Skip to content
TAMK International

TAMK at the UN Science Summit with ENoLL

— Dimitra Panopoulou-Huovila

During September 2022, TAMK was represented in the Science Summit and presented our own living lab approach to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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).

people sitting on chairs

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.

People sitting in room

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

Keep reading

EU 4 Inclusive Education project strives for sustainable policy impact – Finnish expertise on special education supports developing national resource centers in Albania.

For the past two years, the Tampere University of Applied Sciences has collaborated closely with the Albanian public sector, schools and third sector within the framework of the ‘EU 4 Inclusive Teaching’ project. A joint Training-of-the-Trainer -programme, designed and delivered together with TAMK and Tampere University (Faculty of Education and Culture), has provided pedagogical support so far to almost 300 Albanian teachers.

Finnish Delegation at IDB Event: Collaborative Efforts for Education Reform in Latin America and the Caribbean

In the picturesque setting of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, from 6 to 10 March 2024, the Barceló Bávaro Convention Center played host to a significant gathering of minds focused on education reform in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Among the delegates were Sanna Ruhalahti and Virpi Heinonen from Tampere University of Appled Sciences (TAMK), representing Finland alongside a delegation comprising authorities, companies, and education sector participants. Their presence marked Finland's commitment to collaborating with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and its affiliates to address pressing challenges in education across the region.

Super Coaches League

This is a short story about the transformation from teacher to team coach from TAMK Global services to our Chilean counter partner Fundación Chile. This process was delivered by Cristian Burr Raty from TAMK HUBS, a Chilean team coach and Hanna Saraketo, TAMK´s experienced senior Team Coach from Proakatemia. This story describes some of the situations and emotions during the week-long training through the eyes of Hanna and Cristian.