35 Notable alumni of
University of Tampere
Updated:
The University of Tampere is 1096th in the world, 382nd in Europe, and 5th in Finland by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 35 notable alumni from the University of Tampere sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Sanna Marin
- Enrolled in the University of Tampere
- 2007-2017 graduated with master's degree in science of public administration
- Occupations
- international forum participantpolitician
- Biography
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Sanna Mirella Marin is a Finnish former politician who served as prime minister of Finland from 2019 to 2023 and as the leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP) from 2020 to 2023. She was a Member of Parliament from 2015 to 2023. She was re-elected as member of parliament in April 2023 but resigned from her position in the Finnish parliament to become a strategic adviser on political leaders' reform programmes in the Tony Blair Institute in September 2023.
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Aki Kaurismäki
- Enrolled in the University of Tampere
- Studied media studies
- Occupations
- actordirectorfilm directortheatrical directorscreenwriter
- Biography
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Aki Olavi Kaurismäki is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He is best known for the award-winning Drifting Clouds (1996), The Man Without a Past (2002), Le Havre (2011), The Other Side of Hope (2017) and Fallen Leaves (2023), as well as Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989). He has been described as Finland's best-known film director.
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Jyrki Katainen
- Occupations
- international forum participantpolitician
- Biography
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Jyrki Tapani Katainen is a Finnish politician who served as the European Commission's Vice-President for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness from 2014 until 2019. Katainen was previously Prime Minister of Finland from 2011 to 2014 and chairman of the National Coalition Party from 2004 to 2014. He was succeeded by Alexander Stubb as chairman of Finland's National Coalition Party. After stepping down as Prime Minister, Katainen was elected as European Commission Vice-President in July 2014.
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Mikko Alatalo
- Occupations
- singerjournalistrecording artistmusiciansongwriter
- Biography
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Mikko Tapio Alatalo is a Finnish musician and politician.
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Mika Aaltola
- Occupations
- political scientist
- Biography
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Mika Petteri Aaltola is a Finnish political scientist and director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. He has gained media attention during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which he follows and regularly comments on. Aaltola holds a doctorate in social sciences. He works as docent at Tampere University, and is a part-time professor at Tallinn University. In 2024, he ran as an independent candidate for President of Finland.
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Meeri Koutaniemi
- Occupations
- photographer
- Biography
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Meeri Koutaniemi is a Finnish photographer and journalist. Koutaniemi is known for her reportages and portraits on issues concerning human rights, minorities and empowerment.
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Kari Hietalahti
- Occupations
- actorscreenwritertelevision actor
- Biography
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Kari-Jukka Hietalahti is a Finnish actor and screenwriter.
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Riku Rantala
- Occupations
- television personalityjournalist
- Biography
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Riku Rantala is a Finnish journalist, best known from traveling series Madventures. He has also co-written a book, Isänmaan asialla - matkaopas syrjäytettyjen Suomeen (Johnny Kniga, 2004), with Ari Lahdenmäki. In 2007, Rantala, Lahdenmäki and Tuomas "Tunna" Milonoff, the 2nd of Madventures' presenters, published Madventures: Kansainvälisen seikkailijan opas (Johnny Kniga, 2007). The book is a guidebook for new travelers and gives advice and insight into the world of backpacking.
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Kalevi Sorsa
- Occupations
- diplomatjournalistpolitician
- Biography
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Taisto Kalevi Sorsa was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland three times: 1972–1975, 1977–1979 and 1982–1987. At the time of his death he still held the record for most days of incumbency as prime minister. He was also a long-time leader of the Social Democratic Party of Finland.
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Sampo Terho
- Occupations
- politicianjournalist
- Biography
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Sampo Terho is a Finnish politician who served as Minister for European Affairs, Culture and Sports. He was the chairman of Suomalaisuuden Liitto and was earlier a Member of the European Parliament.
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Jessikka Aro
- Years
- 1980-.. (age 44)
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Jessikka Aro is a Finnish journalist working for Finland's public service broadcaster Yle and an author of a non-fiction book Putin's Trolls. In September 2014, she began to investigate pro-Russian Internet trolls, but became a victim of their activities herself. This harassment led to three people being convicted in October 2018. In 2019 she was notified that she was to receive an International Women of Courage Award from the U.S. Department of State but this was rescinded just before the ceremony.
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Paula Risikko
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Paula Risikko is a Finnish politician. She is from Seinäjoki and represents the National Coalition Party. Risikko has previously served as the Minister of Social Services 2011–2014 and Minister of Transport and Local Government 2014–2015.
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Sinikka Nopola
- Occupations
- writercolumnistchildren's writercauserie writerjournalist
- Biography
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Sinikka Marianna Nopola was a Finnish writer of children's literature who published nearly 80 books since 1987. Nopola is best known for the series Hayflower and Quiltshoe and Ricky Rapper she wrote with her sister Tiina Nopola.
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Johanna Sinisalo
- Occupations
- science fiction writerwriterscreenwriter
- Biography
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Aila Johanna Sinisalo is a Finnish science fiction and fantasy writer. She studied comparative literature and drama, amongst other subjects, at the University of Tampere. Professionally she worked in the advertising business, rising to the level of marketing designer.
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Sirpa Kähkönen
- Occupations
- authortranslator
- Biography
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Sirpa Kähkönen is a Finnish novelist and translator. Initially writing for young adults, she gained popularity in Finland with her Kuopio series of historical novels.
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Oras Tynkkynen
- Enrolled in the University of Tampere
- Studied in 2009
- Occupations
- politicianjournalist
- Biography
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Oras Tynkkynen is a Member of the Parliament of Finland, representing the Green League. Tynkkynen was the chair of the Green parliamentary group. He served as Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's Advisor on Climate Policy. Also Tynkkynen is a Member of the City Council of Tampere and an environmental activist. He has also held positions in numerous other organisations, such as Friends of the Earth Finland. Oras Tynkkynen became a member of Parliament in 2004 as a replacement when Satu Hassi left her seat upon her election to the European Parliament. He was directly elected to the Parliament in 2007.
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Juha Rehula
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Juha Tapani Rehula is a Finnish politician and the vice chairman of the Finnish Centre Party. Rehula worked as the Minister of Social Affairs and Health in Finland between 2010–2011 and Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services 2015–2017. He was a member of the Finnish Parliament from 1996 until 2019.
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Emmi Itäranta
- Occupations
- science fiction writerwriter
- Biography
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Emmi Elina Itäranta is a Finnish novelist. Her debut novel Memory of Water was published by HarperCollins in 2014.
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Sirkka-Liisa Anttila
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Sirkka-Liisa Anttila is a Finnish politician and was the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry in Matti Vanhanen's second cabinet and Mari Kiviniemi's cabinet. She represents the Centre Party.
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Toimi Kankaanniemi
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Toimi Olavi Kankaanniemi is a Finnish politician, born in Tyrvää. Kankaanniemi was the Chairman of the Finnish Christian Democrats from 1989 to 1995. In 1994, he was a candidate for President of Finland, finishing ninth of eleven candidates. He served as a Member of the Finnish Parliament from 1987 to 2011. Kankaanniemi was also a minister in the cabinet of Esko Aho from 1991 to 1994, responsible for international development as well as alcohol issues. He resigned from the cabinet in 1994, citing his opposition to the European Union, which Finland was about to join.
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Eeva Joenpelto
- Enrolled in the University of Tampere
- Studied in 1940-1942
- Occupations
- writer
- Biography
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Eeva Elisabeth Joenpelto, married name after 1945 Hellemann, was an award-winning Finnish novelist. Her writing is especially remembered for the Lohja tetralogy which depicted strong women. Described as a "productive novelist of monomaniacal intensity", she occasionally wrote under the pseudonyms of Eeva Helle and Eeva Autere. Joenpelto was President of PEN Finland in 1964-67 and worked as an art professor from 1980–85. She was married (until 1975) to Jarl Hellemann, the CEO of Tammi.
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Esko-Juhani Tennilä
- Occupations
- politicianjournalist
- Biography
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Esko-Juhani Tennilä is Finnish leftist politician from Lapland and member of Parliament since 1975 until 2011.
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Osmo Antero Wiio
- Occupations
- journalisteconomistpoliticiansociologist
- Biography
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Osmo Antero Wiio was a Finnish academic, journalist, author and member of the Finnish Parliament. He is best known for his somewhat facetious Wiio's laws around communication, succinctly summarized as "Communication usually fails, except by accident".
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Tarja Filatov
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tarja Filatov is a member of Finnish Parliament, currently serving as the Second Deputy Speaker, and a former Minister of Employment. She has already been one of the two Deputy Speakers of the Parliament twice (February 2010 - April 2011; December 2020 - 2021). As a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), she represents the Häme constituency since 1995. Previously, she was the vice chairman of the SDP parliamentary group (March 1999 - March 2002), its chairman and a member of its Working Committee (both between March 2007 - February 2010).
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Sari Tanus
- Occupations
- physicianpolitician
- Biography
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Sari Marja Hannele Tanus, is a Finnish doctor and politician, representing the Christian Democrats in the Parliament of Finland since 2015. She was elected to the Parliament from the Pirkanmaa constituency in the 2015 elections with 2,592 votes.
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Pia Viitanen
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Pia Viitanen is a Finnish politician and a member of the Social Democratic Party. She was the Minister of Culture and Housing in Alexander Stubb's cabinet.
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Hannu Himanen
- Years
- 1951-.. (age 73)
- Occupations
- diplomat
- Biography
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Hannu Himanen is a Finnish diplomat. He was the Finnish Ambassador to Russia in Moscow from 1 May 2012 to August 2016 and retired shortly after the post to Moscow.
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Jüri Allik
- Occupations
- psychologistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Jüri Allik, is an Estonian psychologist.
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Kari Rajamäki
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Kari Juhani Rajamäki is a Finnish politician from the Social Democratic Party and a former Minister of the Interior.
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Yrjö Ruutu
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Yrjö Oskar Ruutu was a Finnish social scientist and politician. Ruutu was the first principal of the School of Social Sciences (current University of Tampere) 1925–1932, 1935–1945 and 1949–1953, and the first Finnish professor of International relations 1949–1954. Ruutu was the first in Finland to defend his doctoral thesis on social sciences and wrote the first Finnish presentation on international relations as a science. He was also the head of the National Board of Education 1945–1950.
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Timo Sirainen
- Years
- 1979-.. (age 45)
- Enrolled in the University of Tampere
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science in computer science
- Occupations
- engineer
- Biography
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Timo Sirainen, born 1979, is a Finnish programmer also known under the handles "cras" and "tss". Sirainen is the original author of the IRC-client Irssi and the POP/IMAP server Dovecot. Sirainen lives in Helsinki, Finland.
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Kai Sauer
- Occupations
- diplomat
- Biography
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Kai Jürgen Mikael Sauer is a Finnish diplomat. He is the Ambassador of the Embassy of Finland to Germany. Prior to this he served four years as the Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Security Policy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
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Pirjo Ala-Kapee-Hakulinen
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Pirjo Anneli Ala-Kapee-Hakulinen is a Finnish politician who was the minister of education in the fourth cabinet of prime minister Kalevi Sorsa from 1986 to 1987. A member of the Social Democratic Party, she was also a member of the Finnish Parliament from 1979 to 1989.
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Jouko Jääskeläinen
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jouko Jääskeläinen is a Finnish politician representing the Christian Democrats.
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Cynthia M. Grund
- Occupations
- university teacherphilosophereducator
- Biography
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Cynthia M. Grund is an American philosopher and educator who as of August 2016 is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Southern Denmark where she is also Research Director for The Aesthetics of Music and Sound project.
