Helsinki University of Technology (TKK) (Finnish: Teknillinen korkeakoulu; Swedish: Tekniska högskolan) is the premier technical university in Finland. It is located in Otaniemi, Espoo in the Greater Helsinki.

Helsinki University of Technology was founded in 1849 and received university status in 1908. It moved from Helsinki to Otaniemi campus area in 1966.

The university has 246 professors and some 15 000 students in twelve faculties and 19 degree programmes.

TKK is known, among other things, for its Low Temperature Lab, which has set the world record for the lowest temperature, and has had several other notable scientific successes. TKK's mobile communications research and teaching is considered to be among the best in the world and TKK is also one of the leading universities in the world when it comes to the chemical technology involved in wood processing. The first commercialized total synthesis, the synthesis of camphor, was invented by Gustaf Komppa, the first professor of chemistry at TKK ^*. Also nobel laureate Artturi Virtanen has held a position as professor at the chemistry department. The aim of TKK is to rank among the top ten universities of technology in Europe.

Much of the Otaniemi campus is designed by the world-renowned architect Alvar Aalto.

Culture and student life

TKK is known to have an active student community and technology students are highly noticeable, as they wear a distinctive hat and often brightly colored overalls to many of their happenings. The community has also organized important charity events and a term of their invention, tempaus, has entered common language. TKK students are also famous for, and Finland's leading practicioners of, student pranks (similar to MIT hacks). Their most widely publicized stunt took place in 1961, when a team of students smuggled a statue of Paavo Nurmi onto the 300-year-old wreck of Regalskeppet Vasa just days before its lifting from the bottom of the sea.

See also

• List of universities in Finland
• Institute of technology

External links

• Helsinki University of Technology - Official site (In English)
• Helsinki University of Technology building map
• Helsinki University of Technology at Google Maps

Technical universities | Universities in Finland | Espoo | Education in Helsinki | Alvar Aalto buildings

Helsinská technická univerzita | Technische Universität Helsinki | Universidad Politécnica de Helsinki | Université Technique d'Helsinki | Politecnico di Helsinki | אוניברסיטת הלסינקי לטכנולוגיה | Tekniska högskolan i Helsingfors | Tekniska högskolan i Helsingfors | Universidade de Tecnologia de Helsínquia | Teknillinen korkeakoulu | Tekniska högskolan