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The theme is illuminated by Provost Ilkka Niemelä. He notes that Otaniemi is already a significant innovation concentration for Europe, but points out that universities play a role that is much more complex than merely serving as a provider of the basic building blocks for innovation. “Innovation is often refined into success via a complex route that involves many different actors. An innovation concentration needs attractive venues for encounters and doing things together. A university campus can offer these.”

The main article Feelers out to the future probes the social significance of universities. President of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences IVA Björn Nilsson, Dean Alfons Sauquet from Spain's ESADE Business School and Aalto University Professor Yrjö Neuvo debate the issue.

Aalto University's November week of celebration is covered extensively in this issue. The cover photo features the installation Enlightenment, which illuminated the lobby of Otakaari 1, and its creators. The authors and interview subjects of the articles include several VIP guests who participated in the World Cultural Council's science awards ceremony and the Aalto University Academic Summit conference. Among other people, Nobel laureate Edmond H. Fischer and Millennium Technology Prize winner Stuart Parkin will discuss their work.  

Docent and Valmet's Vice President of Strategy Marita Niemelä talks about her career path in the Who column, while the In there piece looks at Tanzania, where a team from Aalto and their corporate partners went to explore new business opportunities as part of the project New Global.

Aalto University Magazine is distributed on campus. An electronic facsimile is available on and English-language translations of some articles are posted on .