Metsä Group and the University of Jyväskylä have signed a strategic partnership agreement aimed at advancing forest-related research and education while supporting Finland’s bioeconomy and sustainability goals.
The agreement, formalized on June 10 in Jyväskylä, brings together industry and academia to better align education with evolving workforce needs.
Ilkka Hämälä, President and CEO of Metsä Group, and Jari Ojala, Rector of the University of Jyväskylä, signed the agreement in person. The partnership focuses on fostering high-quality research in key areas such as regenerative forestry, sustainable land use, and chemical analytics in wood-based processes and products.
“Metsä Group considers it important that high-quality forest and nature research is carried out in Finland. We want to contribute to the work and believe that the cooperation will benefit all parties,” said Hämälä.
The collaboration will also explore new strategies and business models to accelerate the sustainability transition of the forest industry. Joint research projects, guest lectures by Metsä Group experts, and site visits for students and faculty are among the concrete steps planned.
The agreement includes support for student engagement, offering thesis opportunities, summer employment, and potential co-financing for dissertations. It aims to ease students’ transition into working life while ensuring a steady pipeline of qualified professionals in the region.
“Our cooperation with Metsä Group will include for instance multidisciplinary research into solutions that support the sustainability transition,” noted Rector Ojala. “The cooperation also offers a great opportunity to support our students in making a smooth transition to working life.”
The partnership reflects a shared interest in advancing forest-related research and supporting education aligned with the evolving needs of the bioeconomy sector.
The University of Jyväskylä is one of Finland’s leading research universities, known for its high-quality education, multidisciplinary research, and societal impact.
Metsä Group is a Finnish forest industry company owned by approximately 90,000 private forest owners. It produces sustainable and recyclable wood-based products, including pulp, paperboards, tissue papers, and wood products.
