Ritva Reinikka appointed as Professor of Practice at Helsinki GSE
Dr. Ritva Reinikka鈥檚 long career in development includes the World Bank, where she worked for 20 years, combining research and operations. In her most recent assignment as Sector Director, she was responsible for the World Bank鈥檚 human development work program in education, health and social protection in the Africa region. She was also Co-Director of the 2004 World Development Report 鈥淢aking Services Work for Poor People.鈥
She completed her doctorate in economics at the University of Oxford. Most of her academic publications and policy reports are in the field of development economics. Her research has been published in the top general interest journals in economics as well as in the leading field journals. In 2014, Dr. Reinikka was awarded the annual prize of the Finnish Cultural Foundation (Suomen Kulttuurirahaston palkinto 2014).
鈥淩itva鈥檚 experience from the world of economic policy making and research in development economics makes her extremely well-placed to serve at Aalto University鈥, says professor Jukka Pirttil盲 from Helsinki Graduate School of Economics.
鈥淩itva is an internationally recognised and acknowledged development economist. I am very happy, on behalf of Aalto and the entire Helsinki GSE, that we will have her expertise to boost teaching and research in this important field,鈥 says Professor Juuso V盲lim盲ki, head of the Department of Economics at Aalto University.
鈥淚 am delighted to join my alma mater, now Aalto University, and the new Helsinki Graduate School of Economics, and look forward to engaging with students during courses and on their research, as well as the development community at large in Finland鈥, commented Dr. Reinikka on her appointment.
Stronger focus on development economics and policy promotes the achievement of Finland's development policy objectives. The professorship is jointly funded with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
The mission of the Helsinki Graduate School of Economics, established in the spring of 2018, is to expand the scope and improve the quality of education and research in economics in Finland, as well as to promote cooperation between economics and other fields of science. is a unit jointly managed by Aalto University, the University of Helsinki and the Hanken School of Economics.
More information:
Otto Toivanen
otto.toivanen@aalto.fi
+358 50 353 7651
Ritva Reinikka
reinikka.ritva@gmail.com
WhatsApp +358 40 5559160
Read more news
New vice deans appointed for the School of Science
Maarit Korpi-Lagg has been selected as vice dean for impact, Pekka Marttinen as vice dean for education and Robin Ras as vice dean for research.
Bruno Mattos has been appointed as five-year fixed term Associate Professor at the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems
PhD Bruno Mattos has been appointed as fixed term Associate Professor position at the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems as of 1 June 2026. The field of the professorship is Biomass Refining and Wood Chemistry.
Nordea joins the Aalto University School of Business Premium Partner Program
Nordea has joined the Premium Partner Program from the beginning of 2026.