Head of Studies Jaakko Kurhila to head Open University

The Head of Studies at the department, University Lecturer Jaakko Kurhila, has been elected to the post of director of the Open University at the University of Helsinki. It was a tough race: all in all, 39 applicants sought the post, some of them through the Mercuri Urval headhunting process. After a consultant evaluation, interviews, and aptitude assessments, the preparatory committee for the post, the steering committee for the Open University, and the rector of the university came to a unanimous decision to select Jaakko, and the contract is already being drawn up.

Being selected from this prestigious group of applicants, and after such a thorough process, is indisputable proof of the qualifications of Jaakko and the high esteem the academic community has for him. The department extends its warmest congratulations to Jaakko for this career development and is proud of the success of its protégé.

As it stands now, it looks like Jaakko (JK) will start his new job in February 2015. Since we will be parting ways so soon, the head of the department (JP) decided to perform the routine exit interview, so it wouldn’t be forgotten, what with Christmas and the New Year.

JP: This is a stupid but unavoidable question: Your feelings now?

JK: I feel positive and expectant. I’m very pleased with my new appointment in an organisation wholly dedicated to teaching, and I’m convinced it will be good. On the other hand, I had a nightmare last night about the ‘school hijinks’ awaiting me; I hope it was mainly due to the spicy Moroccan food I had last night.

JP: Why did you decide to apply for the post of director for the Open University?

JK: I think this sort of ventilation and rotation of thoughts and people is a vital part of academia, rather than stagnation. Furthermore, I received a hint from a well-informed source.

JP: The Open University offers ‘everyman’ higher education in accordance with the Helsinki University syllabus in about 90 different subjects. Have you had time to think about how you will be directing or improving the work of the Open University?

JK: I don’t have, nor should I have, any definite visions yet; first I have to analyse the university leadership’s strategy on the Open University’s role within education at the University of Helsinki. However, it’s quite clear that the Open University is better situated for concentrating on developing education than the regular departments, since there is no obligation to carry out research there.

JP: Now and then, there has been some strife between the Open University and regular departments, or at least their cooperation hasn't always gone very well. How will you be improving this cooperation?

JK: The collaboration between the departments and the Open University must be tightened by directing its work more towards degree students (and less towards the man on the street). Then the teaching could be financed by the Open University and implemented at the departments, using the regular support structures, like apprenticeship and technology, that are already part of their degree systems.

JP: Does this department have anything that you’d like to take with you to the Open University?

JK: The thinking behind teaching at this department is exemplary: first we consider what really needs to happen in support of learning, then we make a good plan for how to implement it, and finally we act on that plan.

JP: What will you miss?

JK: Lots. The best thing here is a good work community (though the work environment barometer has stayed above the average for the university at the Open University, too).

JP: What are you sure not to miss?

JK: Cycling to work from Kruununhaka to Kumpula in November. I’ll also be glad to get away from the Exactum architecture, which acts as an impediment to communal teaching and learning.

JP: I’d like to thank you on behalf of the department for this interview, and first and foremost for your fine work for the good of the department, not just as head of studies, but in your previous roles, as well. I hope you won’t detach yourself completely from the department, but will visit us now and then for a spot of civilisation.

Created date

16.12.2014 - 13:10

Inter-university research and training centre on information security

The University of Helsinki and Aalto University have set up a joint research centre focusing on information security. The new centre, HAIC (Helsinki-Aalto Centre for Information Security), will coordinate the Master’s-level security education between the university and Aalto, with links to research and doctoral education.

The idea is to build bridges to the industries and gain their support for the education, and e.g. grants for MSc students coming from outside the EU, the head of the Department of Computer Science, Sasu Tarkoma, says.

Computer science undergraduate Petteri Timonen awarded in US science competition

Petteri Timonen, 19, came second in his category of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, Arizona.

 

On Friday, 15 May, Timonen, who is studying computer science at the University of Helsinki, was awarded a grant worth 1500 USD, some 1330 euros, in the Systems Software category of the Intel ISEF science competition.
 
As his entry, Timonen submitted a software tool he developed for Finland’s Red Cross to make mobile blood runs around the country as cost-effective as possible. Timonen implemented his tool in cooperation with the Blood Service.

The tool has gained international attention, as no tool like it seems to have been developed anywhere else. Timonen has also negotiated with the American Red Cross by email.

Renewed Carat App Gives a Smart Boost to Battery

 
The Carat Project Team at the University of Helsinki, Department of Computer Science, has published a new version of the popular mobile energy-awareness application.

After launch in June 2012, Carat has helped over 850,000 users, of which 41 per cent have been Android and 59 per cent iOS users, respectively. The new user interface follows modern application design guidelines and presents battery information in a more intuitive and easy to use manner.

- In addition to the new user interface, we have increased the accuracy of the energy saving recommendations of Carat, says Professor Sasu Tarkoma, the leader of this research done at the university.

The user interface features the number of energy intensive applications (Hogs), energy anomalies (Bugs) and user recommendations (Actions) at a glance on the main screen as well as global energy statistics for the device community.

Cover Song Identification Using Compression-based Distance Measures

M.Sc. Teppo E. Ahonen will defend his doctoral thesis Cover Song Identification Using Compression-based Distance Measures on Friday the 1st of April 2016 at 12 o'clock in the University of Helsinki Exactum Building, Auditorium CK112 (Gustaf Hällströminkatu 2b).  His opponent is Academy Professor Petri Toiviainen (University of Jyväskylä) and custos Professor Esko Ukkonen (University of Helsinki). The defence will be held in Finnish.

Measuring similarity in music data is a problem with various potential applications. In recent years, the task known as cover song identification has gained widespread attention. In cover song identification, the purpose is to determine whether a piece of music is a different rendition of a previous version of the composition. The task is quite trivial for a human listener, but highly challenging for a computer.