The UNIC Summer School on Resilience and Sustainable Development at the University of Oulu demonstrated potential for broader collaboration
September 2024 was kicked off with the University of Oulu hosting an international Summer School on Resilience and Sustainable Development. The summer school was jointly organized by Ruhr University Bochum, University of Lodz and University of Oulu. A select group of 17 enthusiastic students came together from the three universities to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time: How can we help individuals make more sustainable decisions?
Throughout the week, the students immersed themselves in the world of sustainability, with visits to companies and organizations working on sustainable development projects. Among the highlights were visits to the Merikoski fish pass, modern and innovative waste management companies Hauru and Kiertokaari, as well as a trip to Micropolis in Ii, a hub for sustainable innovations. Additionally, Business Oulu joined us for a discussion on the region’s role in driving sustainable development.
Within the intensive summer school week, students developed concrete solutions to real-world problems, focusing on how individuals can be empowered to make sustainable choices in their daily lives. The week culminated in a poster session on Friday, where students had the opportunity to present their solutions to the staff of the Oulu Business School. The audience voted for their favourite group, and the winners were selected by the audience vote and by a jury consisting of the course organizers from Oulu, Bochum, and Lodz.
The organizers from Oulu Business School at the University of Oulu, were delighted with the outcome. The initiator of the summer school, Associate Professor Jaakko Simonen and the course coordinator, Doctoral Researcher Joona Lohtander were both pleasantly surprised of what the students could achieve in such a short time. The summer school was also a learning experience for all parties involved.
Potential for broader collaboration
”It was great to watch how enthusiastically and energetically the students dealt with the subject of the course, i.e. resilience and sustainable development. This year's summer school was a continuation of our collaboration with The Faculty of Management and Economics of the Ruhr-University Bochum, which started last year. The summer school week and the entire course offered us valuable experience in cooperation with UNIC partners, in this case with Ruhr-University Bochum and University of Lodz”, Simonen sums up the experience.
The summer school strengthened collaboration with the universities and highlighted the potential of broader university projects and the UNIC framework. The leader of the profi7 profiling theme FRONT (Frontiers and Arctic and Global Resilience), Professor Jarkko Saarinen, is very delighted for the successful cooperation:
”Resilience for sustainability is one of the core themes in the FRONT project, and it is great to see how this summer school can contribute to the Resilience Academy of Oulu activities.”
“It is great to see how European university collaboration UNIC can really facilitate genuine collaboration between partners in the ecosystem, involving students and researchers”, adds Professor Satu Nätti, the Dean for Education at the Oulu Business School.
This year’s Summer School demonstrated the strength of collaboration between European universities and the value of connecting students and researchers. The success of this initiative highlights the potential for expanding these efforts across the UNIC network in the future.