The University of Eastern Finland has already recruited 23 internationally accomplished professors with extensive networks to develop its strategic research.
Internationally recognised and well-networked UEF Distinguished Professors (UEF DiPro) make an important contribution to developing strategic and competitive research at the University of Eastern Finland.
“The university is investing substantial dedicated strategic funding in these professorships to deepen and strengthen our existing international collaboration. Appointments are made on the basis of proposals from research groups and departments, typically building on a long history of collaboration in research or teaching. UEF DiPro appointees hold professorships or equivalent positions at universities abroad and work part-time at the University of Eastern Finland,” Rector Tapio Määttä explains.
In autumn 2026, a total of 23 professors held UEF Distinguished Professorships at the University of Eastern Finland.
Networks and expertise for educational research
UEF Distinguished Professorships have been established in all faculties and across various disciplines.
Dirk Ifenthaler took up his UEF Distinguished Professorship in educational research in May 2026. He is Professor, Chair of Learning, Design and Technology at the University of Mannheim in Germany.
Ifenthaler’s research lies at the intersection of cognitive psychology, educational technology, data analytics and organisational learning. His current interests include data-driven development of learning environments, AI to support learning processes, collaborative problem-solving between humans and AI in complex situations and the use of data in educational decision-making.
“These themes are deeply interconnected: advances in AI and analytics open new possibilities for personalised feedback and adaptive instruction, but they also raise important questions about assessment design, ethical data use and the role of the learner as an active agent.”
Ifenthaler is also UNESCO Co-Chair on Data Science in Higher Education Learning and Teaching at Curtin University, Australia and serves as Editor-in-Chief of two international academic journals, Technology, Knowledge and Learning and Educational Technology & Society.
“These editorial and scholarly activities allow me to connect cutting-edge research with practice across the global educational technology community,” he says.
The collaboration with UEF researchers provides access to complementary expertise, diverse data contexts and novel research designs that I would not have at my home institution alone. Moreover, the UEF Distinguished Professor role enables genuinely cross-cultural and cross-institutional studies that are increasingly important for addressing global challenges in education.
Dirk Ifenthaler
Professor, University of Mannheim
Ifenthaler’s connection with the University of Eastern Finland has developed over many years through a shared research interest in learning analytics and its pedagogical applications within the DIGS research community and the OAHOT research project. In 2024, the University of Eastern Finland awarded Ifenthaler an honorary doctorate in educational sciences.
His appointment as a UEF Distinguished Professor allows Ifenthaler to contribute to the development of research in many ways.
“I bring with me an extensive international network of collaborators across Europe, Australia and North America, which can help UEF researchers forge new partnerships and increase the global visibility of their work. Second, my expertise in learning analytics, AI in education and educational data science complements the strong traditions at UEF, enabling us to pursue ambitious, interdisciplinary research projects together. I can contribute to the mentoring and career development of early-career researchers and doctoral candidates at UEF.”
At the same time, Ifenthaler sees the UEF Distinguished Professorship as a valuable recognition of his own research and career.
“Finland has a world-renowned tradition in educational research and being embedded within this vibrant research community stimulates new ideas and perspectives that enrich my work. The collaboration with UEF researchers provides access to complementary expertise, diverse data contexts and novel research designs that I would not have at my home institution alone. Moreover, the UEF Distinguished Professor role enables genuinely cross-cultural and cross-institutional studies that are increasingly important for addressing global challenges in education. It is precisely these long-term partnerships that produce the most impactful scientific contributions.”
Addressing social challenges requires international collaboration
Lynette Joubert, Professor of Social Work at the University of Melbourne in Australia, has a long history of research collaboration with European universities. Key partners have included the University of York in the UK, Örebro University in Sweden as well as the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Helsinki in Finland.
Joubert first came to lecture in Finland in 2017. The visit established close ties with Finnish universities.
Australia and Finland, like many other Western countries, face similar social challenges, creating a significant need for international research collaboration in social work. Fostering collaboration is central to the UEF Distinguished Professor role.
“I have a strong connection to Finland and always enjoy returning,” says Joubert.
Joubert’s research examines the social determinants of health, social networks and digitalisation, with particular attention to social inequalities, mental health, social isolation, socioeconomic disadvantage, ageing and cognitive decline. Her work investigates how informal social networks, social capital and community resources influence wellbeing, social participation and access to support across the life course.
“Social work is situated within diverse social contexts, where formal and informal support networks influence individual and community wellbeing. Informal networks are particularly relevant to ageing, social isolation and loneliness. Research examines how these networks function, their contribution to social connectedness and wellbeing, and how they can be systematically incorporated into social work interventions.”
According to Joubert, Finnish social work has a strong and impressive theoretical and research foundation. She emphasises the importance of integrating social work theory, research, professional education and practice to strengthen evidence-informed interventions and practice-based knowledge.
“At the University of Melbourne, academic–practitioner partnerships connect social work education, research and clinical practice through interdisciplinary collaboration. These partnerships generate practice-informed research questions, strengthen research capacity and support the translation of evidence into social work practice.”
The University of Melbourne was ranked 37th among the world’s best universities in the 2026 Shanghai Ranking and has a 150-year history of advancing excellence in research and education.
More than 25 years of Japanese-Finnish collaboration in technology
Shigeki Nakauchi, Vice President of Toyohashi University of Technology in Japan and Professor in its Department of Computer Science and Engineering, has collaborated with Finnish researchers since the late 1990s, when he worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Lappeenranta University of Technology and became acquainted with many UEF researchers.
“For instance, the current Vice Dean, Professor Markku Hauta-Kasari, was a PhD student at Saitama University in Japan while I was in Lappeenranta. Shortly after I returned to Japan, we initiated a student exchange programme that has continued ever since. Over the years, we have collaborated on various joint educational programmes, such as the Double Degree Programme and the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master, which naturally led to a wide range of joint research projects,” Nakauchi explains.
I would like to contribute to establishing a framework where cross-disciplinary teams collaborate to address fundamental, deep-rooted issues, rather than focusing solely on specific, domestic problems. Actively participating in and contributing to such a vibrant, global research environment represents the greatest possible benefit to my own career and growth as a researcher.
Shigeki Nakauchi
Professor, Vice President, Toyohashi University of Technology
Nakauchi’s research focuses primarily on spectral imaging, AI and human-AI interaction.
Spectral imaging visualises information from wavelength ranges invisible to the human eye, including ultraviolet or near-infrared light. Practical applications are widely used in healthcare and in assessing food safety and quality.
Generative AI has a profound impact that will fundamentally change human society. For example, Nakauchi’s current project investigates human evaluation of AI-generated artworks.
“We have reached a point where it is incredibly difficult for people to distinguish between AI-generated art and human paintings. Furthermore, a phenomenon has emerged where humans actually tend to 'prefer' AI-generated works over human-created ones. The primary goal of this research is to uncover the cognitive and social mechanisms driving this phenomenon and to explore what actions human society should take in response.”
As a UEF Distinguished Professor, Nakauchi aims to tackle multidisciplinary challenges, including those arising from the relationship between AI and human society. This requires robust international research networks and collaboration.
“Ultimately, I would like to contribute to establishing a framework where cross-disciplinary teams collaborate to address fundamental, deep-rooted issues, rather than focusing solely on specific, domestic problems. Actively participating in and contributing to such a vibrant, global research environment represents the greatest possible benefit to my own career and growth as a researcher,” Nakauchi emphasises.
