At the University of Helsinki, we are creating a better world together with other parties active in society by actively working in a range of networks and by concluding responsible partnerships.
The HELSUS Co-creation Lab is an opportunity for master’s students to write their master’s theses in collaboration with a partner from the private or public sector in a supervised and scheduled process that is based on six co-creation meetings, or labs. During lab sessions, students respond to a sustainability challenge presented by their partner and write their master’s thesis on a topic to be specified during the sessions. Networking and accumulating experience constitute an essential part of the work, over the course of which we bring together genuine sustainability challenges and experts of the future.
To promote sustainability both at the University and society as a whole, we invite our alums to join alum activities and the University of Helsinki’s sustainability and responsibility network.
With the societal commitments to sustainable development made in 2015, the university has pledged to
Examples of actions include increasing the use of solar power, building bicycle parking facilities and implementing software that facilitates remote work.
The University of Helsinki has been part of the Baltic Sea Challenge since its inception in 2007. In the commitment made for 2024–2028, the university pledges through various actions to mitigate eutrophication, reduce the flow of harmful substances into waterways, enhance biodiversity, promote sustainable use of the seas, prevent littering, and increase collaboration and engagement for the benefit of the Baltic Sea.
In 2019, Universities Finland (UNIFI) established a working group on sustainable development and responsibility, chaired by the University of Helsinki in 2019–2020. The group’s work culminated in the publication of UNIFI’s theses on sustainable development and responsibility in November 2020, which had been developed collaboratively with more than 400 members of the academic community. The theses contain ambitious recommendations for measures related to the teaching, research, administration and societal impact of universities as well as their funding model.
In autumn 2019, the University of Helsinki joined the Una Europa alliance, under which education collaboration is carried out in the following five areas: European studies, sustainability science, cultural heritage and One Health as well as data science and artificial intelligence.
UniPID is a network of Finnish universities that supports interdisciplinary studies and research, as well as societal impact and partnerships of universities related to global sustainable development.
The University of Helsinki joined the new International Universities Climate Alliance network. This multidisciplinary network will strengthen the University’s cooperation with other leading climate research universities throughout the world. The key duties of the network include identifying high-impact methods of distributing research-based knowledge about climate change, as well as increasing cooperation with decision-makers and businesses.
The University of Helsinki has been involved in the Baltic Sea Challenge since its inception in 2007. Cooperation between the University and the City to protect the Baltic Sea enables both long-term co-development as well as new experiments and initiatives.
The University of Helsinki has been involved in the network since it was established in 2012. The network members are contributing to making Helsinki a carbon neutral city.
For the first time, the University of Helsinki, the City of Helsinki, Aalto University and the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences joined forces to carry out incubator collaboration. The Urban Tech Helsinki incubator is looking for clean and sustainable urban solutions. Its goal is to attract experts as well as support and boost the establishment and growth of researchbased businesses in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.
The University of Helsinki is a founding member of the international Nature Positive Universities network. The network encourages universities and members of the academic community around the world to take measures to promote and safeguard biodiversity and slow down climate change.