Editing LUT University (section)

==History==
[[File:LUTcampus.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of the LUT Lappeenranta campus]]
In the 1950s, the [[Finnish Government|Finnish government]] noticed that the country lacked accessible higher education, with most of the universities in Finland at that time being located in [[Helsinki]] and a few other cities that were largely out of reach for the average Finn. This caused a reform of the higher education system in Finland that would eventually lead to the creation of several universities in the following decades. The Finnish government made plans to establish the [[University of Eastern Finland]] in various cities, eventually landing on [[Lappeenranta]], [[Kuopio]] and [[Joensuu]] as candidate cities. It was recognized that each city needed a university, but were too small population wise to support a complete university, hence the future university would be split, with each city teaching a specific subject, with the engineering and technical education being placed in Lappeenranta.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-09-20 |title=Opiskelijoiden käsitys hauskanpidosta 50 vuotta sitten – istuivat kuumalla liedellä keskellä puistoa |url=https://yle.fi/a/3-10979944 |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi}}</ref> The three new universities would be called '''Lappeenrannan teknillinen korkeakoulu (LTKK)''', '''Kuopion Korkeakoulu (University of Kuopio)''', and '''Joensuun Korkeakoulu (University of Joensuu).''' LTKK was the third and newest technical university, after [[Helsinki University of Technology|TKK]] and [[Tampere University of Technology|TTKK]]. 

LTKK would start its operations in the city center of Lappeenranta in 1969 with a class of 39 students. The first buildings of the current Skinnarila district campus were completed in 1974.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-09-20 |title=Opiskelijoiden käsitys hauskanpidosta 50 vuotta sitten – istuivat kuumalla liedellä keskellä puistoa |url=https://yle.fi/a/3-10979944 |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi}}</ref> In 1991, a department of business was also added to the university. In 2003, LTKK would change names to '''Lappeenrannan teknillinen yliopisto (LTY/LUT).''' Generally in Finland, universities would be named '''''korkeakoulu''''' if they had only a few study fields and subjects, with universities that had multiple fields of study carrying the '''''yliopisto''''' name. The english name of the university, '''Lappeenranta University of Technology''', would be used more frequently, and the abbreviation '''''LUT''''' would become synonymous with the university in Lappeenranta.
[[File:Lappeenranta University of Technology - 7th Wing.jpg|thumb|7th wing of the Lappeenranta campus, which includes the academic library]]
LUT University started permanent operations in Lahti in 1996 in the form of a small research unit.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lahti campus {{!}} LUT University |url=https://www.lut.fi/en/about-us/campuses-and-regional-units/lahti-campus |access-date=2022-07-19 |website=www.lut.fi |language=en}}</ref> University of Kuopio and University of Joensuu were combined into the [[University of Eastern Finland]] in 2010, while LUT stayed independent and kept its Lappeenranta campus as well as its previously added operations in Lahti.

The '''LUT Universities Group''' was formed in 2017 when LUT acquired Lahti University of Applied Sciences (LAMK) and [[Saimaa University of Applied Sciences]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-03-21 |title=Lahdesta tulossa todellinen yliopistokaupunki – valtuusto hyväksyi korkeakoulujen yhdistymisen |url=https://yle.fi/a/3-9521115 |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi}}</ref> (SAIMIA). This change came as the Finnish government was looking to reduce the amount of small universities in Finland, and also move the operations of universities of applied sciences under universities. SAIMIA had previously moved from its city center campus to the same campus area as LUT in Lappeenranta, and the fusion of the two universities into one organization was a natural one. LAMK had faced some difficulties in the past, with many critiquing the institution due to its decisions to reduce programs in fields like arts due to budget constraints.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-02-28 |title=Muotoiluinstituutin opiskelijat: Luotto ammattikorkeakoulun johtoon on mennyt |url=https://yle.fi/a/3-9484652 |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=Yle Uutiset |language=fi}}</ref> Eventually, the decision was made to transfer the organization under LUT. With both LAMK and SAIMIA under LUT's organization, both universities were closed permanently and their operations were moved to the new [[LAB University of Applied Sciences]]. LAB took the parts that worked with LAMK and SAIMIA, and created a new fused university of applied science with a stricter focus on education and work. LAB also strengthened the arts departments of LAMK and SAIMIA.
[[File:Saimaan AMK Skinnarila.JPG|thumb|SAIMIA, now LAB Main building in Lappeenranta, connected to LUT via skybridge]]
After the acquisition of LAMK and the creation of LAB University of Applied Sciences, LUT expanded its reach and opened a second campus. The city of Lahti was a natural choice since the new LUT Universities Group already managed the university of applied science operation in the city, and the city also lacked a full science university despite its large population. In 2019, the new campus was opened and the university requested a change to the Finnish Universities Act to change names from '''''Lappeenranta University of Technology''''' to '''''Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT''''', not only keeping the '''LUT''' abbreviation but officially adding it to the full name of the institution. This request was accepted by the Finnish government, and from then on the name '''''LUT''''' was used less as an abbreviation but rather as a descriptive name for the university, leading to the abbreviation name change to '''''LUT University'''''.

LUT University began their first English bachelor's program of Technology and Engineering Science in 2019, allowing students a multidisciplinary opportunity for engineering education in Finland. Later in 2020, the university negotiated a joint contract with Chinese [[Hebei University of Technology]] (HEBUT) to offer English based bachelor's programs in both the Lappeenranta and Lahti campuses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=LUT ja Hebein teknillinen yliopisto aloittavat Lahdessa kansainvälisen kandikoulutuksen |url=https://www.lahti.fi/uutiset/lut-ja-hebein-teknillinen-yliopisto-aloittavat-lahdessa-kansainvalisen-kandikoulutuksen/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=Lahti |language=fi}}</ref> In 2023, the university started its first bachelor's programs in social sciences, with master's programs in social sciences and communications sciences starting up in 2024.