On 13-30 September 2022, the Science Summit in conjunction with the 77th United Nations General Assembly was organized in New York. On 29 September, the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) led the hybrid session on ‘Driving Living labs Adoption Globally’.
Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) together with the Swiss Institute of Energy and Environment, Hellenic Institute of Transport & Center for Research and Technology Hellas, Spanish INTRAS Foundation focusing on rehabilitation, and the Dutch municipality of Eindhoven presented their living lab approaches to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
TAMK integrates Living Lab approach in all of its actions, including education, research and innovation, and regional development. TAMK Living Lab builds the bridge between science and innovation by engaging all quadruple helix stakeholders in activities and initiatives in real-life settings. Our strength lies in our extensive networks to communities, companies and especially SMEs, public organisations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) as well as access to various real-life platforms and environments.
TAMK Living Lab promotes sustainable development with respect to several SDGs in a cross-disciplinary way. TAMK is currently developing the Living Lab operations, for example, through development of sustainable urban food systems, responding mainly to SDG 2. These systems promote healthy, secure, inclusive, and cost-efficient means for food production, which are in line with EU’s FOOD2030 policy.
The TAMK Living Lab concept includes all stages of the urban food chain from production and processing, distribution and logistics to consumption, prevention of food losses and waste and governance concerning food. Tackling the food crisis in all its complexity needs expertise from various disciplines and stakeholders. In addition, the solutions must be inclusive and adaptable to different locations and circumstances.
In addition to finding solutions to sectoral challenges, TAMK Living Lab strongly believes in teachers’ capabilities to act as active change makers not only in the twin transition but also in the field of other SDGs such as good health and wellbeing and many more (SDG 3, 7, 8 11, 12). Quality education taking the responsibility to educate citizens, professionals, innovators and decision makers to meet the future challenges is key to a profound transformation and sustainability of the solutions, not just environmentally, socially and economically but also timewise towards the future.
TAMK has been the member of ENoLL since 2009. ENoLL is the association of benchmarked Living Labs. It facilitates knowledge exchange, joint actions and project partnerships between its +480 members in Europe and worldwide. The aim is to promote the Living Labs concept to influence EU policies, enhance Living Labs and enable their implementation at a global level.
Membership in ENoLL has facilitated joining consortia for EU funding applications and has provided TAMK external funding. Currently we are commencing LIFE Programme funded BECON project with various ENoLL members. The power of networks in international development and collaboration is of vital importance.
For more information about TAMK’s living labs and research, development and innovation supporting the SDGs, please see the following videos: TAMK Living Lab (4 min) and Sustainable RDI at TAMK.
Text: Hanna-Greta Puurtinen, Eveliina Asikainen, Eeva-Liisa Viskari, Anne-Maria Mäkelä
Image: UN Science Summit
