Lapland University terminates employment of former rector Mauri Ylä-Kotola

Lapland University has terminated the employment of former rector Mauri Ylä-Kotola. This information comes from an internal email obtained by Yle, dated November 1. The email, signed by Satu Miettinen, dean of the Faculty of Arts, states that Ylä-Kotola’s employment ended on November 1, and he has been relieved of his duties until then.

Ylä-Kotola’s lecture was interrupted on October 23 due to his unclear presentation. He was serving as the lead instructor for the Faculty of Arts section titled “From Theory to Practice.” He held the position of rector at the university from 2006 to 2019 and has recently been in the spotlight for co-supervising the controversial dissertation of filmmaker Lauri Törhönen.

In response to Ylä-Kotola’s lecture and the ensuing discussions, students in the university’s audiovisual media culture program have issued a call for improvements in the quality of their education.

This unfolding situation is still developing.