Otso Huopaniemi is a performance artist, playwright, dramaturg, researcher, teacher and Doctor of Theatre Arts. He will begin his five-year term as Dean of the School of Theatre in August.
Huopaniemi graduated with a PhD in Theatre Arts from the Theatre Academy in 2018. She holds a Master’s degree from both the Theatre Academy and Columbia University in New York.
Huopaniemi has been Professor of Dramaturgy and Playwriting at the Theatre Academy since 2019. She is also the director of the Comparative Dramaturgy and Performance Research double degree programme, an international collaboration between five European universities.
Mr Huopaniemi will start his five-year term as Dean at the beginning of August. The Dean will lead the School of Theatre, its education, research and artistic activities and the related community relations and partnerships.
Huopaniemi was also praised for the ability to maintain trust under the pressure of change.
The future dean himself states in the University of the Arts’ press release that the reform of teaching, research and operational culture must continue. his vision of the educational institution’s near future in a spirit of reform.
– We have no shortage of good goals. As dean, I want to guarantee that our goals also meet the everyday reality of students, teachers and other staff.