We are delighted to report that The Finnish Union of University Professors has chosen our friend and colleague professor Jari Stenvall, who is a professor of administrative science at Tampere University and a PASCAL Associate, as the Professor of the Year 2022. The nomination was announced at the Union’s Communicatio Academica event on Thursday, January 13, 2022, in Turku. The award amount of the Professor of the Year is €20,000. 

“Professor Jari Stenvall is a passionate researcher, a pragmatic and realistic developer, and a respected network player. He has worked by putting his shoulder to the wheel to further the study of the public sector management as a field of science as well as to develop the Finnish society and its administrative structures.” Jukka Heikkilä, the Chair of the Finnish Union of University Professors describes.

“Stenvall’s activities as a professor are an example of the social importance of universities. Interdisciplinary research activity, which advances the development of science and social issue problem solving from a new perspective is very important for Jari Stenvall.” Chair Heikkilä continues.  

In the Nordic welfare states, good public management is in a key position when it comes to digitalisation, urbanisation, and successful largescale systemic changes (for example, the reforming of social and healthcare services as well as emergency services).  

Stenvall’s research topics include the management of change, the reformation and assessment of public administration, regional development, the public services, and the utilisation of technology in administration. Stenvall, together with his research group, has studied public administration in countries such as Great Britain, Spain and USA as well as participated in other international study groups with the support provided by the Academy of Finland.

Jari Stenvall (born 1965) has been a professor at Tampere University since 2013. Stenvall has also served as visiting professor at the University of Glasgow as well as an associate at the University of Oxford. Among other things, Stenvall has worked in the University of Lapland as a professor of public administration from 2002 to 2013, and in Tampere University as a research professor from 2009 to 2010, and as a research director from 2000 to 2001.

Stenvall has written circa 160 scientific publications.

COVID19 has had a significant impact on the research and assessment activity of Jari Stenvall. He has participated in Finland’s Safety Investigation Authority’s independent investigation group appointed by the government making an expert evaluation of the effects of Finland’s COVID19 measures during the first wave as well as its preparedness for the future. Presently, professor Stenvall oversees the evaluation of Finland’s COVID19 measures’ administrative and management model for Tampere University.

Jari Stenvall is known for both being an active developer of the work community and as an academic director. The research and development of the requirements of academic work have been very important for him. Stenvall has served in numerous positions in the university community and in higher education policy initiatives, such as in the initiative concerning evaluation of the societal impact of higher education as the director of the initiative. Furthermore, he has participated in the evaluation of the model of career-path for researchers.  

During his career, Jari Stenvall has written a significant number of textbooks intended for wider audience and taught all fields of public management, in Finland especially, but also internationally. Professor Stenvall has supervised hundreds of master’s theses and been a supervisor of nearly 50 doctoral theses.