The Finnish Fair Foundation Donates a Professorship in Event Industry to Aalto University
The Finnish Fair Foundation is donating €3.1 million to Aalto University School of Business to establish a professorship in the event industry. This will be the first professorship of its kind in Finland, aiming to strengthen academic research, education, and societal impact in the event sector, while accelerating the event industry’s growth.
Aalto University will establish a full-time professorship in experience and event business, located within the department of marketing at Aalto University School of Business. The professorship is funded entirely by the donation.
The purpose of the Finnish Fair Foundation’s donation is to develop the event industry, its research and education, and thereby boost its growth in Finland. The sector has significant economic and employment impacts on its surrounding environment, and cities and countries compete globally for events and congresses.
“The event industry is a globally growing sector with a significant role in Finnish business. Events serve as platforms for innovation and investment, driving long-term economic growth. The mission of the Finnish Fair Foundation is to promote Finnish business and showcase Finnish expertise. This professorship is a natural continuation of our long-standing work to develop the event industry,” says Hannu Syrjänen, Chair of the Foundation’s Board.
The value of the event industry in Finland is approximately €2.4 billion—comparable to pharmaceutical manufacturing or mining, and larger than the textile industry. The sector employs around 20,000 people permanently and 120,000–175,000 temporarily. Globally, the industry is expected to grow by 6–13% annually.
The Professorship Strengthens Aalto University’s Role in Business Development
The donation-funded professorship will enable the establishment of top-level academic research and education in the event industry in Finland for at least 20 years. It will also support doctoral studies and master’s theses, helping the sector gain highly educated professionals.
“We are delighted and grateful for the Finnish Fair Foundation’s significant contribution. This professorship brings the event industry into the realm of academic research and education, and strengthens Aalto University’s role in advancing business,” says Timo Korkeamäki, Dean of Aalto University School of Business.
The official title of the position will be Professor of Experience and Event Business. The university will seek an internationally distinguished scholar who brings new expertise to the field and acts as a producer and distributor of knowledge across the industry, public authorities, decision-makers, and media. The recruitment process begins immediately.
Aalto University’s multidisciplinary campus offers excellent opportunities for collaboration, for example with industrial design and technological innovation. A previous professorship in ownership studies serves as an inspiring model.
Further Information:
Paul Taimitarha, Secretary General, Finnish Fair Foundation +358 40 650 1791, paul.taimitarha@messusaatio.fi
Timo Korkeamäki, Dean, Aalto University School of Business +358 40 483 4060, timo.korkeamaki@aalto.fi
The Finnish Fair Foundation is a non-profit foundation that supports Finnish know-how and business life by distributing some 600,000 euros in grants, scholarships, and recognition awards in 2025, and 1 million euros in 2026. The foundation’s grants aim to address the most significant challenges of our time in the areas of environment, population change, technology and digitalization, as well as in the fields of economy and urbanization. I messusäätiö.fi
