Lecture disrupted at University of Lapland due to incoherent performance by Professor Mauri Ylä-Kotola

A lecture at the University of Lapland was abruptly halted on Wednesday due to the incoherent performance of former rector Professor Mauri Ylä-Kotola. The lecture was the first session of the “Theory to Practice” course within the Faculty of Arts, and Ylä-Kotola was listed as the responsible teacher.

Ari Konu, the university’s administrative director, confirmed the interruption, stating that one instructor was removed from the lecture hall because they were unfit for work. Konu refrained from speculating publicly on the reasons behind Ylä-Kotola’s state but acknowledged the chaotic nature of his presentation.

Video footage from the lecture shows Ylä-Kotola struggling to articulate his thoughts, discussing topics like Russia and the ongoing war in Ukraine in a disordered manner. Following the halfway mark of the lecture, Vice Dean Maria Huhmarniemi intervened and subsequently escorted Ylä-Kotola out of the hall. Some students expressed confusion, questioning why the lecture continued for that long, with one student suggesting it felt like a “social experiment.”

Konu confirmed that students’ observations regarding the lecturer’s incapacity were accurate, stating that stopping the lecture was the only appropriate decision. Ylä-Kotola later explained via text that he intended to performatively host and comment on videos presented during the session. He described his unconventional speech as a form of performative video commentary, stating his background in philosophy and interest in breaking conventions.

Students were informed after the lecture that it had been interrupted due to the instructor’s unfitness for work, and Ylä-Kotola will not continue as a teacher for the course this semester. According to Konu, such occurrences are extremely rare in lecture settings. The recorded lecture was initially available online but was removed later due to privacy requests from individuals featured in the video.