Academy of Fine Arts Regulations
Regulations of the Academy of Fine Arts, valid from 25 January 2024.
1. General
Section 1 Academy of Fine Arts of the University of the Arts Helsinki
The Academy of Fine Arts is an academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki as referred to in section 11 of the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations.
The Academy of Fine Arts is responsible for arranging instruction and pursuing research and artistic activity in fine arts and in closely related fields, steered by the common policies of the university and the annual operational plan and budget approved by the board of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
The academy operates in close cooperation with other academies and units of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
Section 2 Regulations that steer operations
In addition to the provisions laid down in the Universities Act and elsewhere in legislation, the University Regulations and other provisions, policies and guidelines of the university are applied to the academy’s operations (sections 3-5 of the University Regulations).
The academy may also issue academy-specific, more detailed regulations.
In case of a conflict between the provisions of the university and the internal provisions of an academy, the provisions of the university apply.
2. Academy of Fine Arts organisation
Section 3 Units, degree programmes, and subject areas
The Academy of Fine Arts has the following units for arranging teaching, artistic activities, research and services:
- Bachelor’s and Master’s Education Unit
- Research Unit
- Service Unit
The Bachelor’s and Master’s Education Unit offers a degree programme that leads to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and Master of Fine Arts degree. Students may also pursue degrees in bachelor’s and master’s programmes.
The following subject areas are part of the Bachelor’s and Master’s Education Unit:
- Sculpture
- Painting
- Printmaking
- Time and space arts
- Joint studies
The subject area of time and space arts provides teaching in moving image, site and situation specific art and photography.
The subject area of joint studies offers general studies for all students.
The Research Unit offers a doctoral programme.
The dean decides on changes to be made to the unit structure, e.g. concerning the establishing of new units and subject areas, after hearing the academy board.
Provisions on the establishing or discontinuing of degree programmes are laid down in the Education Regulations.
Section 4 Services of the academy
The organising of the academy’s services is managed by the dean of the academy in so far as no delegations of duties have been made. The Service Unit serves as a general body that prepares and implements matters at the academy.
3. Bodies and executive groups
Section 5 Bodies at the Academy of Fine Arts
In accordance with the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations, bodies of the Academy of Fine Arts are the dean and vice dean(s) and the academy board.
In accordance with these Academy Regulations, other bodies at the Academy of Fine Arts include
- Academy of Fine Arts division for bachelor’s and master’s education
- Academy of Fine Arts division for doctoral education and research
- Academy of Fine Arts division for artistic activitiesPre-examination board
- Committees
Section 6 Executive groups
The dean and vice deans of the Academy of Fine Arts can call upon other executive groups or other groups, which may also have members from outside the academy, to support their management.
4. Dean and vice dean(s)
Section 7 Dean
The Academy of Fine Arts has a dean.
Provisions on the selection and term of the academy dean are laid down in section 16 and a 28 of the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations.
The dean manages the academy within the remit provided by section 29 of the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations and in accordance with any delegations made by the rector. The dean may, within their authority, delegate their duties and authority to other parties.
Section 8 Vice deans
The Academy of Fine Arts may have one or more persons acting as the vice dean. The vice dean is appointed and dismissed by the rector of the University of the Arts Helsinki on the proposal of the dean of the academy (section 18 of the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations).
The role of the vice dean or vice deans is, supporting the dean, to promote the realisation of the academy’s primary mission and strategic targets.
The dean of the academy defines other duties and limits of authority for the role of a vice dean. The dean may release the vice dean from the vice dean’s actual duties in full or in part.
The term of a vice dean is a maximum of five (5) years.
5. Academy board
Section 9 Academy of Fine Arts board
The Academy of Fine Arts has an academy board.
The academy board has nine members, and it is chaired by the dean. Provisions on the composition, election and term of the academy board are laid down in section 30 of the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations. The election is also subject to the Election Regulations of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
Vice deans have the right to attend and speak at the meetings of the academy board.
Section 10 Remit of the Academy of Fine Arts board
The remit of the academy board is laid down in section 31 of the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations. The Academy of Fine Arts board is responsible for these duties in so far as they have not been delegated to other bodies at the academy in accordance with these Academy Regulations.
Remit in accordance with section 31 of the University Regulations:
In accordance with the guidelines of the board and rector of the University of the Arts Helsinki, the remit of the academy board is to:
- develop instruction, research and artistic activity at the academy as a whole;
- approve the academy curriculum;
- approve the courses offered at the academy (section 2 of the Education Regulations / has been delegated to the divisions of the Academy of Fine Arts)
- approve the admissions criteria for students at the academy;
- submit a proposal to the rector on arranging a conferment ceremony and decide on the awarding of honorary doctorates of the academy;
- process the operational and financial plan of the academy;
- prepare a proposal for the rector regarding group-specific deputy members of the academy board (subsection 4 in section 30 of the University Regulations);
- elect the second vice chair for the board from amongst its members;
- issue opinions to the dean on matters related to the appointment or duties of the vice dean or vice deans;
- give its consent to changing the name or division of academies when the change concerns the academy in question;
- issue opinions on possible changes to the University Regulations affecting the university’s structure, duties or distribution of power;
- decide on other academic affairs;
- deal with and solve other matters assigned to the board, and
- issue opinions on matters concerning the academy at the request of the rector and the dean
Other duties assigned to the academy board in accordance with the University Regulations:
15. to issue opinions to the rector of the University of the Arts Helsinki concerning the selection of a dean (section 18 of the University Regulations) and
16. to issue opinions concerning the Academy Regulations (section 29 of the University Regulations).
The dean may delegate to the academy board a matter within the dean’s remit that is far-reaching or fundamental for the academy.
6. Divisions of the Academy of Fine Arts
The Academy of Fine Arts has divisions for bachelor’s and master’s education, doctoral education and research and for artistic activities, and these divisions serve as the expert groups for their respective areas.
The dean determines the duration of the terms of the divisions, appoints members to the divisions and designates secretaries to the divisions. Student members to the divisions are appointed by the student union.
Section 11 Academy of Fine Arts division for bachelor’s and master’s education
Remit of the division for bachelor’s and master’s education:
- to prepare educational guidelines to the academy board and to issue opinions to the dean concerning strategic projects relating to bachelor’s and master’s education;
- to approve the academy’s bachelor-level and master-level courses offered (a delegation from the academy board);
- to develop the bachelor’s and master’s admissions process and prepare the admissions criteria for bachelor’s and master’s education to the academy board;
- to be responsible for providing a functional path for studies, which entails matters concerning long-term overall planning of teaching and scheduling of teaching;
- to be responsible for the academy’s student feedback system and the processing of results;
- to deal with and solve other matters assigned to the division in relation to bachelor’s and master’s education.
Composition of the division for bachelor’s and master’s education:
The chair of the division for bachelor’s and master’s education is the vice dean in charge of teaching. In addition to the chair, the division for bachelor’s and master’s education has a maximum of four (4) representatives from bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes and two (2) student representatives.
Section 12 Academy of Fine Arts division for doctoral education and research
Remit of the division for doctoral education and research:
- to prepare guidelines concerning doctoral education and research at the Academy of Fine Arts for the academy board and to issue opinions to the dean concerning strategic projects relating to doctoral education;
- to approve the courses offered in doctoral education (a delegation from the academy board);
- to develop the doctoral admissions process and prepare the admissions criteria for doctoral education to the academy board;
- to be responsible for providing a functional path for studies, which entails matters concerning long-term overall planning of teaching and scheduling of teaching;
- to be responsible for the processing of feedback results concerning doctoral education;
- to grant examination permissions for Doctor of Fine Arts thesis projects and to decide on the language of the public examination, to designate the examiners of thesis projects and the examination chairs and to approve thesis projects;
- to deal with and solve other matters assigned to the division in relation to doctoral education and research.
Composition of the division for doctoral education and research:
The vice dean in charge of research acts as the chair of the division for doctoral education and research. In addition to the chair, the division for doctoral education and research has a maximum of three (3) representatives of teaching and research staff and one (1) student representative.
Section 13 Academy of Fine Arts division for artistic activities
Remit of the division for artistic activities:
- to prepare guidelines concerning artistic activities to the academy board and to issue opinions to the dean concerning strategic projects relating to artistic activities;
- to approve the exhibition programme (a delegation from the academy board);
- to be responsible for exhibition applications and selections (incl. external exhibition collaboration);
- to process and issue opinions on inter-academy or joint university-level artistic projects;
- to deal with and solve other matters relating to artistic activities assigned to the division.
Composition of the division for artistic activities:
The chair of the division for artistic activities is the dean. In addition to the chair, the division for artistic activities has a maximum of three (3) representatives of teaching and research staff and two (2) student representatives.
7. Pre-examination board
Section 14 Pre-examination board
The Academy of Fine Arts has a pre-examination board for the preliminary examination of Doctor of Fine Arts thesis projects.
The term of the pre-examination board is four (4) years.
The dean approves the pre-examination board’s rules of procedure and appoints its members.
The pre-examination board has a minimum of six (6) members. The pre-examination board consists of experts in art / science, and at least half of the members are from the Academy of Fine Arts. Otherwise, the group must represent artistic and theoretical expertise in accordance with the artistic research policies outlined by the academy.
8. Committees
Section 15 Committees
The dean decides on the task-specific committees of the Academy of Fine Arts and on their assignments and appoints the members of the committees.
The committees answer to the dean as regards the fulfilment of their respective assignments. The dean appoints secretaries to the committees.
9. Other academic management
Section 16 Persons in charge of the Bachelor’s and Master’s Education Unit and Research Unit
The dean appoints the persons in charge of the Bachelor’s and Master’s Education Unit and Research Unit.
The duties of the persons in charge are determined in the dean’s delegation decision.
Section 17 Persons in charge of degree programmes and subject areas
The dean appoints the persons in charge of degree programmes and subject areas.
The duties of the persons in charge are determined in the dean’s delegation decision.
10. Approval of thesis projects at the Academy of Fine Arts
Section 18 Approval of thesis projects
The professor of the subject area approves the thesis projects for Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees. The vice dean in charge of teaching approves the thesis projects for Bachelor of Arts (Art and Design) degrees.
The vice dean in charge of teaching approves the thesis projects for Master of Fine Arts degrees.
The division for doctoral education and research grants examination permissions for doctoral thesis projects and decides on the language of the public examination; designates the examiners of thesis projects, the examination chairs and approves thesis projects.
In principle, bachelor’s and master’s thesis projects at the Academy of Fine Arts are assessed on a pass – fail basis. However, a decision on a differing grading scale can be stated in the curriculum. Doctoral thesis projects are assessed on a pass – fail basis.
11. Activities of multi-member bodies
Section 19 Procedures concerning multi-member bodies
The provisions of the University Regulations (sections 32-36) and other more detailed instructions of the university are observed in the activities of the academy’s multi-member bodies.
Section 20 Resignation and discharge of a member of an administrative body
Resignation and discharge of a member of an academy’s multi-member body is subject to section 37 of the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations and the provisions of the Election Regulations.
Section 21 Filling of vacant positions in a body
Provisions on filling vacant positions in the academy board are laid down in the Election Regulations of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
12. Entry into force
These Academy Regulations will enter into force on 25 January 2024 and supersede the Academy of Fine Arts Regulations that entered into force on 1 August 2022.