Opening of the Academic Year 2026: “Academic freedom is essential for fostering critical thinking”
Björkman noted that Hanken, which holds the prestigious triple crown accreditation and ranks highly in the leading global rankings, also has alumni who perform exceptionally well in the labour market. According to the latest statistics, Hanken graduates have the highest employment rate among university graduates in Finland.
“While there is much to celebrate, unfortunately the same cannot be said about the state funding of Hanken and Finland’s other universities. Core funding per student has declined dramatically since 2010, and Finnish universities are today significantly less well funded than their counterparts in the other Nordic countries,” Björkman said.
Universities, including Hanken, have increased their student intake substantially, and the aim is for these numbers to continue growing in the years ahead.
“Although it is clear that Finland’s public finances face major challenges, the level of core funding per student must be safeguarded. This is absolutely essential to ensure the quality of education and maintain international competitiveness.”
In his address, Björkman also emphasised that academic freedom is essential for fostering critical thinking, innovation and the vibrant exchange of ideas that form the foundation of democratic societies and economic prosperity.
“In many parts of the world, academic freedom has come under increasing pressure. Finland is not immune to this development, and external interference driven by political and ideological motives has consequences for academic activity. I would like to underline the importance of academic freedom and university autonomy, and stress that independent expert evaluations should form the basis for decisions regarding competitive research funding.”
Humanity cannot be automated
Hanken alum and the School’s Executive in Residence, Petri Kokko, delivered this year’s ceremonial address at the event. Kokko, a digital transformation and AI expert who has held various leadership positions, including at Google, and previously competed as a professional figure skater, stressed that nobody succeeds alone. Everything that truly matters in life is achieved together.
“Sport destroyed the myth of the solo hero. Even when you are the only one standing in the center of the arena under the blinding lights, you didn't get there by yourself. Behind every performance is a coach, a partner, a physiotherapist, a family, and a team.”
Kokko also noted that many people might imagine that an environment such as Google wins by stacking the room with aggressive lone-wolf geniuses competing to be the loudest voice at the table. However, when Google studied its highest-performing teams, individual brilliance wasn't the secret sauce. The deciding variable was psychological safety.
“The teams that changed the world were those where people trusted one another enough to fail openly, ask the ‘obvious’ questions and say: ‘I don’t have the answer, but let’s figure it out together.’”
Kokko concluded by observing that what can never be automated is human judgement, character and the strength of the trust people build with one another.
“Hanken will provide you with world-class frameworks for understanding value creation, finance and global markets. But your real competitive advantage in an unpredictable world will not be the lecture slides you memorise for an exam. It will be the people sitting around you right now.”
During the Opening of the Academic Year, greetings were also delivered by Christoph Vitzthum, Chair of Hanken’s Board, and Ellen Lönnqvist, Chair of the Student Union. This autumn, Hanken begins its 118th academic year in Helsinki and its 47th academic year in Vaasa.
Text: Jessica Gustafsson
Photo: Matilda Saarinen