Aalto University is where science and art meet technology and business. We shape a sustainable future by making research breakthroughs in and across our disciplines, sparking the game changers of tomorrow and creating novel solutions to major global challenges. Our community is made up of 13 000 students, 400 professors and close to 4 500 other faculty and staff working on our dynamic campus in Espoo, Greater Helsinki, Finland. Diversity is part of who we are, and we actively work to ensure our community’s diversity and inclusiveness. This is why we warmly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to join our community. 

The Aalto School of Arts, Design and Architecture (ARTS) is a Nordic leader in higher education for design, fashion, games, media, architecture, film, art education and fine art. We produce world-class research e.g. in design, digital media and visual culture, art education, urban planning and architecture. Our graduates innovate in and beyond their fields, drawing on over a century of tradition of our institution, a humane and forward-looking approach, and the latest technologies.  

The Department of Design is one of the international forerunners in design research and education. The Department of Design’s fashion education has been ranked as one of the globally leading ones. To continue in this successful and visionary journey, and to complement the strong fashion team with practice expertise we are now looking for a 

Professor of Practice, Fashion Practice 

The Department of Design is looking for a Professor of practice in Fashion practice. In this position you will have a chance to make an impact by teaching creative talents. Join us in shaping the future! 

The Professor of practice position provides an opportunity to engage highly qualified design experts and professionals with an artistic or practice-based background. The professorship is expected to bring practical expertise and societal knowledge to the university community, particularly for teaching and impact purposes. The professorship is up to 5-year fixed term and part time (max 40%) position. 

The fashion practice professorship will fulfill an important role in strengthening the expertise of fashion design practice at the Department of Design. This position is open for a highly qualified professional with a track record and expertise in fashion design and making practices in fashion business and industry. The candidate is expected to be a creative visionary and have expertise in new directions of fashion design including forward thinking views on e.g. sustainability, circularity, diversity, digital fashion and/or business thinking.  

Your role and goals 

The professor of practice role’s emphasis is in teaching. You have an enthusiasm for and expertise in fashion design while bringing new perspectives to and tightening collaborations with industry. You also have the capacity to engage students in understanding the relationships between creative practice and decision making in fashion design, the work of designers and the functions and broader significances of fashion design in industry and society.  

The teaching includes advising students through tutorial contact and undertaking course development, giving lectures and supervising thesis on both the bachelor’s and master’s level. The position will contribute mainly to Fashion, Clothing and Textile MA education but also to BA Fashion design. 

As a professor at the department you are expected to demonstrate strategic leadership with practical examples and visionary orientations. In particular, you are expected to engage with education while being up-to-date with and disseminate insights about contemporary developments in fashion design practices. We are interested in finding a colleague who has a facility for communicating and engaging with students in lively and accessible ways. 

Your network and team 

The Department of Design is a community of creative and responsible researchers and design experts. We educate front-line design professionals and visionaries for established, changing and emerging fields of design. (https://www.aalto.fi/en/department-of-design). 

Your experience and ambitions 

The professor of practice is expected to have in-depth expertise in industrial fashion design practice, a systemic understanding of the fashion business and industry in a consultancy or as an in-house designer. We are looking to hire an ambitious colleague to participate in the department's education with 

• Demonstrable expertise and an extended track record in the area of the professorship.  

• Experience with teaching and education at the university level.  

• Master degree in design or similar. A doctoral degree is considered an asset but not a requirement. 

• A strong and well-articulated vision regarding the field and the ways it could be developed further.  

• Experience in working in or collaborating with an academic environment is a merit.  

• Excellent skills in English 

What we offer 

The call is open for a professor of practice in fashion practice. The position will begin as agreed, but latest in August 2024. The professorship is fixed term for up to 5 years and a part time position, max 40 % contract (to be agreed from 20% to 40%).  

• We offer the opportunity of working in a dynamic world-class community of creative professionals and researchers, with a remit to continuously explore the frontiers of design research and practice, and sustainability research.  

• Aalto University provides its employees with occupational health care services and excellent learning and development opportunities.  

• The salary is determined according to the applicant's experience and Aalto’s salary guidelines.  

• The department is located in the Otaniemi campus of Aalto University in Espoo (Helsinki metropolitan area). Consistent with EU insurance and pension regulations, Aalto expects employees to reside and work in Finland.  

• Meaningful and inspiring environment. We are proud of our purpose to shape a sustainable future. We spark the game changers of tomorrow, and renew society with research-based knowledge, creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset. 

• Culture that inspires and includes everyone. All our work is guided by the values of the university: responsibility, courage, and collaboration.  It’s the people that create Aalto, now and in the future. We want to be an open community where equality and inclusion enable curiosity, innovation, collaboration and wellbeing.  

• Responsible and meaningful role with true impact in our University’s/ School’s success, and in the end, in the wellbeing and development of our society.  

Ready to apply? 

To apply, please share the following application materials with us by January 16th 2024 by midnight (GMT+2) via our HR system 

• Motivation letter including a vision of the position and your contribution 

• CV (including teaching experience) 

• Portfolio demonstrating track record in practice in the area of the professorship  

Later in the process the top candidates are expected to submit a teaching portfolio according to Aalto’s guidelines— Teaching competence assessment_Guidelines_for_candidate_2020_Aalto University[1].pdf 

Aalto University’s employees should apply for the position via our internal system Workday -> Internal Jobs by using their existing Workday user account.  

If you Wish to hear more about the position, you can contact Associate Professor Tuuli Mattelmäki, tuuli.mattelmaki(at)aalto.fi 

In recruitment related questions, you can contact HR Partner Katju Helminen, katju.helminen(at)aalto.fi 

Want to know more about us and your future colleagues? You can watch these videos: Aalto University – Towards a better world, Aalto People , and Shaping a Sustainable Future. And this webpage about Aalto and Finland. https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/welcome-to-aalto-university-and-finland-info-package  

Check out our new virtual campus experience: https://virtualtour.aalto.fi/ ! 

About Finland 

Finland is a great place for living with or without family – it is a safe, politically stable and well-organized Nordic society. Finland is consistently ranked high in quality of life and was just listed again as the happiest country in the world: https://worldhappiness.report/news/its-a-three-peat-finland-keps-top-spot-as-happiest-country-in-world/. For more information about living in Finland: https://www.aalto.fi/services/about-finland. & https://www.aalto.fi/en/services/welcome-to-aalto-university-and-finland-info-package . 

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