Corporatisation of SAMK is moving ahead

In the spring of 2009, the City Board of Pori commenced a survey concerning the management of Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (SAMK) on the basis of the report prepared by Markku Linna on the development of higher education institutions in the Satakunta region. It is intended that SAMK should be managed by a limited-liability company mainly owned by the municipalities of the region and the parent universities of the Pori University Consortium. Regional industry and commerce will also have an opportunity to acquire share ownership in the company.

The Survey Management Group has prepared proposals for the shareholders’ agreement and the Articles of Association of Satakunta University of Applied Sciences Ltd. The company's operations are scheduled to start in November 2010. The responsibility for the organisation of instruction, now held by the City of Pori, would be transferred to the company at the beginning of 2012, if it has by then obtained an appropriate operating licence to manage the university of applied sciences. The preparations are based on the assumption that the company is a daughter company of the Pori Municipal Group.

Of the 26 universities of applied sciences operating in Finland, six were municipal, seven owned by municipal federations, nine limited-liability companies and four foundation-based or equivalent when the survey work commenced. In other words, a limited-liability company is the dominant ownership model at the universities of applied sciences, and its use seems to steadily increase.

Corporatisation will strengthen the autonomy of the university of applied sciences and renders it a clearly independent responsibility for its operations, finances and performance. The change is in line with the principles followed in the development of the nationwide higher education network and also improves the opportunities for cooperation with industry and commerce. Management solutions of this kind have been recommended in international evaluations of universities of applied sciences.

The inclusion of the universities in the managing ownership of SAMK will solidify the academic community of the Satakunta region and bring further opportunities for longer-term planning. The participation of the universities will also provide an opportunity for the examination of all the available higher education options by a single administrative body from the viewpoint of the regional needs.

The Survey Management Group suggests that the below-mentioned corporations should make a decision-in-principle on the share ownership in the planned Satakunta University of Applied Sciences Ltd on the basis of the prepared model for the shareholders’ agreement and the Articles of Association.

Locations where education leading to a degree currently takes place: 
Cities of Pori, Rauma, Kankaanpää and Huittinen,

Parent universities of the Pori University Consortium:
Aalto University, Tampere University of Technology, University of Tampere and University of Turku

Representatives of industry and commerce:
Rauma Chamber of Commerce, Satakunta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise Association of the Satakunta Region 

Furthermore: 
Other municipalities of the Satakunta region, cities of Laitila and Uusikaupunki and municipality of Pyhäranta

 Decision is requested by 31 March 2010.

 Further information is obtainable from Aino-Maija Luukkonen, Mayor (tel. 044 701 1010), Seppo Laakkonen, Director of Education (044 701 2431) and Esa Lunnevuori, Business Controller (044 701 1399).