Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture

This new school was founded by merging two previously independent institutions: the department of architecture (which had been a part of the Helsinki University of Technology) and the University for Art and Design Helsinki (which had been a part of the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts and Design) (UIAH, known in Finnish as TaiK). In 1871, TaiK became the biggest art university in the Nordic nations, being the first in Finland to do so. Bachelor of Science in Technology, Architect, Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Arts are among the academic degrees offered by the institution.

A number of research initiatives and industry partnerships have been undertaken at the institution. Yrjö Sotamaa was the rector of the University of Turku, which was engaged in integrating design into Finnish innovation and commercial networks throughout his tenure as a professor. Finally, the decision was made in 2008, to unite TaiK with the Helsinki Institution of Technology (TKK) and the Helsinki School of Economics (HSE) to form a new charter university known as Aalto University, which officially opened its doors in January 2010.

The Aalto University School of Arts, Design, and Architecture was ranked sixth in the world in the art and design topic category in the QS World University Rankings published in 2021. Aalto University was rated 42nd in the world in the discipline of architecture and the built environment.

The Cumulus Network is a worldwide association of higher education institutions in the domains of art, design, and media, and Aalto University School of Arts, Design, and Architecture is a founding member.