Higher education institutions to found a limited liability company alongside the Digivisio 2030 programme

Finnish higher education institutions made a long-term commitment to their joint Digivisio 2030 programme by signing the Digivisio 2030 participation agreement in 2021. The aim of the programme is to create a national digital service platform to enable flexible learning paths for learners across higher education institutions and to enhance collaboration between higher education institutions and the development of data-oriented services and content.

To facilitate the work done in the programme, a separate operator is needed that sees to the cost-effective and professional performance of the joint service production tasks of the higher education institutions and helps ensure a clear definition of responsibilities and decision-making processes. For this purpose, the higher education institutions have decided to found a limited liability company, HigherEd Hub Finland Ltd, to work alongside the project consortium as the service company of the higher education institutions.

“We’re excited for our joint service company to start its operations. The company will see to the provision of the high-quality and cost-effective joint services developed in the programme for the learners and higher education institutions. It is an essential part of the implementation of the joint Digivisio programme of higher education institutions “, says President Ilkka Niemelä, Chair of the Steering Group of the Digivisio 2030 programme.

The shareholders of HigherEd Hub Finland Ltd, 37 Finnish higher education institutions, have signed the shareholders’ agreement and the memorandum of association in autumn 2023, and the formation procedures are currently under way. The company will be ready for operation in spring 2024, when it will assume responsibility for the Opin.fi service.

Pekka Koponen has been elected Chair of the Board of Directors, and Salla Huttunen, Tapio Koivu, Milla Ratia, Vesa Saarikoski, Marja Sutela and Antti Ylä-Jarkko have been elected members of the Board. The Board of Directors combines the expertise of universities, the higher education field, and business world. Hanna Nordlund, Project Director of the Digivisio 2030 programme, will serve as the company’s first managing director.

Chair of the Board Pekka Koponen has accepted the position with enthusiasm.

“I have been involved in building the Finnish innovation field for over thirty years in the service of industry, as an entrepreneur, and in various positions of trust. We currently have a huge shortage of experts, and competence development has never been as important for our competitive ability as it is now. This challenge can be resolved with extensive collaboration”.

The Digivisio 2030 programme and HigherEd Hub Finland Ltd will act in close collaboration, and higher education institutions will continue to decide on the policies of their Digivisio collaboration and the development of joint services as part of the consortium work.

The company’s shareholders are:

Aalto University, Centria University of Applied Sciences, Diakonia University of Applied Sciences, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, University of Helsinki, Humak University of Applied Sciences, Häme University of Applied Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, Karelia University of Applied Sciences, LAB University of Applied Sciences, Lapland University of Applied Sciences, University of Lapland, LUT University, Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, University of Oulu, Satakunta University of Applied Sciences, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, Svenska Handelshögskolan, University of the Arts Helsinki, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, University of Tampere, Turku University of Applied Sciences, University of Turku, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences, University of Vaasa, Yrkeshögskolan Arcada, Yrkeshögskolan Novia and Åbo Akademi.

Of the Digivisio 2030 consortium members, the National Defence University and Högskolan på Åland will join the company through a cooperative agreement.