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European Institute of Technology ICT Unit coming to Finland on the Aalto University campus in Otaniemi

17.12.2009

EIT is Europe’s top institution of technology research. Its mission is to enhance EU competitiveness. EIT functions as a network, uniting research and educational institutes as well as businesses. In addition to Helsinki, EIT’s ICT network units will be located in Berlin, Eindhoven, Paris and Stockholm.

The Finnish unit will be located on the Aalto University campus in Otaniemi. The founding members of the Finnish unit are Nokia, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Aalto University.

The total budget of the Finnish unit for 2010-2014 is approximately EUR 100 million, no more than 25% of which comes from EIT funding. The remainder comes from participant funding, national funding and other EU funding. According to the now approved plan, in 2013 there will be several hundred ICT researchers, experts and graduate students working at the EIT Otaniemi unit.

“EIT and its networks play a vital role as the driver of European competitiveness. They bring research facilities and businesses together in a way that strengthens research, education and innovation,” says Professor Yrjö Neuvo, member of the Executive Committee of the EIT

"Nokia is delighted that the European Institute of Technology will base one its five ICT laboratories in Otaniemi; this is a key step forward in deepening ICT expertise in Finland and Europe. The establishment of the lab in Espoo will not only foster innovation and competitiveness in the Finnish ICT ecosystem but it will also accelerate the development of Finland as an information society”, tells EVP Esko Aho, Nokia.

"The broader utilisation of ICT is the next Industrial Revolution, which will require completely new structures, expertise and attitudes. I believe that we have the best team at EIT ICT Labs for the radical creation of a new European information society. In particular we want to make Otaniemi the network’s hottest innovation cluster, which will attract top companies and talent to come produce and utilise the best innovations,” says VTT President and CEO Erkki KM Leppävuori.

”I’m extremely pleased that Aalto University can play such a major role in this European Union spearhead project. Our success in the EIT call for proposals is a recognition of the Helsinki University of Technology’s high degree of expertise in the ICT field and the prestige it enjoys in Europe. The EIT unit in Otaniemi will further enhance Aalto University's research in international assessment as well as the position of core areas ICT, media, computational science and modelling and their importance to the Aalto University strategy. The project beautifully combines research, education and innovation, which are also key aspects of the Aalto University strategy,” states Aalto University President Tuula Teeri

EIT promotes European innovation

Established in 2008, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) aims to promote sustainable economic growth and competitiveness in Europe. Direct EU funding for EIT during the period 2008-2013 will amount to EUR 308 million. The purpose of EIT is to facilitate the realisation of innovations and function as an idea incubator. Strategic planning and decision-making is the mandate of the EIT Governing Board, which is comprised of eighteen leading minds from the fields of research, education and business. Finland's representative on the Governing Board is Professor Yrjö Neuvo. EIT's operative units are independent, co-operative Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC), which are comprised of universities, institutes of higher education, research institutes, companies and other interest groups .

Further information:

http://www.eitictlabs.eu/
http://ec.europa.eu/eit/