The external turnover of the University of Eastern Finland is estimated to be EUR 302 million in 2026. The budget will increase by EUR 14 million as compared to 2025.
"The university’s growth is driven by its success in competitive funding calls. The share of external funding in the university’s funding will increase to almost 40%," Rector Tapio Määttä says.
According to Määttä, the cuts made by the Finnish Government in the basic funding of universities are reflected in the University of Eastern Finland’s budget for 2026, which shows a loss of approximately three million euros.
"The effects of the cuts in funding will be balanced by temporarily increasing the use of investment income next year. Overall, UEF’s financial situation is stable," Määttä says.
The Board of the University of Eastern Finland approved the university’s plan of operations and budget for 2026 at its meeting of 12 December 2025.
New initiatives for 2026 include support for key recruitments in research and the development of AI pedagogy. Next year, UEF will invest over EUR 4 million in the development of academic leadership. The university will support four new training opportunities with donated funds, in addition to which strategic funding will be used to support the launch of seven Bachelor’s degree programmes taught in English.
