The joy and buzz of learning together

My best memories are from the time of my first my first project dealing with the country’s elite. It was both exciting and energising to spend time together learning, developing and finding real joy and thrill, travelling around the world together and reaping the rewards. A large number of students have defended their theses, and continued their academic careers, with success and often with a salary. Nowadays it’s the greatest source of pleasure, in some strange way the basis for a feeling of satisfaction, one which I couldn’t have understood in my earlier years. It’s been great to have been a part of all this.

By Written by Markku Kuisma. Translated by Joseph McVeigh. Revised by John Calton.

Markku Kuisma

Eero Markku Sakari Kuisma
Born February 7, 1952, Hyvinkää

Master of Arts, 1978, and Doctor of Philosophy, 1983 (Finnish and Scandinavian History), University of Helsinki

Professor of Finnish and Nordic History, University of Helsinki, 2001–
Department Head, 2005 and Deputy Head 2001-06, Department of History, University of Helsinki
Professor of Finnish History, 1999-2000, University of Turku
Professor of History (fixed-term) , 1989-91, 1995-98 and Associate Professor, 1983, University of Helsinki
Project researcher, Academy of Finland, 1978-82
Head Editor-publicist, Outokumpu PLC, 1985-87
Self-employed, 1988-2004

Research interests:
Power elites, business-state relations, business, bank and industrial history, cold war trade policy and international relations, political and economic history

Publications, research projects and other academic activity

Photo: Ari Aalto
Written by Markku Kuisma (Suvi Uotinen, ed.)
Translated by John Calton