Speech at the 2026 anniversary ceremony
Rector Sari Lindblom
Mr Chancellor, Minister of Science and Culture, dear community members, guests and friends of the University,
At universities, we often speak of the future. We speak of solutions, opportunities and hope. But hope does not simply appear - it springs from the ability to act.
What, then, makes a person able to act? What enables a community to renew itself when its environment is transforming? What makes a society capable of adapting, building something new, and responding to crises in a time of rapid, continuous change?
It takes resilience, a concept from my own discipline, psychology.
Resilience is the ability to adapt to change, learn something new and keep moving forward, even when the road ahead is unclear. It is not merely about coping with setbacks.
Resilience takes many forms at universities. It is found in students who, when challenges arise, seek guidance and press on. It is in researchers who, when funding is denied, as happens in every academic career, refine their ideas and try again. It is in specialist staff who, when the pressure grows, reach out to others for help and solutions.
For me, the most important way to promote resilience at the University is to help students trust in their own abilities. Academic thinking and study skills, such as self-regulation and time management, can be learned. It takes effort, but perseverance builds self-awareness and skills that last a lifetime.
Resilience is more than an individual trait; it is what allows communities to thrive. Resilient communities are able to respond to the unexpected, adapt to change and uncertainty, and recover from setbacks.
Resilience is supported by a culture where information flows freely; where wellbeing is promoted through careful workload monitoring; and where our understanding of different perspectives is constructed over linguistic and cultural boundaries.
Resilience, whether individual or collective, has one key feature: it cannot simply be given or acquired - it must be created.
A university, like any other organisation, relies on the whole community to build resilience. Building resilience also requires inclusivity. I hope that everyone here at the University of Helsinki feels included in the community, whether through a research group, a subject organisation or a faculty.
The acts of caring for and supporting others are central to inclusivity. They are also the bedrock of a resilient community.
Resilience is not only an important individual and community resource. It is also what enables a society to endure. When the world changes, yesterday's answers no longer work. What matters most is not what we already know, but how swiftly we can learn new things.
Here, universities play a key role.
Through research, we create new knowledge and gain insight into the phenomena and challenges that shape our world. Through academic education, individuals learn to assess and apply knowledge and make informed decisions.
Through public engagement, this knowledge is shared for the benefit of all.
The creation and application of new research knowledge require resources.
The Finnish government faces critical months ahead. Its spending limits discussion will set a framework for how public expenditure is adjusted and how economic growth is promoted.
The University of Helsinki's message to politicians is clear: skills and human capital drive productivity and economic growth. At a time when growth is weak, cutting education and research funding would further undermine Finland's long-term growth potential.
At the University of Helsinki, we are actively improving the conditions that allow research breakthroughs to happen. This spring, we launched the new Be the Flame campaign, inviting partners and donors to collaborate with us in advancing top-level research. Our goal is to increase our donated assets to 400 million euros by 2040, when we celebrate our 400th anniversary.
Over the years, the University of Helsinki has used donated funds to drive research and seek solutions to challenges that have included cancer, biodiversity loss and social inequality. Building on our newly defined top research areas, the campaign will first spotlight women's health, climate change research and pedagogical AI.
This approach allows us to keep the flame of scholarship alive, while bringing new research knowledge swiftly to society.
To conclude, let me return to where I began. Hope does not simply appear. It springs from action.
This is precisely what universities do: seek new knowledge, deepen understanding and cultivate skills where ready-made answers are not available.
When people learn to think critically, assess knowledge and make decisions even amid uncertainty, they strengthen the capability and resilience of society itself.
This is why the significance of universities extends far beyond teaching and research. It is evident in society's ability to learn, renew and make informed choices for generations to come.
This is the mission the University of Helsinki pursues every day.
Happy anniversary!
