Heads of University Management & Administration Network in Europe

HUMANE Annual Conference

Performance Unleashed: Co-creating High Value for Stakeholders

Hosted in Helsinki jointly by Aalto University, the University of Helsinki and the University of the Arts Helsinki (FI)

June 4-6, 2025

The 2025 HUMANE Annual Conference will explore strategies and practices to enhance institutional performance through close engagement with internal and external stakeholders. In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, higher education institutions are facing many challenges to balance the needs of students, faculty, staff, their communities and funders. The conference will bring together thought leaders, practitioners, and innovators to share insights and actionable solutions aimed at fostering collaboration and driving excellence in higher education.

Participants will engage in dynamic discussions, interactive workshops, and keynote presentations that will focus on:

  • Approaches to Open Innovation and Open Science: Discover cutting-edge approaches and best practices to improve performance in educational and research outcomes
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Learn about effective ways to build strong relationships with diverse stakeholder groups and align their interests with institutional goals
  • Impact: Explore how institutions can balance performance with social responsibility and long-term sustainability in safe campus environments

The three HUMANE member universities of Helsinki (Aalto University, the University of Helsinki and the University of the Arts Helsinki) will be our hosts. As a bursting place for innovation, the smart city of Helsinki is the ideal place to address our conference theme. Finland ranks seventh in the world for its innovation capabilities, thanks to its unique approach to entrepreneurship. It is also the world’s most sustainable destination. It is leading in technology developments, seen as critical to support current challenges: the environmental crisis, the development of well-being due to an aging population (and increasing problems of mental health), the erosion of democracy, increasing competition and the challenges to current economic foundations. Finnish universities play a key role in these developments.

Staff from HUMANE Member Institutions and Residential School Alumni benefit from the members rate of €775. Non HUMANE Members will be charged €970. Non HUMANE Members may attend if they meet the following criteria: they are from a higher education institution that delivers degree programmes in at least two of the three Bologna cycles (BA, MA, doctorate). Non-member applications are subject to review before acceptance. The Secretariat will apply the correct fee.

Save the date and register here.