Established in 2019 through a merger of the University of Tampere and Tampere University of Technology. It is one of Finland’s most multidisciplinary universities, with a strong emphasis on technology, health, and society.
Tampere University began operating in 2019 as a merger of the University of Tampere and the Tampere University of Technology, and it now has about 21,000 students and 5,000 staff. Together with Tampere University of Applied Sciences it forms the Tampere Universities community, which shares campuses and some services. The engineering and natural science teaching is on the Hervanta campus, about ten kilometres from the city centre, while the city centre campus covers humanities, social sciences, and health.
Tampere is Finland’s old industrial city, built around textile mills and later electronics, and this heritage is visible in the research profile. The Tampere International Center for Signal Processing and the Optoelectronics Research Centre have been leading groups in their fields for decades, and Hervanta is a cluster of technology companies that grew up beside the technical university. Automation, robotics, health technology, built environment and materials science complete the main areas.
Research is closely connected with industry. Companies such as Nokia, Valmet and Wärtsilä have laboratories or major operations in the region, and the university has long cooperated with them on mobile technology, machines and energy. Photonics is a speciality, with work on lasers, fibre optics and quantum devices that is known internationally. Partnerships with Finnish and European universities support doctoral exchange.
Tuition is free for students from the EU and EEA. Non-EU students pay fees in English-taught degree programmes, and some scholarships are available. Many master’s programmes are taught in English, while most bachelor degrees are in Finnish. Applications for international master’s programmes are made in January through the national admissions portal.
Tampere is a medium-sized city between two lakes, with rents lower than in Helsinki and a lively student culture. Trains reach Helsinki in about 90 minutes. About 120,000 people have graduated from Tampere University and its predecessors, and its engineers are well represented in Finnish industry.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Engineering, Materials, Optics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
The university community has deep collaboration with the regional industry, including major players like Nokia and Sandvik. It is part of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU).
Research:
Research is centered on technology for health, light-based technologies, and sustainable urban development. It hosts a Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research and the national flagship for photonics research (PREIN).
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
5000
Current students***:
21000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
120000
Pros
Strong research in specific technology areas like signal processing, broad multidisciplinary environment, close ties with the Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK).
Cons
As a recently merged entity, its internal structures and identity are still evolving; some facilities are split between three campuses.
Best For
Students interested in a multidisciplinary environment with deep expertise in signal processing, photonics, and health technology.
Another national school that puts materials, AI and machine learning and software engineering at the centre is Aalto University, and it covers nanotechnologies and physics as well, and is smaller, enrolling about 12,000 students against roughly 21,000 here.
A good alternative in the same country is University of Helsinki, which likewise covers AI and machine learning; it is slightly larger, at about 31,000 students against roughly 21,000 here, and is also a public institution.
University of Oulu takes a similar route through materials, AI and machine learning and software engineering, and it is smaller, enrolling about 13,000 students against roughly 21,000 here, and is also a public institution.
University of Turku works in much the same fields, chiefly software engineering, and it covers marine science and chemistry as well, and has almost the same size, at about 21,900 students.
On content, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and this university are close, as both teach automation and software engineering; it covers industrial design and civil engineering as well, and is slightly smaller, at about 16,500 students against roughly 21,000 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Wenzhou Medical University brings a China setting to the same core fields, optics, and it covers microbiology and genetics and bioengineering as well, and has almost the same size, at about 22,416 students.
Seen from abroad, ITMO University (Russia) is a close relative on subject matter, since optics, AI and machine learning and software engineering are central to both, and it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
If this institution is on your list for optics, AI and machine learning and software engineering, University of New Mexico in the United States deserves a comparison, because it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers life sciences and data analytics as well.
On content, Vladimir State University in Russia and this institution are close, as both teach optics, materials and software engineering; it has almost the same size, at about 20,000 students, and is also a public institution.
In the United States, University of Delaware teaches much the same core subjects, materials, AI and machine learning and software engineering, and it covers chemistry and life sciences as well, and is slightly larger, at about 24,000 students against roughly 21,000 here.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Tampere University?
The main address is Kalevantie 4 in Tampere. The technical teaching takes place mainly on the Hervanta campus.
How large is it?
About 21,000 students and 5,000 staff.
When was it created?
In 2019, from a merger of the University of Tampere and the Tampere University of Technology.
What is the Tampere Universities community?
It is a joint community of Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences that shares campuses and some services.
What is it known for?
Signal processing, photonics, automation, robotics, health technology and the built environment.
Is tuition free?
Yes for students from the EU and EEA. Non-EU students pay fees in English-taught degree programmes.
In which languages are courses taught?
Most bachelor programmes are in Finnish. Many master's programmes are taught in English.
When do you apply?
Applications for international master's programmes are made in January through the national admissions portal.
Does the university work with companies?
Yes. Companies in the Tampere region cooperate with the university on mobile technology, machines, energy and photonics.
How far is Tampere from Helsinki?
About 90 minutes by train.
Biomedical Sensors, Healthcare, Human-Centered Design, Photonics, Research and Development, Signal Processing, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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