Theatre Academy Regulations
Regulations of the Theatre Academy, valid from 1 May 2024.
1. General
Section 1 Position of the academy at the University of the Arts Helsinki
The Theatre Academy 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 Theatre Academy is responsible for education, research and artistic activities in theatre, dance and live art as well as in other fields of performing arts and in writing. The academy operates within the framework set by the university’s strategy, common policies and the 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 Regulation 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 academy-level and university-level regulations, the university-level regulations are applied.
2. Organisation of the academy
Section 3 Degree programmes and centres
The basic unit for teaching at the Theatre Academy is a degree programme. Students are admitted to pursue studies in a specific degree programme.
The Theatre Academy dean can establish centres within the academy or form other separate entities out of degree programmes or terminate one after hearing the academy board.
The centres or other entities have a director.
The centres of the Theatre Academy are Centre for Joint Studies (YOK) and Performing Arts Research Centre (Tutke). YOK is responsible for joint teaching, joint planning and teaching development, and it is also partly responsible for the pedagogical development of teaching staQ. Tutke is responsible for the academy’s doctoral education and research development and promotes research activities.
Section 4 Services of the academy
The dean is responsible for the organizing of the academy’s services. The services are described in the rules of procedure compiled concerning the academy’s services.
3. Bodies and executive groups
Section 5 Bodies of the Theatre Academy
In accordance with the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations, the Theatre Academy’s bodies are the dean and the academy board. The academies may have one or more persons acting as the vice dean as well as other bodies.
These Academy Regulations also determine other bodies of the Theatre Academy: teaching council and research council.
The term of the councils’ members is 2 years. The number of members in the councils is 4- 6 members of the teaching and research staff and 1-2 student members.
Section 6 Executive groups
The dean and the director of a degree programme/centre can call upon other executive groups or other groups to support their management.
Section 7 Dean
The Theatre Academy has a dean.
Provisions on the selection and term of the academy dean are provided in sections 16 and 28 of the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations. The dean manages the academy within the framework provided by section 29 of the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations and any delegations made by the rector.
The dean may delegate some of the tasks that have been assigned to the dean to other bodies or persons.
Section 8 Vice deans
The Theatre Academy may appoint one or more persons to the position of 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 Regulations).
The dean of the academy defines the 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.
Section 9 Theatre Academy board
The Theatre Academy 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. Provisions on the election of the academy board are also laid down in the Election Regulations of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
Section 10 Remit of the Theatre Academy board
The remit of the academy board is laid down in section 31 of the University of the Arts Helsinki Regulations. The Theatre Academy board is responsible for these duties in so far as they have not been delegated to the teaching council and research council in accordance with the provisions of these Academy Regulations.
In accordance with section 31 of the University Regulations, the remit of the academy board is to
- develop instruction, research and artistic activity at the academy as a whole;
- approve the academy curriculum (has been delegated to the teaching council and the research council);
- approve the courses offered at the academy (has been delegated to the directors of degree programmes and the teaching council);
- approve the admission requirements for students at the academy (has been delegated to the teaching council and the research council);
- 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 (has been delegated to the teaching council and the research council);
- 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
- to issue opinions to the rector of the University of the Arts Helsinki concerning the selection of dean (subsection 7 in section 18 of the University Regulations) and
- to issue opinions concerning the Academy Regulations (subsection 1 in section 29 of the University Regulations).
In addition, the Theatre Academy board also discusses the maximum number of students to be admitted to each degree programme.
Section 11 Teaching council and research council
The Theatre Academy has two academic expert bodies: a teaching council and a research council.
The dean appoints the staff members to the councils after hearing the academy board and the student members on the basis of the student union’s proposals. The members of the teaching council are professors, teachers and students. The members of the research council are professors, teachers, doctoral students and researchers.
Section 12 Remit of the teaching council
The teaching council is responsible for the development and quality assurance of bachelor’s and master’s education.
The remit of the teaching council is to
- approve the academy’s curricula for bachelor’s and master’s education;
- approve the admissions criteria for bachelor’s and master’s students at the academy;
- decide on other academic affairs relating to bachelor’s and master’s education;
- prepare policies concerning teaching and artistic-pedagogical activities for the approval of the academy board;
- approve provisions concerning teaching;
- provide instructions on curriculum work;
- approve the selection of joint studies and Open University studies
- issue general guidelines concerning the assessment of bachelor’s and master’s thesis projects;
- assess and approve thesis project_s included in master’s degrees on the basis of statements;
- appoint student admission boards;
- issue permanent provisions and instructions concerning artistic activities included in the curricula;
- confirm the yearly plan for artistic activities in included in the curricula;
- process teachers’ qualifications and applications.
Section 13 Remit of the research council
The research council is responsible for the development of doctoral education and research and for the related quality assurance.
The remit of the research council is to
- approve the academy’s curricula for doctoral education;
- approve the admission criteria for doctoral students at the academy;
- decide on other academic affairs relating to doctoral education;
- issue the required provisions and instructions concerning the admissions procedure for doctoral students;
- appoint the admission board for the selection of doctoral students;
- make a proposal on the appointment of a visiting researcher and a docent and select the experts used in this process;
- appoint the pre-examiners, examiners and opponents for doctoral and licentiate thesis projects, grant the permission to publicly defend one’s research, appoint the custos and approve thesis projects and demonstrations of proficiency.
Section 14 Director of a degree programme and centre
The degree programmes and centres have directors. The dean appoints a director and a deputy for each degree programme and centre and relieves the director/deputy from duties.
The remit of the director of a degree programme and centre is to
- manage the degree programme or centre;
- be responsible for the artistic-pedagogical decision-making and development;
- approve the selection of courses within the degree programme;
- be responsible for supervisor activities and finances;
- hire hourly-paid teachers;
- ensure that the feedback received is processed and taken into account;
- negotiate the operational plan and budget for the programme or centre;
- issue opinions to the teaching council and other bodies concerning study rights and studies;
- discuss other matters concerning the degree programme or centre.
In addition to the previous duties, the director of the Performing Arts Research Centre:
- approves research plans if significant changer are made in them over the course of studies;
- appoints supervisors for doctoral students;
- grants permissions for pre-examination of artistic or practical and written components included in doctoral thesis projects on the basis of the recommendation by the project’s supervisor and professor of artistic research.
4. Procedures concerning multi-member bodies
Section 15 Convening of meetings, quorum and meeting procedure
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 16 Resignation and discharge of a member of a 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.
The decision to discharge a member of the teaching council and research council is made by the Theatre Academy board.
Section 17 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. Supplementary staff members to the teaching council and research council are appointed by the dean, while student members are appointed by the student union.
5. Entry into force
These Academy Regulations will enter into force on 1 May 2024 and supersede the Theatre Academy Regulations that entered into force on 1 August 2022.