Four new docents at Uniarts Research Institute

I’m honored to join as one of the four new docents appointed by the University of the Arts Helsinki Research Institute. Brief translation of the news article.

In December 2025, the research institute awarded a docentship in artistic research to Teemu Mäki, Nitin Sawhney and Ben Spatz. It also awarded the first docentship in art history and art research to Sasha Mäkilä.

The University of the Arts Helsinki awards the title of docent to a distinguished researcher or artist who participates in the university’s activities and is engaged in independent work. A docent is a specialist in their own field of research or art.

Although a docent is not employed by the university solely based on the title awarded, the docent is required to participate in the university’s operations as an expert in their field in ways to be separately agreed.

Leena Rouhiainen, Director of the Research Institute, hopes that the expertise of docents could be utilized more in teaching at the University of the Arts Helsinki and in the supervision and assessment of theses and doctoral dissertations.

“I encourage different units to utilize this unique group of our experts more actively,” says Rouhiainen. About the Uniarts Research Institute: https://www.uniarts.fi/en/units/research-institute/

An extended interview about my docentship and research interests was also published by Uniarts recently: https://www.uniarts.fi/en/articles/interviews/nitin-sawhney-ai-is-just-a-tool-whats-important-is-to-focus-on-what-we-actually-want-to-achieve/

Congrats to Teemu, Ben and Sasha! 🎉 Delighted to join you as docents at the Uniarts Research Institute and contribute to collaborative efforts with faculty, postdoc, PhDs and artistic researchers going forward.