For the first time in its history, the university surpassed the milestone of more than 200 doctoral degrees awarded.
The University of Eastern Finland awarded a record 206 doctoral degrees in 2025. This marks the first time the university surpassed the milestone of 200 degrees. The number grew significantly from 2024, when 180 doctoral degrees were awarded.
“There is a recognised and growing need for doctoral-level expertise in Finnish society. The award of more than 200 doctoral degrees demonstrates our success in developing the objectives of doctoral education, and the related supervision and career pathways, in close collaboration with employers. Our work aligns with the Ministry of Education and Culture’s national doctoral education pilot and will further strengthen the employment prospects of doctoral graduates in companies and public sector organisations,” says Jussi Pihlajamäki, Vice Rector for Research and Innovation.
A total of 3740 Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral degrees were completed at the University of Eastern Finland last year. In 2024, the total number of degrees awarded was 3593. The number of degrees awarded rose across all levels of education, and degrees were awarded as follows (2024 figures in parentheses): 1590 Bachelor’s (1531), 1944 Master’s (1882) and 206 doctoral degrees (180).
“In recent years, we at the University of Eastern Finland have seen many new openings in education, increases in the number of study places and systematic development of teaching, which are now starting to be reflected in the smooth progress of degree studies and the increase in the number of completed degrees. The development of Master’s level education in technology on both campuses of the university, for example, is a new and important opening that will gradually yield results. In high-demand fields, we have been able to increase the number of study places, which are important for the students. It is good to see that we are on a growth path as regards the number of completed degrees. A warm thank you to all our hard-working students, skilled teachers, and teaching and learning support staff! The successful completion of studies requires the support of the entire academic community," emphasises Laura Hirsto, Vice Rector for Education.
