The membership of the Union of Research Professionals is largely made up of persons involved in research, teaching and other areas of expertise in the Finnish universities. Researchers in the Academy of Finland and various other university-level research establishments also form significant groups in the union membership.
Union of Research Professionals watches over the interests of its members at the national level as well as locally in the universities in matters relating to economic, social and professional issues.
Union of Research Professionals was founded in 1967 and is made up of 19 local associations all over Finland. The union has been affiliated to the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland (AKAVA) since 1986.