The three academies of the University of the Arts Helsinki are The Academy of Fine Arts, Sibelius Academy and Theatre Academy. Research Hub and its three research centres, Centre for Artistic Research (CfAR), The Center for Educational Research and Academic Development in the Arts (CERADA) and the Uniarts Helsinki’s History Forum form a research environment focusing on postdoc activities. The Open Campus at Uniarts Helsinki promotes open university education.
The executive group for research and doctoral education of the University of the Arts Helsinki (TTJOR) coordinates, develops and supports doctoral education and research at the University of the Arts Helsinki. The Vice Rector (Research) of the Uniarts functions as the chairperson of TTOR and its members comprise the Vice Deans (Research) of the academies, the leaders of the doctoral schools/programmes and the leaders of the three research centres at the Research Hub. The Performing Arts Research Centre, Tutke, is part of the Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. It is responsible for both the Doctoral Programme in Artistic Research, and research activities at the Theatre Academy. In Tutke’s Mission and Vision, research conducted at Tutke is defined as artistic research. Within the University of the Arts, Tutke is equal with the units offering doctoral education in the other academies.
Representatives of Tutke’s doctoral candidates, staff and researchers, along with the representatives of other degree programmes at the Theatre Academy, take part in the work of the bodies of the academy. Their task is to oversee and support links between the research conducted in Tutke and in the degree programmes, and to represent expertise in performing arts at the Theatre Academy. Tutke works in cooperation with the degree programmes that are responsible for Bachelor’s and Master’s level education in the fields of performing arts represented at the Theatre Academy. Communication between the professor of the degree programme and the doctoral candidate is part of this cooperation. Each doctoral research establishes itself in relation to art, theory and pedagogy in its own unique way. Each doctoral research project involves all these perspectives, characteristic of artistic research, and is evaluated against them. Tutke encourages its doctoral candidates to participate in different inter-artistic and multi-artistic projects crossing the borders between the academies within the Uniarts.
The Research Council (RC; the often-seen acronym in Finnish is TN) of the Theatre Academy focuses on the quality control of the studies, and on strategic decisions. The decisions of the Research Council are usually needed in the beginning and the end of doctoral studies. Among other tasks, the Research Council approves admissions of new doctoral candidates, nominates external examiners and pre-examiners, approves the examined artistic parts as parts of the doctoral research, nominates the opponents, grants the permission to publicly defend the doctoral research in the public examination, and approves the doctoral research as the demonstration of learning and skills as part of the doctoral degree. The Vice Dean responsible for research at the Theatre Academy acts as the Chair of the Research Council which meets three to five times a semester, approximately once a month.
The activities of Tutke are steered by the Strategy of the University of the Arts Helsinki (2021–2030), The Theatre Academy action plan (2021–2024), and Tutke’s vision and mission (2021–2030). The main goals in the Strategy of the University of the Arts Helsinki are a strong university of networks, an inspiring learning environment, research with an impact and Contact and innovative internationalisation.
The activities of the Doctoral Programme of Artistic Research in Performing Arts, at the Theatre Academy, are regulated by University of the Arts Helsinki Education Regulations and the Theatre Academy’s general instructions concerning studying. They define the admission procedure of doctoral candidates, general criteria for obtaining a degree, and the scope of the doctoral degree. The contents of the doctoral studies are defined in the curriculum.
The administration of Tutke is regulated by the University Regulations of the University of the Arts and the Theatre Academy Regulations. You can find the various regulations on the university website.
Tutke’s staff include two professors of artistic research, one of whom functions as the head of the Doctoral Programme of Artistic Research in Performing Arts, two university lecturers, salaried doctoral candidates, members of the research projects and visiting researchers. Tutke’s Senior Advisor, Planning Officer and Study Coordinator are part of the study services of the Theatre Academy.
Tutke’s teaching staff gather in Faculty Meetings to discuss and decide on the practical affairs of the centre, and to prepare proposals for the meetings of the Steering Group and the Research Council. To ensure active communication, one of the academic staff members is nominated as a Contact Teacher for each doctoral candidate, who keeps the Contact Teacher informed on the progress of the doctoral research.
The Professors in Artistic Research are jointly responsible for the artistic-pedagogical policy and the development of the doctoral programme. As Contact Teachers, they take care of the PSP discussions and make decisions on appointing supervisors and updating research plans. The administrative responsibilities as assumed by the second University Lecturer who is responsible for economic matters.
Current matters in Tutke are discussed at Tutke’s Coffee Meetings organized during the teaching weeks. The Tutke community also gets together twice a year for its community meetings, where the doctoral candidates and the staff can discuss and evaluate current practices openly, as well as discuss initiatives for activities in the future.
Internalization is promoted in the strategies of the University of the Arts Helsinki and of Theatre Academy, as is by Tutke also. Tutke is an international community with doctoral candidates from all over the world, and experts from abroad visiting Tutke contribute to its curriculum regularly.
Members of Tutke’s staff participate actively in the international research community of performing arts and artistic research and encourages students to do likewise. Tutke encourages its doctoral candidates to participate in international residencies and exchange programmes in research institutions abroad. Participation in an international conference is stated as one of the requirements in Tutke's degree requirements.
Tutke’s staff contribute frequently to international publications, evaluation and editing processes. One of the aims of the tuition at Tutke is to provide the doctoral candidates with the abilities as well as encourage them to produce international publications. It is advisable to note the policy of open access publishing, promoted by the Academy of Finland.
Tutke has its own Publications Committee and it is responsible of the contents of two publication series at the Theatre Academy. Peer-reviewed research, including doctoral research, is published in Acta Scenica. Nivel seeks to promote artistic research by publishing for example learning materials and conference proceedings. In addition, Tutke’s staff are active in the editorial board of Ruukku, the Finnish journal of artistic research.