LUT yet again the most reputable university in Finland

T-Media conducted a survey on how Finns perceive the reputation of Finnish universities in February–March 2024. The study, covering a total of 2,137 respondents, revealed that LUT is yet again the most reputable university in Finland. As in previous years, the runners-up were the National Defence University, Aalto University and the University of Eastern Finland.

“These four highly different universities secured the survey's top spots also this year – only their order changed slightly. This shows how diverging universities with a good reputation can be in Finland,” says Nina Laakso, senior advisor at T-Media.

The survey evaluates eight key dimensions of universities' reputation: governance, financial performance, leadership, innovations, products and services, workplace, and responsibility. According to T-Media, responsibility is the factor that most affects how Finns perceive and react to universities.

“Our scores were good overall, but we did especially well in responsibility and innovations. We are proud to speak out about our successes in these important areas, which has undoubtedly affected the results,” says Liisa Kuvaja, brand and communications director at LUT University.

The study revealed that all Finnish universities have a good reputation. Both Kuvaja and Laakso agree that it is increasingly important for universities to uphold trust. Citizens’ trust in universities cannot be taken for granted.

“Globally, people’s trust and appreciation towards universities seem to be declining. False information is spread increasingly and purposefully, and views are becoming polarised. It is important to monitor this development also in Finland and make sure universities and their activity derive legitimacy from citizens also in the future,” Laakso states.  

Finland's most reputable universities

1. LUT University (score 3.83)
2. National Defence University (3.77) 
3. Aalto University (3.72)
4. University of Eastern Finland (3.71)

Reputation&Trust 2024

• The Reputation&Trust 2024 survey on Finnish universities examined the reputation Finnish universities among citizens. The survey included all 14 universities in Finland.
• The universities were evaluated based on T-Media's Reputation & Trust model, where a university's score is the average value of eight individual dimensions: governance, financial performance, leadership, innovations, products and services, workplace, and responsibility. Respondents gave assessments on a scale of 1 to 5, and scores between 3.50 and 4.00 were rated as good.
• The survey collected responses with an electronic form between 20 February and 5 March 2024. Responses were given by 2,137 people between the ages of 15 and 65 from around Finland (excluding the Åland Islands). The sample was weighted to represent the entire Finnish population in terms of gender, age and area of residence.