National neurocenter for Finland

The future owners of Finland’s neurocentre confirmed: The establishment of a national centre for neurosciences in Finland is progressing in cooperation with the organisations that will own the centre. The preliminary agreement for the establishment phase was signed by 12 organisations.

The analysis carried out during Neurocenter Finland’s preparatory phase suggested that a limited company or a co-operative could be set up for running the centre. Of the potential partners, 12 organisations signed the preliminary agreement to express their interest in participating in the setting up of the centre.

The agreement signatories were the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio University Hospital District, University of Oulu, Northern Ostrobothnia Hospital District, University of Tampere, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, University of Turku, Hospital District of Southwest Finland, University of Jyväskylä, University of Helsinki, Aalto University and Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District. The negotiations on the preliminary agreement were led by the coordinators of Neurocenter Finland’s establishment phase with General Counsel and Director Petri Rintamäki and Dean Jussi Pihlajamäki from the University of Eastern Finland.

Piloting the operations

The establishment phase of Neurocenter Finland will continue in late 2020 with the drawing up of the instruments of incorporation and negotiations with the organisations owning the centre. Alongside the negotiations, Neurocenter Finland’s services will be developed and piloted with the help of funding from the ministries. These preparations and the establishment phase will be guided by a broad-based national steering group which includes, in addition to the owners’ experts, representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Ministry of Education and Culture, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Academy of Finland, Business Finland and the Finnish Brain Council.

Neurocenter Finland is currently starting up or carrying out operations in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Jyväskylä, Kuopio and Oulu. During the establishment phase, special attention will be paid to engaging scientists and ensuring that the activities will be perceived as genuinely national and serving all target groups.

Neurocenter Finland’s background in the health sector growth strategy

Neurocenter Finland is part of the government’s growth strategy for the Finnish health sector and of a project on personalised medicine. The project, which has been granted ministry funding, is coordinated by the University of Eastern Finland. The key objectives of the new Neurocenter Finland are to promote the networking of neuroscientists working in Finland, to assist in the creation of better cooperation models and to advance research and innovation in the field, brain health and the quality and cost-effectiveness of brain disorder treatments.

More information:

Director Mikael von und zu Fraunberg, Establishment Phase of Neurocenter Finland, tel. +358 50 433 5008, mikael.fraunberg(at)uef.fi

Professor Reetta Kälviäinen, Chair of the Steering Group for the Establishment Phase of Neurocenter Finland, tel. +358 40 5839249 reetta.kalviainen(at)uef.fi

https://neurocenterfinland.fi

https://stm.fi/yksilollistetty-laaketiede