Title of professor

Instructions for the use of the title of professor

Professors who have been appointed to a permanent position are entitled to use the title of professor after they retire.

Professors who have been appointed to a permanent position are entitled to use the title of professor also after they transfer to a new position. Professors who have worked abroad as professors in a permanent employment/service relationship are entitled to use the title of professor in Finland.

Professors who have been appointed to a temporary position may, while serving in the position of professor, use the title of professor without restriction. When submitting information to the Directory of Professors, their resumes or corresponding documents, they must, however, note the period of their appointment.

Once the period of their appointment has terminated, temporary professors are not entitled to use the title of professor.

Once retired, professors who have been appointed to a permanent position are entitled to use the title of professor, professor emeritus/emerita or emeritus/emerita professor.

In certain occasions, the board of the union may grant a permission to use the title professor emeritus/emerita or emeritus/emerita professor also in other than the afore mentioned cases.

These instructions apply also to those holding the title research professor.

Professor h.c. refers to the individually awarded honorary title of professor, which is not linked to any particular position or task.

Confirmed by the Board of Directors of the Finnish Union of University Professors on 9 June 2017.

It is the Union’s opinion that the term professor as referred to in the Universities Act only applies to full professors.

Furthermore, professors include academy professors and research professors.