Marko Hakovirta started as Metropolia’s President and CEO – "Growth is an opportunity for us to increase our impact"
Marko Hakovirta, PhD, MBA, started as the President and CEO of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences on 1 September 2026. He takes on the position at a time when Metropolia is pursuing growth, strengthening its international profile and renewing its operations to meet the changing needs of working life and society.
What made you excited about leading Metropolia in particular?
”Metropolia brings together many things that are meaningful to me: multidisciplinary expertise, a strong connection to working life, and the opportunity to contribute to the future of the Helsinki metropolitan area and Finland as a whole. During the recruitment process, I was particularly impressed by the people I met, the strong expertise within the community, and the genuine desire to develop Metropolia together. That is why I am taking on this role with great enthusiasm and very much look forward to becoming part of the Metropolia community.”
Metropolia aims to grow into a university of applied sciences with 25,000 students by 2030. The goal of this growth is to strengthen the institution’s financial sustainability, renewal and ability to respond to the growing need for skilled professionals in the Helsinki metropolitan area and across Finland.
Metropolia is pursuing ambitious growth. What especially excites you about this goal?
”Above all, growth is an opportunity for us to increase our impact. Finland needs more highly educated professionals, and Metropolia has a particularly important role to play in meeting this need. At the same time, growth must strengthen the quality of education, student success and the university of applied sciences’ financial sustainability. Successful growth therefore also requires us to systematically renew the way we work.”
Internationalization will play an increasingly important role in Metropolia’s operations in the coming years. The number of international students and English-taught degree programmes will increase, international RDI networks will be strengthened, and new opportunities for educational cooperation will be developed outside Finland as well. At the same time, Metropolia is seeking solutions to support the employment of international professionals and their integration into Finnish society.
Hakovirta himself has a strong international background. He has worked as a professor and department chair in the United States, as well as in leadership positions at Finnish universities and companies. Before joining Metropolia, he served as CEO of Helsinki Innovation Services Ltd, where he was responsible for the commercialisation of research at the University of Helsinki.
You have worked in an international environment for many years. What lessons from internationalization would you like to bring to Metropolia?
”Internationalization is about more than increasing the number of international students and English-taught degree programmes. It should be reflected throughout the higher education community and in our organizational culture. International professionals must be able to build a future for themselves in Finland and find their place in working life. At the same time, we need to strengthen our international partnerships and bring knowledge, networks and opportunities from around the world to the benefit of the entire Metropolia community.”
Hakovirta begins his leadership at Metropolia at a time when technological development, artificial intelligence, demographic change, and internationalization are rapidly transforming the operating environment of higher education institutions and the working life. Metropolia aims to be a bold reformer of expertise and a builder of a sustainable future.
How would you like Metropolia to be known five years from now?
”Five years from now, Metropolia will be known as a higher education institution that boldly addresses major societal changes and turns expertise into practical solutions. We should be a student-centred community, a valued partner for working life and a significant driver of renewal and competitiveness in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Ultimately, our success is reflected in how well our students, staff and partners succeed.”
More information
Marko Hakovirta
President and CEO, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
firstname.lastname [at] metropolia.fi (firstname[dot]lastname[at]metropolia[dot]fi)