Juha-Matti Saksa has been the head of LUT since 2016. At the time of his appointment, he was the youngest rector in the Finnish university world, at 41 years old, and not everyone's first rector. Saksa is not exactly a basic type of strategist (and is still the youngest university rector in Finland). He openly admits that he is not really excellent at anything - that side of things is handled by the university's 1400 top performers.
- If I had a vision that everyone working at the university had to implement, nothing would come of it, says Saksa.Saksa heads a university whose business school is ranked second among world universities in research quality and 15th in the world in sustainable consumption and production - among other flattering metrics. How on earth is this possible - a young university, founded in 1969 and operating on the edge of the world in global terms?
The Rector believes that success comes from focusing on what we are really good at and working together.
Do what you do well
Although LUT University is doing well today, including receiving more competitive funding than the Ministry of Education and Culture, things have not always been so good.
- In 2008, the university was doing so badly that closing down was a valid option, Saksa recalls.Today, the university is known for its expertise in areas such as electricity and energy. The Rector has worded the core message succinctly so that it can be squeezed into a shorter speech.
- LUT University is now focused on clean air, clean energy, clean water and responsible business and society, says SaksaFor example, LUT University has been investing in electrification for years, and the efforts are now reflected not only in its success in the academic world, but also in the business world.
- We have attracted to Lappeenranta global companies based on electrical expertise - such as Danfoss Editron and The Switch, whose roots are here in our own university.Decide and work hard
Saksa returns to the enablers of success and brings in the owners; the business owners and the owners of the city, for example, which are the councillors.
- When the owner says now is a good time to grow, that's when you get down to business, Saksa says.Saksa is delighted that Lappeenranta has also taken its place as a driving force in the region and has set itself decent growth targets.
- I am sure that in five years Lappeenranta will be bigger and have more jobs. The city will grow and develop if it sticks to its chosen path and does things together.And it has grown. The rector believes the union of engineering and business schools is the start of success. But the addition of social and communication sciences to the university's curriculum last year will complement and soften the university's original areas of expertise.
- Social scientists are cleverly combining harder disciplines and, above all, articulating and communicating them to others so that growth happens, Saksa says.
The LUT university will also bring much-needed internationality to the city. The university has 98 nationalities represented and 42% of its researchers come from outside Finland. Just under 30% of students are foreigners.
The Rector says: - Lappeenranta is an unbelievably beautiful place and there will be people coming here if we take care not only of knowledge and enterprise, but also of well-being and culture.
- Good services and leisure opportunities, together with a beautiful, unhurried and safe environment, are the combination that makes the city thrive. Yes - in addition to skills and working together.It all starts with attitude
Finally, Saksa points out that the most important source of well-being is attitude.
- Just as everyone should believe in themselves, we should also believe in our city, he says.Complaining is the only way to depress your friends. When everyone focuses on doing their best and trusts others to do the same, the end result can only be staggering - especially if you do it together.