2004-09-09

NOVA Prize Winner 2004
The NOVA University Network have the great pleasure to announce that
professor Jari Valkonen, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Helsinki, has been awarded The NOVA Prize 2004.
The prize money is 3000 euro.

Motivation
The explanation is that you have successfully worked several years to strengthen and develop the Nordic cooperation in your scientific field, and that you have been actively engaged in many PhD and MSc projects and activities. The CPPE project is one of them.

Nomination
"Vi vil hermed foreslå at årets NOVA Prize blir tildelt professor Jari Valkonen for hans nyskapende innsats for å fremme nordisk samarbeid innen undervisning og forskning i plantepatologi.

Professor Jari Valkonen har vært drivkraften for etablering av koordinert undervisning i plantepatologi (CPPE) mellomSveriges lantbruksuniversitet (SLU) og Helsingfors Universitet (HU). I perioden 01.01.2002-30.06.2004 har Jari Valkonen hatt professoratet i plantepatologi ved begge institusjoner (50%). CPPE-prosjektet er etablert for perioden 01.01.2002-31.12.2006 og skal i utgangspunkt bestå av samarbeid mellom SLU og HU, men kan etterhvert utvides til å omfatte også andre NOVA-institusjoner. Høsten 2003 ble det første CPPE-kurset arrangert med i alt 27 studenter, inkludert en fra Liettauen. Studentenes evaluering av kurset var meget positiv. CPPE prosjektet er støttet både av NOVA, deltagende institusjoner og Nordisk ministerråd.

I tillegg til CPPE-samarbeidet har professor Jari Valkonen deltatt aktivt som lærer ved nordiske PhD-kurs i plantepatologi. Slike kurs er blitt arrangert regelmessig fra 1982 og de har vært et viktig og verdifult bidrag til videreutdanning av nordiske doktorander i plantepatologi.

Professor Jari Valkonen har dessuten engasjert seg i etablering av et omfattende forskernettverk i plantepatologi med deltagelse fra NOVA, BOVA og andre Østersjøland. Hvis dette nettverket får finansiering, vil det føre til et betydlig forskersamarbeid som naturligvis vil også styrke samarbeidet i undervisningen i denne regionen."

Special prize
This year the jury have decided to award a special prize in addition to The NOVA Prize 2004. Therefore it is also with great pleasure that the NOVA University Network award student Henrik Lindberg, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, former chairman of NSF, this special prize.
The prize money is 1000 euro.

Motivation
The explanation is your devoted and successfull work in NOVA during your period as chairman of NOVA Student Forum and student representative in NOVA Board.

Nomination
"The student council at the Veterinary Faculty of Helsinki University wants to suggest student Henrik Lindberg for the NOVA Prize 2004. During the last year Henrik has determinedly worked on all levels for developing the Nordic co-operation. He has been the student member in the NOVA Board, the chairman for the NSF, a member of the local NOVA team and the NOVA-responsible in the students’ union.
In the NOVA Board, he has presented and pushed the students’ interests and ideas and contributed to making the new strategy.
During his time as chairman in the NSF, the NSF has conducted a lot. First it made a survey to map the students’ interests and then started to work towards them. A local NOVA team was created and plans for the NOVA window were made. The NSF also improved the co-operation and NOVA knowledge of the student councils by arranging a seminar in Ås. A BOVA Student Forum was founded in the guidance of the NSF.
Henrik has played an important role in the local NOVA team, which has made good results. A two week long window for intensive courses was created in our faculty with great success. Five courses were held and 2/3 of all the students took part in them. The window will stay in the curriculum.
As the NOVA-responsible in the students’ union, he has kept the student council up to date with the NOVA matters and presented and discussed NOVA in many occasions."