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The donation of €225,000 to the Ģ��ֱ�� is part of Säästöpankki Optia’s extensive donation programme implemented in autumn 2023.

“Responsible actions are at the core of our bank’s ideology,” says Antero Savolainen, the chair of the board of Säästöpankki Optia. “We annually donate a share of our profit to enhance the wellbeing and vitality of the region. The aim of the board of Säästöpankki Optia is to positively impact the future of business life in Central Finland with one of our donations. Supporting university education and research is an influential way to promote competitiveness and readiness for the future.”

Based on a proposal of the Ģ��ֱ��, the degree programme of responsible practices in strategy and entrepreneurship, which is under preparation in JSBE, was selected as the target of the donation.

Jari Ojala, the rector of the Ģ��ֱ��, appreciates the donation decision of Säästöpankki Optia very highly.

“Our society needs new workforce from abroad, so it has become increasingly important to attract international experts to higher education in Finland. We see a need to increase international bachelor’s level education so that we can ensure high-level applicants for master’s and doctoral education and thus support the internationalisation of Finnish labour market.”

“Our aim is to build a high-profile bachelor’s degree programme that is based on the strong areas of research in JSBE, especially sustainable and responsible practices in strategy and entrepreneurship,” says Hanna-Leena Pesonen, the dean of JSBE. “The new programme utilises our extensive experience in international master’s degree education. The new bachelor’s programme will provide students readiness for all five international master’s degree programmes of JSBE (International Business and Entrepreneurship, Corporate Environmental Management, Responsible Management and Business of Sport, Digital Marketing and Corporate Communication, and Banking and International Finance) and, more broadly, also for further studies in other universities.”

“Getting experts in the field of responsible and sustainable practices in strategy and entrepreneurship to Jyväskylä is significant for the vitality of the whole region,” says Heikki Paasonen, the CEO of Säästöpankki Optia. “Therefore, the selected donation target has also societal importance."

For more information on the donation, please contact:

• Antero Savolainen, Chair of the board, Säästöpankki Optia, +358 500 279 012
• Heikki Paasonen, CEO, Säästöpankki Optia, +358 44 544 9950 or heikki.paasonen@saastopankki.fi
• Jari Ojala, Rector, Ģ��ֱ��, +358 400 247 387, jari.ojala@jyu.fi