A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
Technical Education in Jeopardy? Assessing the Interdisciplinary Faculty Structure in a University Merger (2019)

Vellamo, T., Pekkola, E., & Siekkinen, T. (2019). Technical Education in Jeopardy? Assessing the Interdisciplinary Faculty Structure in a University Merger. In M. P. Sørensen, L. Geschwind, J. Kekäle, & R. Pinheiro (Eds.), The Responsible University : Exploring the Nordic Context and Beyond (pp. 203-232). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25646-3_8

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Vellamo, Tea; Pekkola, Elias; Siekkinen, Taru

Parent publication: The Responsible University : Exploring the Nordic Context and Beyond

Parent publication editors: Sørensen, Mads P.; Geschwind, Lars; Kekäle, Jouni; Pinheiro, Rómulo

ISBN: 978-3-030-25645-6

eISBN: 978-3-030-25646-3

Publication year: 2019

Pages range: 203-232

Number of pages in the book: 318

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Place of Publication: Cham

Publication country: Switzerland

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25646-3_8

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/66801

Abstract

The social responsibility of universities is to contribute to solving the ‘wicked problems’ facing humanity, including climate change, poverty, conflicts and the lack of energy resources. Interdisciplinarity is an approach that enables solving these problems and helps higher education institutions become more socially responsible while meeting the requirements of their stakeholders. In this chapter, we analyse a multidisciplinary and sector-breaking merger of three higher education institutions in Finland, where the merger is justified by its contribution to solving wicked problems through increased structural interdisciplinarity. We examine the suggested faculty structures and views of staff and students to understand how interdisciplinarity and addressing the needs of stakeholders are seen from the perspective of technical education. The interdisciplinary faculty structure is heavily criticised by the internal stakeholders, who claim that it does not meet the needs of the university’s external stakeholders. However, there is debate on whose interests and identities are at risk when the disciplinary boundaries of technical education are transgressed.

Keywords: tertiary education; universities of technology; unification; faculties (educational organisations); interdisciplinary research; stakeholder groups; higher education policy; wicked problems

Free keywords: technical education; interdisciplinarity; faculty; merger; stakeholder; wicked problems

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2019

JUFO rating: 3