In 2024, the turnover of Jamk University of Applied Sciences exceeded EUR 80 million for the first time. In terms of turnover, Jamk is now the fifth largest of Finland's 24 universities of applied sciences. Operational EBIT for the financial year was EUR 0.8 million and profit for the financial year EUR 3.0 million.
The number of staff years was 790, or around 30 fewer than in the year before. Personnel expenses decreased by nearly EUR one million. The decrease was mainly directed at other than teaching and RDI personnel.
The Board of Directors of Jamk University of Applied Sciences reviewed the financial statements for 2024 at its meeting held at the end of March.
Degree record
In 2024, the number of completed degrees rose to the highest level in Jamk's history. A total of 1,300 bachelor's degrees and 415 master's degrees were completed. Jamk's School of Professional Teacher Education, 407 vocational teachers, special education teachers and guidance counsellors graduated. A total of 2,122 alumni graduated from Jamk in 2024, which is an all-time record. More than 33,000 ECTS credits were completed at the Open University, which is eight per cent more than in the year before.
Nearly 1,400 of Jamk's ten thousand degree students were international students. The number has tripled in the 2020s. Part of Jamk's strong internationality is also students' participation in international exchange. Jamk is number one among the Finnish UAS's in this.
"Jamk's excellent result reflects the committed work of teachers and teaching support staff. We have also paid more attention to the consistent quality and control of processes. We graduate both domestic and international experts well. The joint task of operators in Central Finland is to strengthen retention power so that as many people as possible would stay and work in the area. This would be facilitated by attachment through internships already during studies," says Minna-Maaria Hiekkataipale, Vice Rector for Education, summing up the good result and also the biggest challenge.
RDI volume and service business at the forefront of the UAS field
In 2024, the total volume of research, development and innovation (RDI) activities rose to EUR 21.4 million. Jamk's RDI was the second largest in the field of universities of applied sciences in Finland.
In RDI projects, Jamk binds the working and business life of Central Finland to joint competence development and internationalisation. In the agreement prepared for the new period with the Ministry of Education and Culture, cyber security, mobility and wellbeing, multidisciplinary rehabilitation, sustainable bioeconomy and energy solutions and renewable industry were listed as Jamk's national strengths. Jamk's role as a solution-oriented higher education institution of working life was also ensured through partnership agreements prepared with strategic business partners.
Jamk's third task is the provision of services based on education and RDI tasks, which amounted to approximately EUR 12 million. Education exports were made most with India, China and Central Asia. Tuition fees reached a record high of over EUR 5 million.
"Jamk is a leading player in work- and business-oriented research, development and innovation activities, in Master's degrees and internationalisation in working life, as well as in service business. Above all, we invest in strategic choices and already stand out as a dynamic and future-oriented higher education institution. The technological revolution and the rapid change in the world act as a catalyst," says Mika Karjalainen, Vice Rector for Research.
Securing the future
In 2024, Jamk and the University of Jyväskylä agreed with the Ministry of Education and Culture on deepening cooperation. In connection with this, Jamk's main owner, the City of Jyväskylä, initiated a review of Jamk's ownership so that Jamk's shares could be sold to the Jyväskylä university.
"In many respects, the future success of Jyväskylä and Central Finland will be determined by goal-oriented and future-oriented cooperation between higher education institutions and its modelling. Significant steps were taken in 2024. This year's decisions for a distinctive model that at its best strengthens both Jamk as a university of practice and the university as a science school. At the moment, approximately 7 % of the volume of Finnish higher education takes place in these higher education institutions, and there is an opportunity to increase the share by, for example, making wise and open-minded use of international partnerships, resources and new technologies," Rector Vesa Saarikoski sums up his own views on the future outlook of the Jyväskylä University Group.
