Hanken's professors of practice help prepare students for the challenges ahead

Former mayor of Helsinki, Juhana Vartiainen, is affiliated with the department of finance and economics until the end of July 2027. As a professor of practice at Hanken, Vartiainen teaches, in Swedish, several undergraduate courses focusing on economics, macroeconomic analysis, and global economic policy.

“I accepted the position because it suits me perfectly: I have always enjoyed economics as an academic discipline. It provides an understanding of what is happening in the world and how we behave. In these times of budget challenges in European countries, trade tariffs, and many other topical economic issues, it is rewarding to give students intellectual tools to understand the world,” Vartiainen says.

Enriching contact with students

For him, the best part of being a professor of practice is the direct interaction with students.

“I try to get students engaged and curious about economic analysis, about how the economy works and how everything is interconnected with current phenomena. There is competition at Hanken between major subjects, and I hope I can make economics an even more attractive choice.”

As a former politician, Vartiainen also offers insights into how much of what is taught in the courses is actually used in policymaking.

“It is very useful to learn basic theory about the labour market or why monetary policy is conducted by independent central banks. To ease the transition into working life, I encourage students to deepen their knowledge in many areas: economics, macro- and microeconomics, statistical methods, business studies and politics. But in the end, it is up to the young people to choose – they are wiser than we older ones.”

Vartiainen, who has extensive work experience from Sweden, highlights the significant advantage of mastering the Swedish language. 

“If you have studied in Swedish, you are welcome not only in the Swedish labour market but also in Denmark and Norway. It is a relevant and prosperous part of the world. I hope that Swedish-language teaching will continue at Hanken. Not everything should be in English.”

Expert on DEI issues

Entrepreneur Shadia Rask’s core expertise is social sustainability, particularly issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), as well as migration. She is affiliated as a professor of practice at the department of management and organisation until the end of July 2028. Rask was already familiar with Hanken, having studied corporate responsibility at the School as an adult.

“I was delighted to be asked if I would be interested in becoming a professor of practice. It feels meaningful and represents a strong stance by Hanken at a time when we see a backlash regarding DEI issues, especially in the US.”

Rask’s responsibilities include lecturing within her areas of expertise and supervising theses.

“A central responsibility is to contribute to Hanken’s internal DEI efforts. Hanken aims to be a role model among Nordic universities in diversity, equality and inclusion.”

In her role as professor of practice, Rask wants to contribute to a more equitable working life in Finland.

“I want to support employment in Finland for people with foreign backgrounds who have graduated from Hanken and other Finnish universities. The employment rate for international students is around 50 per cent, compared to almost 90 per cent for Finns. This is a problem both economically and from a human perspective,” Rask notes.

Rask refers to research showing that a person’s name plays a major role in job applications: individuals with names that sound Finnish find it much easier to be invited for interviews than those whose names appear to originate, for example, from the Middle East.

“When we at Hanken teach strategy, management and HR topics, we can give students better insight into the inequalities and biases that exist in society. We must also do more to support our own international students in feeling included at Hanken and in securing internships and employment.”

A need for new strategies

According to Rask, cooperation between universities and working life is essential for finding new solutions to major societal problems, such as sustainability. She notes that backlash is not only directed at DEI issues, but also at sustainability itself.

“It is important to understand that there will always be backlash when attempting to improve equality or sustainability. That does not mean it is not worthwhile to study these issues. But it is important to recognise that the world has changed, and we need different strategies when collaborating on these topics when facing headwinds.”

Text: Jessica Gustafsson
Photos: Iida Ylinen and Sakari Röyskö / City of Helsinki

Juhana Vartiainen

Former mayor of Helsinki and previous director general of the VATT Institute for Economic Research and member of parliament from 2015 to 2021. Vartiainen has also served as director of research at the National Institute of Economic Research (Konjunkturinstitutet) in Sweden. He has an extensive research background, including at the Labour Institute for Economic Research and the University of Helsinki, and holds a doctorate in economics.

Shadia Rask

Entrepreneur, doctor of philosophy in public health and columnist at YLE. Rask’s research has focused on health inequalities, employment developments, and non-discrimination in the labour market. She is a visiting researcher at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and has previously led research and development projects at the institute. Rask is a board member of UN Women Finland and Startup Refugees.
 

Professors of practice at Hanken

A professor of practice is an experienced specialist who works part-time as a bridge between the university and the professional world, for example by bringing practical expertise into teaching and by supervising students.

Management and organisation: Shadia Rask, Christina Dahlblom and Torkel Tallqvist. Finance and economics: Juhana Vartiainen and Daniel Pasternack. Marketing: Kevin Deegan, Laura Ihanainen and Oskar Korkman. Supply chain management and social responsibility: Christian Fjäder. Accounting: Ingalill Aspholm. Commercial law: Klaus Ilmonen. Entrepreneurship: Markus Wartiovaara.

Executives in residence at Hanken

An executive in residence is an experienced business leader whose part-time role is to support the development of teaching and research from an industry perspective.

Management and organisation: Petri Kokko and Henry Backlund. Hanken Business Lab: Henrik Steinbrecher.