level that will allow it to join the EU," Dr. h.c. Kaljulaid said.

Even if the war ends, Dr. h.c. Kaljulaid said that Russia must come to terms with its past and take responsibility for what it has done wrong before we can resume normal relations and economic cooperation. According to her, the economic sanctions should remain in place until there is a real change in the Russian leadership.  

Kersti Kaljulaid is a recognised expert on digitalisation and pointed out that with the rise of AI, our single competitive advantage over technology will remain to be a compassionate human being.

“This cannot be standardised. That's why I believe that all institutions, starting from kindergarten, primary schools, secondary and of course universities, have to make not only technology the centre of their focus, but also being compassionate human beings, being members of society, being really sensitive to how others feel," Dr. h.c. Kaljulaid emphasised.

According to her, too low emotional intelligence means that we are not able to argue and still remain friends. This, in turn, has led to fractures of the political space in many countries.

Christoph Vitzthum, Chair of the Board, and Ville Ruokonen, President of the Student Union, also presented their greetings for the new academic year.

You can watch the recording of the Opening of the Academic Year here

(President Kaljulaid's speech starts at 33:15)