Jyväskylä Human Tech Center Finland 1/2015

JYVÄSKYLÄ H U M A N

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New channel connecting bands and their fans u

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IN THIS ISSUE: FOCUS ON NEW CONCEPTIONS OF LEARNING

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Training to sky-high standards

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Locally-sourced fish and vegetables Making transport more efficient

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JYVÄSKYLÄ H U M A N

T E C H

C E N T E R

F I N L A N D

This publication is brought to you by

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Published twice yearly, Human Tech Center Finland magazine showcases the expertise, culture and people to be found in the Jyväskylä Region.

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Contents PHOTO: PETTERI KIVIMÄKI

The City of Jyväskylä, with a population of 135 000, is one of Finland’s centres of growth. Recognised as a city of high-quality education, Jyväskylä is also internation­ ally known for the architecture of Alvar Aalto. www.jyvaskyla.fi Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd. is a business promotion and development company owned by the four municipalities in the Jyväskylä Region. The aim of Jykes is to create a favourable business environment. By offering expertise, support and various networks for companies, Jykes creates opportunities and conditions for profitable business operations. www.jykes.fi The University of Jyväskylä is one of the largest, most attractive and dynamic research universities in Finland, with about 15 000 students, including international students from some 90 countries. www.jyu.fi JAMK University of Applied Sciences is a multidisciplinary institution of higher education with a strong international orientation and a student enrolment of 8 000. Our strengths are workplace-driven learning, close cooperation with the labour market and business, as well as extensive international contacts. www.jamk.fi

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Learner at the centre Airport becomes a learning environment Training to sky-high standards Locally-sourced fish and vegetables Gaming, music and great prizes Making transport more efficient City in a new light Exporting Finland’s educational expertise Cyber security: Controlling the risks

Jyväskylä Educational Consortium provides vocational and general upper secondary education to young people and adults. The consortium’s educational institutions are attended by over 22 000 students. www.jao.fi

ISSN 1795-3146 (Print) ISSN 2342-1002 (Online) Editorial Office in this issue Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd., Sepänkatu 4, 40100 Jyväskylä, taija.lappetelainen@jykes.fi, www.jykes.fi Editor-in-chief Taija Lappeteläinen Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd. Editorial staff and layout Viestintä-Paprico Oy, www.paprico.fi

Editorial board Satu Heikkinen (City of Jyväskylä), Miikka Kimari (University of Jyväskylä), Taija Lappeteläinen (Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd.), Niina Luttinen (Jyväskylä Educational Consortium), Pauliina Hietalahti (JAMK University of Applied Sciences) English translation Peter Gregory and Tony Melville

Printed by Kirjapaino Kari Ky Circulation 6 000 Cover photo by Petteri Kivimäki. Patricia “Patty”Toledo, CEO of FanART Games.

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Jyväskylä Human Tech Center Finland magazine has been published since 2004. Over the years the magazine has provided a broad introduction to knowhow, culture and business life in the Jyväskylä Region, and in particular to the region’s strength, the ability to combine technology and human sciences expertise. During the first few years the magazine appeared only in printed form but nowadays it can also be read online. The printed version, too, still has a devoted readership. Scan the accompanying QR code to go direct to the online version.

HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

FIRST WORDS JANUARY 2015

What would be a nightmare scenario for a data network?

EVERY CHOICE MADE ONLINE is virtually always a risk and potential danger situation.

The internet offers multiple benefits ranging from ease of use to speed and flexibility, but at the same time the potential threats have to be borne in mind. All too often we consider that there are no risks, since nothing untoward has happened.

Side by side with technical progress we need a change in our way of thinking. In a networked world being aware of the risks and using common sense take you a long way.

One of our tasks in Jyväskylä is to boost this awareness – to talk about things and highlight important themes.

THE JYVÄSKYLÄ URBAN REGION was selected by Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation – to take responsibility for the national cyber security theme contained in the Innovative Cities (INKA) programme.

Cyber-INKA offers small and medium-sized enterprises a platform for further refining their business ideas using public funding, for client organisations a springboard for launching cooperation with new actors and for cities and municipalities an opportunity to make profitable use of cyber security expertise. For Finnish ICT and cyber security companies it opens a

PHOTO: TERO TAKALO-ESKOLA

IT IS DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE an exhaustive list of all the various ways in which cyber security affects every single one of us nowadays. One wrong answer does exist, however, and that is ‘it doesn’t concern me in any way’.

The very least that enterprises must do is to go carefully through the core of their own business and establish what the value of that core is and, in particular, the cost of losing it.

For private persons information relating to their bank account as well as personal and family data are key values. It pays to ask oneself, does my online activity have an impact on those values? In other words what am I putting online: my own identity, my credit card or bank account details?

MIKA KATAIKKO DIRECTOR, CYBER SECURITY JYVÄSKYLÄ REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMPANY JYKES LTD

channel via partnership to a more comprehensive product and service offer as well as more generally providing Finnish companies with a means of boosting their competitive ability by paying due attention to cyber security.

Jyväskylä is home to Finland’s highest quality cyber security development environment.

JYVSECTEC (Jyväskylä Security Technology) is a cyber security research, education and development centre belonging to JAMK University of Applied Sciences’ IT Institute.

By the same token the University of Jyväskylä offers master’s level programmes in the fields of managing cyber security as well as cyber security technology itself.

It should also be pointed out that in the Jyväskylä Region the number of businesses focusing on cyber security is constantly growing. n 3

FOCUS ON NEW CONCEPTIONS OF LEARNING, 4–7

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HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

In Jyväskylä education organisations are actively developing new learning environments

LEARNER at the centre

Conceptions of new learning have changed rapidly in recent years. Traditional classrooms have been replaced by adaptable learning spaces, and increasing Jyväskylä Institute of Adult Education is responsible for the running of the local airport’s Sky Cafe & Food caférestaurant. Simultaneously it functions as a worklife-­ oriented learning environment primarily for adult students.

Janika Männistö (photo top) is training to be a waitress.

Roope Udd’s (photo below) aim on the other hand is to forge a career as a chef.

On the wall of the caférestaurant hangs a textile artwork, Unelmointia taivaansinessä (Dreaming in the Blue Sky), designed and produced by artisan students in Crafts and Design at Jyväskylä Institute of Adult Education.

Those involved were Marita Airola, Ritva Pitkänen, Pirkko Kujala and Antti Koivisto.

use is being made of ICT in teaching. It is now possible to take complete study modules online, which makes it easier for adult learners to update their skills and work at the same time. In turn working life offers students places for learning by doing and genuine product development challenges.

Words by Timo Sillanpää Photos by Petteri Kivimäki ACCORDING TO JUKKA LERKKANEN, Director of the Open University of the University of Jyväskylä, in Finland the educational revolution occurred in the 1990s, when the state relinquished centralised control and delegated decision-making power to the municipalities. In “Old school” times the teacher laid down what was right. Today’s view, on the other hand, emphasises the learner’s own role in constructing knowledge.

Studies at the Open University under Lerkkanen’s care are pursued each year by approximately 14 500 students from different parts of the country and even from places beyond Finland’s borders. By means of online teaching it is possible to serve large masses in such a manner that the learner is at the centre.

“As a learning environment the net is flexible and offers opportunities for individual choices. It nevertheless has to be pondered carefully for what sort of teaching the net is a good solution, and when on the other hand the power of a group is necessary,” Lerkkanen points out.

Both the Open University and the Vocational Teacher Education College at JAMK University of Applied Sciences are pioneers in net pedagogy. Lecturer Satu Aksovaara from JAMK University of Applied Sciences’ Vocational Teacher Education College believes that new technologies will bring more genuine group-situation elements than at present to online learning as well.

“When people are face to face, a lot of non-verbal information circulates in the group which the teacher can use to shape the learning situation. Students’ non-orchestrated moments in turn promote group building and genuine involvement,” Aksovaara underlines.

Fear of failure has gone According to Jukka Lerkkanen one major national question is how pedagogues can help young people in particular to find a passion for their learning.

“Most people develop an interest in something. The source of their enthusiasm may be work, art, science or a hobby. The teachers’ task is to find that passion for learning among youngsters

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FOCUS ON NEW CONCEPTIONS OF LEARNING, 4–7

During Innovation Week first year students at JAMK University of Applied Sciences came up with ideas on how a new item of rehabilitation equipment developed by FinRehab Oy could be brought to market. The team comprised (from left) Hemmo Puskala (energy technology), Rasmus Hautala (business), Heidi Niemi (business), Samuli Rasmus (software technology) and Miiro Porkka (student of physiotherapy).

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“WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT LEARNERS ARE DIFFERENT AND BUILD SPACES THAT SUPPORT A MULTICHANNEL APPROACH.”

plains Lecturer Juha Hautanen from JAMK in compulsory education as well as those who University of Applied Sciences. have progressed further in their studies”, he When doing the interviews the students emphasises. venture out of the institutional environment The net offers an abundance of opportuniand mingle with customers. The aim of the ties for planning one’s future, but a proportion process is to get as close as possible to the end of school-goers and students still need an exuser. pert supervisor alongside them.

“On the basis of the interview material colJukka Lerkkanen considers that one obstalected each student has to come up with a huncle especially to young people’s career plans dred ideas for solving the customer’s dilemma. is a fear of failure. In recent years teaching in The large number of ideas guarantees that the Finland has taken on an entrepreneurial attiend result is of high calibre. No idea is bad. Fitude in which innovation is strongly encournally from the large number of ideas different aged. One goal is to teach being unsuccessful: concepts are fashioned for the customer. The even putting forward a bad idea doesn’t mean SATU AKSOVAARA saying ’try fast, fail fast’ supports agile product failure. development,” Hautanen points out.

A good example of bold idea generation is After the development of the solution conJAMK University of Applied Sciences’ Innocepts the testing phase begins. The students choose one convation Week, during which first year students at JAMK solve cept, which is turned into a prototype or visual presentation. challenges presented by working life using the Design Thinking “At the end of the week the students present the task setter method. Design Thinking is the best known user-driven probwith a description of how they have perceived the central problem solving method which supports the rapid trial principle. lems and how they could be solved.”

This is made use of at the world’s leading business schools.

“The 600 students taking part in Innovation Week are dividSpace influences the ability to learn ed into multidisciplinary groups of 60 people which find soluEducation should prepare students for working life. In the tions to genuine working life problems in groups of five. Each workplace we encounter a variety of environments which serve student conducts five customer interviews, with the help of the differing needs of multiform work: spaces are needed for which the assignment’s central problems are crystallised,” exHUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

AIRPORT BECOMES A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Online pedagogy designer Jonna Kari and new media designer Sami Voutilainen are seen here providing a tour of the new learning spaces at JAMK University of Applied Sciences’ Dynamo facility. The furniture in the new spaces can be quickly rearranged to facilitate group work, for example.

meeting people and on the other hand for independent working. Work is increasingly conducted elsewhere than in a fixed work space.

“Change also has to occur in physical learning environments.

Thanks to changed conceptions of learning the learner now occupies centre stage. We have to understand that learners are different and build spaces that support a multichannel approach,” Lecturer Satu Aksovaara suggests.

Aksovaara emphasises the importance of space planning.

“In order to develop new learning environments we have to produce a model of both the teacher’s and the learner’s­ actions. We have to start from the basics, such as how the space as a whole affects people’s emotions. One’s emotional state influences the ability to learn new things. Physical spaces have to be designed in such a way that reconfiguring them is quick and effortless,” she says.

In turn the ICT technology in these spaces must be as easy to use and flexible as possible that students can simply and easily make use of their own devices, such as tablets, laptops and smartphones. n

GENUINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS in working life occupy a central role when learning a trade. Since the autumn of 2014, Jyväskylä Institute of Adult Education – part of Jyväskylä Educational Consortium – has been responsible for running the Sky Cafe & Food café-restaurant at Jyväskylä airport.

Sky Cafe & Food offers a real, working life-oriented learning environment for students of tourism, catering and business among others. In the airport learning environment a practical grounding for working life is obtained chiefly by adult students, but upper secondary level students are involved in arranging different events.

Collaboration with Finavia plc, which is responsible for airport services, has permitted a completely new way of producing services at the airport. That in turn has led to a revitalisation of the airport and its surroundings.

“We have to come up with new pedagogic models which support the adult student’s working life-oriented learning and also develop students’ working life skills, such as intrapreneurship.

In learning we see a fusion of theoretical and practical studies with the student’s previous expertise,” emphasises Programme Manager Petra Leppäharju-Lipitsä from Jyväskylä Institute of Adult Education.

The airport offers real customers The airport offers a genuine working environment and real customers. The clientele are diverse: the students serve among others passengers using charter and scheduled flights, lunch customers as well as people attending training sessions and meetings.

“During the daily routine situations change and pose challenges that cannot be anticipated beforehand.

For instance, if a departing plane is several hours late the situation demands professional skill from the service providers at the airport. In these situations the airport’s customers demand good service, which is a perfect learning sce­nario for our students,” underlines Kirsti Kokkola, Head of Unit of the Welfare and Business at Jyväskylä Institute of Adult Education at Jyväskylä Institute of Adult Education. n f

Student Aleksi Nikkari.

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TRAINING TO

SKY-HIGH STANDARDS

Jyväskylä Garrison is flying high – in terms of both aircraft and training programmes. In the future almost all of the Finnish Air Force’s specialised training will be provided at the Air Force Academy in Tikkakoski near Jyväskylä.

Words by Tommi Salo Photos by The Air Force Academy THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY is a university-level military training institute. Its mission is to train conscripts, reservists and Defence Forces personnel to perform their duties in times of peace, crisis and war.

Among the latest arrivals at Tikkakoski, twenty kilometres north of Jyväskylä, are the Air Force’s Hawk jet trainers. The Hawks arrived at their new base at the beginning of 2015. Aircraft maintenance and weapons systems training transferred to

tors. In addition to boosting the effectiveness of flight training, simulators are also used to support aircraft maintenance and weapons systems training.

“Our facilities include training environments for air operations command. By activating all the elements of an air operation simultaneously we can achieve the most realistic environment possible,” Mäntylä says.

Hakala states that the Air Force Academy trains people to

Tikkakoski at the beginning of 2014.

“We now cover the whole spectrum of training at Tikkakoski, and this enables us to arrange more extensive programmes than before. The flight training system is our strength. Our student intake is very good, and we can train them efficiently, with a relatively low number of flight hours, to international standards,” says Col. Pasi Hakala, Commandant of the Air Force Academy.

“By centralising our training in a single place we are able to make it more consistent while avoiding resource overlap,” adds Vesa Mäntylä, Chief of the Training and Education Center.

meet the needs of the Air and Defence Forces.

“That makes it easier to recognise what skills and expertise are needed. At the same time we need the capability to identify what kinds of new skills the students will require and what methods and equipment will be needed to offer those skills,” Hakala says.

More effective training with simulators From now on both the Vinka basic trainers and Hawks will be taking to the skies around Jyväskylä. Hornet fighters will also be seen at Tikkakoski, because they are used in aircraft maintenance and weapons systems training.

The Air Force Academy utilises modern learning environments and teaching methods from online eLearning to simula8

Achieving more by working together The Air Force Academy works with other educational and training institutes both regionally and internationally.

It has cooperated with Jyväskylä College in the field of driver training and with JAMK University of Applied Sciences in programmes related to vocational pedagogics and cyber security.

According to Hakala, the University of Jyväskylä could be an interesting partner from the perspective of sport science.

“International collaboration provides an opportunity to analyse joint operating models and form an understanding of models representing the international operating environment. To a certain extent we also organise international student exchanges.” n HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

“THE FLIGHT TRAINING SYSTEM IS OUR STRENGTH. OUR STUDENT INTAKE IS VERY GOOD, AND WE CAN TRAIN THEM EFFICIENTLY, WITH A RELATIVELY LOW NUMBER OF FLIGHT HOURS, TO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.” PASI HAKALA

UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL LAUNCHES CAREERS IN AVIATION UPPER SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS in Tikkakoski can explore opportunities in the aviation sector. Finland’s first national upper secondary school specialising in aviation was established at the Tikkakoski unit of Jyväskylän Lyseo Upper Secondary School in 1994. The school offers students the chance to take aviation courses alongside their other studies.

The objective is to give the students a good general understanding of aviation and aviation-linked careers, and to guide and encourage them to continue in the field.

“Each year around half of the students have studied on the aviation track. After leaving school they have progressed via further studies to become commercial pilots, helicopter pilots, or air traffic controllers, or they have taken up technical roles in the aviation sector or entered the Air Force Academy,” says Antero Hietamäki, Head of School.

Students on the aviation track take the theory courses required for a private pilot licence. All students have the opportu-

nity to experience a glider flight. Many also try parachuting and other aviation hobbies.

Students have also taken the chance to acquaint themselves with the Air Force Academy and the study opportunities it offers.

Course offering partly in English Nowadays the theory courses for the private pilot licence are ideal for international exchange students, because the online course materials and literature are in English.

Students can also deepen their aviation expertise with cour­ ses outside Tikkakoski Upper Secondary School. JAMK University of Applied Sciences, the Institute of Adult Education, Jyväskylä College and Tikkakoski Upper Secondary School have established a joint ‘Runway’ leading to aviation careers. Students can include aviation courses offered by all these institutes in their qualification. n 9

Resource wisdom: Increasing the use of local food reduces emissions and creates new jobs

LOCALLYSOURCED FISH AND VEGETABLES In the autumn of 2014 at the City of Jyväskylä’s Vesanka day care centre-school, the children were able to experience a taste of real local food. In a trial related to resource wisdom an operating model was formulated by means of which professional kitchens can centrally purchase both vegetables produced by local businesses and fish caught in local lakes.

Words by Timo Sillanpää Photo by Petteri Kivimäki

THE AIM OF RESOURCE WISDOM is to save on natural resources, reduce emissions and create fresh business opportunities and jobs. According to Leena Pölkki, Project Man­ager of the Local Food ResourceWise for Public Kitchens project, fishing, the production of roots and other vegetables, as well as the refining of raw materials could be increased provided there was more direct cooperation between producers and end users.

“The big advantage of local food is its freshness as well as reliable information about both its origin and production methods,” Lee­na­ Pölkki underlines.

The kitchen of the day care centre-school 10

in the Vesanka area of Jyväskylä pro­ duces approximately 350 meals daily.

During the autumn a pilot scheme was implemented in Vesanka, the purpose of which was to make it easier to use locally-sourced food in publicly-owned professional kitchens. For the children’s meals use was made of a coarse fish – roach – caught in northern Lake Päijänne and carrots grown in Saarijärvi, northwest of Jyväskylä.

Local lakes full of fish For this practical experiment different recipes were developed at JAMK University of Applied Sciences which suited the new raw material, roach (Rutilus rutilus). As a result of this development work recipes were created for a fishloaf, casserole, pasta dish, sauce and fish pie.

Resource wisdom can simply mean that traditional, tried and tested ways of

New models are under development in the Jyväskylä Region for exploiting the potential of local food. Otto Mäkivirta, a second year pupil at Vesanka school, is keen on tasting a casserole made from Lake Päijänne roach.

“REFINING AND TRANSPORTING SUCH STOCKS CONSUMES A VAST AMOUNT OF NATURAL RESOURCES.” LEENA PÖLKKI doing things from the days of agrarian society are brought back into use.

“Many consider roach a junk fish. This reputation is due in part to the fact that in summer the fish churns up the muddy lake bottom and what’s down there has a negative impact on its flavour.

When roach is caught when the water is cold, there’s no disturbing tang. Overall in terms of flavour and nutritional value­ roach makes excellent eating”, Leena Pölkki continues.

HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

“In Finland local lakes are full of fish, but still we use frozen stock. Refining and transporting such stocks consumes a vast amount of natural resources.”

During the trial the climate impacts of different raw materials, factors linked to the eutrophication of waterways and the effects on the local economy of exploiting local food were analysed. The comparison of climate impacts revealed among other things that tuna has approximately five times the impact compared to local roach.

According to Leena Pölkki the replicable model will serve to ease and increase the use of local food in professional kitchens. The model answers practical challenges: it takes into account the local food offer in recipes and purchasing, facilitates the development of well-functioning ordering systems and promotes dialogue in the commodity chain. n

TOWARDS AN ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE The City of Jyväskylä and Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, jointly launched the Towards Resource Wisdom project in 2013. Behind the project lies the concern that the western way of life uses up too many natural resources and is responsible for harmful emissions. For instance, more than three globes would be necessary in order to maintain the lifestyle of Finns.

Sitra’s Lead Expert Lari Rajantie states: “The aim is for Jyväskylä to genuinely become a resource wise city which doesn’t produce any emissions or waste at all. In addition it aims to consume only the amount of natural resources with which the globe can sustain – in other words significantly less than any Finnish or western city at present.”

At the beginning of 2015 results will be obtained from a number of practical experiments aimed at establishing ways of achieving an ecologically sustainable lifestyle. Five households, for example, have tested a way of life which consumes fewer natural resources than at present.

Resource wisdom will also exert a key influence on the planning of the Kangas area and the new central hospital. For instance, in the planning of the Kangas area the One Planet Living concept will be applied in Finland for the first time. The concept is based on the idea that in the West, too, we have to live in accordance with the limits of the world’s capacity to support us.

“On the basis of the results obtained from these trials a kind of roadmap aiming at the promotion of resource wisdom will be drawn up for the City of Jyväskylä. Change will proceed slowly, but one important milestone will be the year 2050,” Rajantie continues.

Experiences and best practices gained in Jyväskylä will also be spread to other cities. In partnership with a network of ten cities Sitra is developing a model that draws on experiences in Jyväskylä to support other cities in bringing about similar changes. n 11

100 BIKES

RAFFLED TO STUDENTS

Words by Timo Sillanpää Photos by Jarkko Poikonen A HUNDRED FIRST year higher education students won a free bicycle in a raffle held in the early autumn of 2014. The 100 bikes campaign inspired by the idea of resource wisdom was conducted by the University of Jyväskylä, JAMK University of Applied Sciences and Humak University of Applied Sciences in partnership with the City of Jyväskylä and Jyväskylä Cycling Association JYPS.

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First year students at JAMK University of Applied Sciences Santeri Tuuli (left) and Tommi Saltiola both won professionally overhauled bicycles in the 100 bikes campaign. Santeri and Tommi are following the Rural Livelihoods degree programme at JAMK’s Bioeconomy Institute with a view to graduating as agrologists. “In future people are going to have to make consumption choices in a more informed way than at present,” Tommi Saltiola suggests.

“We received a lot of used bicycles as donations, which the cycling association then overhauled for new students. For a student Jyväskylä is a city of ideal size to move around in by bike,” explains Miikka Kimari, Head of Communications and Marketing at the University of Jyväskylä, who was involved in putting the campaign together.

Bicycles were donated to the campaign by private persons, university staff and others. In addition KOAS, the Central Finland student housing foundation, contributed a considerable number of abandoned bicycles for repair.

During the refit particular attention was paid to safety. In addition to putting the bikes into good working order the repair team ensured each was fitted with the appropriate safety equipment, such as spoke reflectors, a bell and a front light. Other parts that commonly needed replacing were brake cables, brake blocks, saddles, tyres and pedals.

“Repairing abandoned and superfluous bicycles for students’ use is a good example of resource wisdom. What’s more, young people have increasing respect for concrete actions which save natural resources and reduce emissions. The campaign is also a very good way of promoting cycling culture,” Kimari continues.

The 100 bikes campaign was staged for the first time in the autumn of 2014. Kimari is firmly of the opinion that a similar campaign will also materialize in autumn 2015. n HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

IN BRIEF ”A RESTAURANT OF ONE’S OWN IS THE UNIVERSAL DREAM” PIA TERVOJA

By Pia Tervoja Restaurant Day is a food carnival in which anyone at all can establish a pop-up restaurant or café for a day. In Finland Restaurant Day has already been celebrated 15 times. Restaurant Day has spread from Finland to 64 countries, as far away as Brazil and Japan.

“Opening one’s own café or restaurant is a universal dream. Restaurant Day is a fun way not only of spending time and getting to know people but also of testing out a concept for a new restaurant business,” explains Timo Santala, the man who came up with the idea.

In the autumn of 2014 Santala ran a workshop for students of Hospitality Management at JAMK University of Applied Sciences, in the course of which he encouraged future catering professionals to turn their own ideas into reality.

During the workshop the students planned five restaurants for Restaurant Day. According to lecturer Karoliina Väisänen ideas do not always oocur automatically, in fact the students need innovation skills.

“Restaurant Day provides a good opportunity to play around with the world of flavours and the senses as well as try out ideas of the wackier sort. At the same time students develop a joy and passion for their chosen branch.” n www.restaurantday.org

Hospitality Management students Susanna Latomäki, Elisa Lampinen, Riikka Häkkinen, Jenna Aho and Noora-Merinja Hietanen came up with an eatery in the style of TV series Sex and the City for Restaurant Day. The items on sale included hot dogs, spicy cup cakes and alcohol-free Cosmopolitan drinks.

FOCUS ON THE BARENTS REGION

By Pia Tervoja Major mining, railway and oil terminal projects in the Barents Region are boosting the growth prospects of companies in Central Finland. Sweden and Norway are set to invest as much as EUR 75 billion in the Arctic area during the next few years.

“Now it’s time to look closer to home. The first group of companies from Central Finland

has already won business in the Barents Region.

This year we’re aiming for an increase in exports of EUR 20 million,” says Tero Rautiainen, Director, Growth and Development Services at Jyväskylä Regional Development Company, Jykes Ltd. Most of the companies from Central Finland that are seeking new export business are involved in manufacturing. They include companies with specialised know-how in fields like the manufacture of acid-proof steel products and

different types of measuring and alarm systems.

Businesses in Central Finland can also offer expertise in project management and engineering.

“One of the biggest projects in the Barents Region is the relocation of two municipalities – Kiruna and Gällivare – to allow the expansion of mining activities. This also means opportunities for companies in the construction, renovation, electrical engineering and automation fields,” Rautiainen states. n

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New mobile game from Jyväskylä brings together bands and their fans

GAMING, MUSIC AND GREAT PRIZES Would you like to get a call from the lead singer of your favourite band? Take part in a meet & greet session with members of the band? Get a high enough score in this new mobile game and you could win a really special prize. A gaming company in Jyväskylä has come up with a new way to bring artists and their fans together.

Words by Tommi Salo Photos by Petteri Kivimäki, FanART Games and Shutterstock Graphics by Martti Hänninen

IN NOVEMBER 2014 FanART Games of Jyväskylä launched a new way to create bonds between artists and their fans. Successful players of mobile game Mega FAN! can win really special prizes.

“The prizes in Mega FAN! can be something the bands themselves choose to offer their fans. You get a call from a band member, you get the chance to join them for a meet & greet, or you win autographed CDs and tickets for gigs. The most important thing is that the bands featured in the game want to interact with their fans,” says Patricia “Patty” Toledo, CEO of FanART Games.

In the new mobile game, players choose a favourite band and favourite band member. Then they do gigs, become famous, earn in-game money and they might even go on tour.

“Players are up against other players, but at the same time the bands are also ‘fighting’ to be the most popular. In this game a small band can be bigger than a more famous band,” Toledo explains.

Toledo’s original idea was to develop the game for a German band. But the idea quickly started to grow and now there are around twenty internationally known bands involved.

New channel connecting bands and fans Toledo is originally from Brazil and she has 22 years of experience in the music world. She has done magazine and radio work, arranged concerts and worked as a photographer.

She uses her close contacts to the movers and shakers of the music world to build FanART Games, which was started in early­2014. She has also studied digital media at the University of Jyväskylä.

“Fans can’t really get into contact with their favourite artists.

So why shouldn’t we offer them a new way to interact?” Toledo asks.

She points out that when Facebook first launched, many bands were not very enthusiastic about it, even though it’s now seen as a very important channel. Mega FAN! offers another new channel for bands to connect. At the same time smaller bands can find new fans.

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In spring 2014 FanART Games was the first company in Central Finland to receive a EUR 20,000 Appcampus grant. The grants are funded by Microsoft and Nokia, and organised by Aalto University.

Toledo is a self-confessed workaholic, and she runs two other­ new companies in addition to FanART Games.

She has now settled in Jyväskylä after a life on the road following her passion for music. In the six years she has been in Finland, she has lived in Jyväskylä, Helsinki and Viitasaari, which is north of Jyväskylä. Toledo has also lived in Brazil, Austria, Argentina and Germany. n www.fanartgames.com HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

BEATCON – GAME EVENT MEETS ROCK FESTIVAL Patty Toledo’s diary is full. As well as launching her new mobile game she has organised a major music and game event at the beginning of 2015 in Jyväskylä. Several thousand gamers­and music fans are expected to flock to Jyväskylä Paviljonki at the end of January.

BeatCon will feature talks and workshops hosted by game developers and figures from the world of music, as well as live music on three evenings. Game developers can also meet potential investors at BeatCon. Fans will be able to play games linked to the bands and win prizes.

“I want to bring together people who make music and develop games, and ordinary music fans and gamers,” Toledo says. The aim is for BeatCon to become an annual event.

• BeatCon Music & Games Festival, 29–31 January 2015 at Jyväskylä Paviljonki. www.beatcon.net

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MAKING TRANSPORT MORE NFleet’s transportation optimisation and planning tool is ideal for transportation companies that want to grow and get ahead of the competition. “We are in a Blue Ocean situation where the market is fairly empty and we only have a limited number of competitors,” says Jouko Nieminen, NFleet Oy’s head of product marketing.

Words by Pia Tervoja Photo by Petteri Kivimäki Graphics by Martti Hänninen

THE JYVÄSKYLÄ-BASED company has entered the markets with its NFleet tool, which streamlines transportation planning and optimisation for transportation companies. The tool does not mean it’s the end of the road for dispatchers, but it does reduce routine work and the potential for errors, and it speeds up tasks like calculating price quotes. It also helps to control opera­ tions efficiently in changing situations.

“At the moment SMEs do most of their transportation planning manually. With our service these companies can improve the efficiency of their transportation operations by 10–30 per cent. Customers can increase their turnover with their existing capacity,” Jouko Nieminen explains.

Targeting innovators Small companies can use the NFleet service as a web-based application without the need to pay licence fees. Larger companies can use the optimisation and planning capabilities as a cloudbased service within their enterprise resource planning system.

“Our customers also include software companies that develop ERPs. We supply their product with the calculation tool, which can be laborious to develop in-house,” says Tuukka Puranen, NFleet’s head of technology.

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NFleet is a young company, but its technology and business concept are the result of many years of development. The company’s shareholders were involved in research at the University of Jyväskylä’s Department of Mathematical Information Technology. Their group conducted research under the department’s CO-SKY project, which worked with companies and public-­ sector bodies to develop the service concept.

“We wanted to do our research in an entrepreneurial way. We were very eager to succeed, even though we didn’t know at the beginning whether we could turn our work into a business,” Jouko Nieminen says.

The business idea started to take off after funding was received from Tekes – the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation. During the funding period the group refined its business idea and the market situation became clear. The company was established in the summer of 2014.

“Our markets are in the EU. Potential customers are innovators who can see that our service will give them a competitive advantage.” n

www.nfleet.fi

HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

EFFICIENT

Jyväskylä Innovation and Business Factory knows how to create growth companies

Behind the technology and service concept employed by NFleet Oy lies academic research and development work extending over a number of years. Sisko Malkamäki and Jouko Nieminen’s area of responsibility is product marketing.

Tuukka Puranen (right) is responsible for technology at the company.

FROM IDEAS TO BUSINESS DIAMONDS

By Pia Tervoja Jyväskylä Innovation and Business Factory is a new service concept that offers intensive sparring to people who are either interested in becoming entrepreneurs or have already started their own business.

“We are a one-stop resource providing help in the various stages of entrepreneurship. As soon as someone gets an idea that can be turned into a business activity they can come to us. We are looking for customers among individuals and teams, and the staff, researchers and students of educational institutes,” says Veli-Pekka Heikkinen, Director.

The Innovation and Business Factory brings together under one roof public-sector business development organisations like the Enterprise Agency Jyväskylä Region, TE-services and Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd. Other partners include the University of Jyväskylä, JAMK University of Applied Sciences and Jyväskylä Educational Consortium.

More international ventures The Innovation and Business Factory offers its services to all candidate entrepreneurs, but growth ventures are central to its activities.

“The number of new companies being set up in the Jyväskylä Region is at a quite good level, but we should have more growth ventures aiming to enter the international markets. Our annual target is 400 business ideas, which will lead to the creation of 80 companies and around 20–30 business ideas that will be processed onto a growth track."

The Innovation and Business Factory started its operations in the early autumn of 2014. It is initially seeking to increase its visibility so that entrepreneurs will find its services. One of the ways its staff make contact with entrepreneurs is to participate in events aimed at start-up companies.

“Our tasks also include looking for investors who are interested in local companies,” Heikkinen adds. n

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JIRI HALTTUNEN

h Last year one of the activities accompanying the City of Light event

in Jyväskylä was the Autumn Night Run. The run enabled people to acquaint themselves with Jyväskylä’s night-time face in a novel manner.

Some of the runners even dressed the part for the light theme.

CITY IN A NEW LIGHT

TOUHO HÄKKINEN

2015 has been officially proclaimed by the UN as the International Year of Light, to be coordinated by the UN’s specialised agency for education, science and culture Unesco. Jyväskylä is the only city in the world which officially conducts cooperation with UNESCO’s International Year of Light organisation. The aim of the theme year is to bring out the importance of light and light technologies in people’s everyday lives and for mankind as a whole.

Words by Tommi Salo 18

h Portuguese company Ocubo’s Virtual Dancer was projected onto the

wall of a Jyväskylä shopping centre. Pictured here is a dancer from the National Ballet of Portugal.

HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

THE CITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ has acted for years now as an expert adviser on urban lighting both nationally and internationally. In addition to its own light-themed events Jyväskylä has arranged happenings and seminars in many different places in Finland as well as in Sweden, Estonia and Belgium.

“Our goal is to disseminate information on a number of issues, including what factors should be taken into consideration when planning urban lighting and how light pollution can be reduced. Research has also been done in Jyväskylä into the use of LED lights in urban illumination,” explains Jani Ruotsalainen, Coordinator of the City of Light project.

The city’s international City of Light event, which forms part of the International Year of Light, will be staged in Jyväskylä in October 2015.

The accompanying spread details the yield of light-themed events held both in Finland and elsewhere in Europe. n

PETTERI KIVIMÄKI

www.valonkaupunki.jyvaskyla.fi/english

Hiukkasen valoa (Particle of Light) event gave the public admission to the University of Jyväskylä’s Accelerator Laboratory. In the course of the evening the particle accelerator was presented with the help of a light installation and an introduction given to the work being carried out by various research teams. An interactive LHC tunnel had been brought to Jyväskylä from the world-famous CERN research centre in Switzerland and this allowed people to observe protons colliding and the reactions resulting from this. The younger participants had great fun having a go at proton football. g

JUHAN VOOLAID

SIMON ALLINGGÅRD

Energy efficiency and lighting expertise native to Jyväskylä has been exported to a number of places in Europe. People taking part in light-themed events have been given the chance to enjoy familiar scenery and buildings in a new light in Torshälla – part of the Swedish municipality of Eskilstuna – as well as in Hasselt, Belgium and Estonia’s second largest city, Tartu.

TARTU

ESKILSTUNA

HASSELT CITY OF LIGHT JYVÄSKYLÄ/ANNUKKA LARSEN

TARTU JUHAN VOOLAID

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EXPORTING FINLAND’S

EDUCATIONAL EXPERTISE Countries in the process of developing their education systems have a high regard for the expertise of Finnish education professionals. For a number of years educational organisations based in Jyväskylä have been exporting proven models from the Finnish education system around the world.

Words by Timo Sillanpää Photo by Jussi Ahonen

THE DEVELOPING ECONOMIES have realised that a qualified labour force provides a significant competitive advantage in the global economy. In China the aim of the National Plan for Medium and Long-term Education Reform and Development 2010–2020 is to have a modern vocational education system with worldclass standards in place by 2020.

“Areas that China wants to develop include vocational teachers’ pedagogic and vocational skills, the relevance of education to working life, skills assessment, and student-oriented models for implementing education and training,” says Project Manager Kirsi Koivunen of Jyväskylä Educational Consortium.

“IN CHINA THERE ARE

13 177 INSTITUTES OF SECONDARY VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE CURRENT EDUCATIONAL REFORM IS TO HAVE A MODERN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM WITH WORLD-CLASS STANDARDS IN PLACE BY 2020.”

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During 2014 experts from Jyväskylä Educational Consortium were involved in organising the Sino-Finnish Vocational Education Teacher Training Programme in Shanghai. The programme was implemented in collaboration with EduCluster Finland, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and Omnia, the Joint Authority of Education in the Espoo Region. In Shanghai the programme was arranged in the form of five oneweek-sessions, with 60 teachers taking part from two vocational institutes in the Minhang area of Shanghai.

“One factor that helped launch this collaboration was a visit by representatives of the Shanghai educational administration and teachers to Finland. In Jyväskylä they had a chance to hear about the distinctive features of Finnish vocational education,” Koivunen says.

EduCluster Finland Ltd is a Jyväskylä based expert organisation and its Manager, Asia Operations is Anna Korpi, who is based in Shanghai. She sees great opportunities in China for Finnish organisations involved in education development, but does not regard the market as an easy one.

“In Finland we have a number of strengths: we have a broad range of expertise, we are solution-focused, and we have the capacity to develop the entire

education system. Expertise is needed at many different levels: in schools, teacher training, and in the development of the entire system. But success in China requires a long-term effort, the right partners and successful projects and references,” Korpi states.

Kazakhstan relies on Finnish expertise The health care system of Kazakhstan is presently undergoing significant modernisation, and JAMK University of Applied Sciences is playing its own part along with the Laurea, Häme and Lahti Universities of Applied Sciences. The modernisation also impacts the status of nursing.

Finnish experts are involved in work HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

During the summer and autumn of 2014 Jyväskylä Educational Consortium’s experts visited Shanghai in order to explain the special features of the Finnish system of vocational education to local teachers in the field. Trainer Jussi Ahonen and Yimo Chen are pictured discussing instruction related to connecting contactors at Shanghai Southwest Engineering School.

TEAM ACADEMY HEADS FOR AUSTRALIA

to reform nursing education, acting in collaboration with the Kazakh Ministry of Public Health. The Finns are tasked with furthering the nation’s aim of raising nursing education from college to Bachelor level. In all, 60 nursing education institutes are being developed. Organisations funding the development work include the World Bank.

“In practice the country is modernising its entire health care system, because the development of nursing education is linked to the health care reforms,” says Timo Juntunen, Head of Education Export at JAMK University of Applied Sciences.

Experts from Jyväskylä have visited the city of Astana and been involved in organising continuing education for

teachers, staff and principals of institutes that provide nursing education.

One of the objectives of the efforts to develop nursing education is to strengthen teachers’ pedagogic skills, and for this purpose the JAMK Teacher Education College has drafted educational stan­ dards.

“State-owned company Kasipkor Holding is seeking to reinforce teachers’ vocational pedagogic expertise. The aim is to transform the role of vocational teachers to broaden collaboration with working life and make it a natural part of the teaching. Other elements of our cooperation include developing expertise relating to the evaluation of students’ skills and quality control practices, as well as training for trainers.” n

In early 2015 JAMK’s Team Academy (Tiimiakatemia) is going to take the team learning model to Australia, and to Melbourne in particular. Two cooperatives run by third year students – Millio and Mittava Innovations – will organise 1–2 day team entrepreneurship courses for university students and lecturers in Australia. In all nine students will be going to Australia.

“We aim to sow the seeds of team learning in Australia and get local universities interested in establishing Tiimiakatemia type units,” says Saija Valkonen, Communications Manager at the Millio Cooperative.

Over the years the Team Academy model has spread outside Finland. Team Academy units are currently operating in Brazil, Spain, France, Hungary, the UK, Netherlands and Tanzania.

Partus Ltd, which owns the Team Academy trade mark, is the organisation behind this drive to go international and also provides sparring for the students.

“The team learning model is also being promoted with international events. Learning Revolution in autumn 2015 will be a major event in Helsinki, and it will be attended by team learning experts from around the world,” Saija Valkonen says. n

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With a little effort, everyone can help to make cyber crime harder

CONTROLLING

THE RISKS Cyber security is risk control: when you go online, is the benefit worth more than the biggest possible loss you could suffer? Cyber threats range from minor nuisances to catastrophes that can shake entire nations.

Words by Tommi Salo Photos by Tero Takalo-Eskola

THE LIST OF CYBER ATTACKS is almost endless. In 2013 the Finnish Foreign Ministry discovered it had been the victim of a long-term campaign of cyber espionage. In just a short period passwords belonging to tens of millions of ordinary citizens were stolen from popular Internet services that everyone uses.

In 2007 Estonia suffered massive denial-of-service attacks. Back in 1989 data belonging to the University of Bologna was compromised. The attackers destroyed AIDS research data that had not been backed up.

“Gathering information about these attacks would be a fullday job,” says Martti Lehto, Adjunct Professor of Cyber Security at the University of Jyväskylä.

Scratching the surface of cyber attacks reveals an important fact: we should all understand the importance of cyber security in our everyday lives.

“There are aspects of data breaches that affect ordinary citi22

zens, states and companies,” Lehto explains.

Producing comprehensive statistics on the extent and effects of cyber attacks is difficult because not all victims want to speak up about what has happened. According to one estimate, cyber crime costs companies a total of one hundred billion dollars annually, which means billions in extra costs passed on to consumers and organisations.

In 2013 it was estimated that at least 550 million people fall victim to cyber attacks each year.

“Some experts have even estimated that the benefits of digitalisation are being outweighed by cyber crime,” Lehto adds.

Losing money, losing trust In spite of the cyber threats, there’s no going back to the analogue era. The digital world is getting more and more complicated; the amount of code is increasing, which means that bugs HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

JYVSECTEC (Jyväskylä Security Technology at JAMK) develops and maintains a cyber security infrastructure (RGCE, Realistic Global Cyber Environment) to enable research, development and training services for their co-operation network.

and security gaps get left in systems.

“In a sense, even companies can end up outside their own information systems when services are outsourced and complex systems are created,” Lehto believes.

Mika Kataikko, Director, Cyber Security at Jyväskylä Regional Development Company Jykes Ltd stresses that cyber security is always a question of risk control. What am I doing online, what can I achieve through it and what can I lose because of it?

“For example, companies can lose money­ and their customers’ trust as a result of their online activities. People in companies should always ask themselves: how much is our business worth to us and what would

“ACCEPT OFFICIAL UPDATES AND ALWAYS UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE TO THE LATEST VERSION.” MIKA KATAIKKO

be the cost of losing it? Sometimes it’s necessary to take protective measures, sometimes it’s enough to simply react, but the main thing is that the decision is based on the needs of the business,” Kataikko says.

There is a lot of discussion about the dangers of the digital world, but Kataikko explains that there are simple steps everyone can take to reduce the risks.

“Accept official updates and always update your software to the latest version.

Treat suspicious messages very carefully.

At least you can always check the exact address the message has come from or precisely what web address the message asks you to click on.”

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JAMK STUDENTS STRIKE BACK AGAINST CYBER THREATS

By Tommi Salo

Services produced by the RGCE at JAMK are offered to companies and other parties for training purposes and testing their own information systems.

uu

Attacks increase awareness Kataikko emphasises that the parts of the Internet that are ‘fair game’, like unprotected IP addresses, are sure to be in illegal use by someone.

According to the Jyväskylä based cyber security experts, people can take the first step towards a safer world by changing the way they think. If everyone who goes online uses commonsense and learns the basics about using the Internet safely then the criminals will have to go to even more trouble.

“People often think that the Internet is not dangerous as long as nothing happens,” Kataikko states.

“The threats range from minor nuisances to catastrophes. One thing that generally makes people wake up is when they lose real money,” Lehto adds.

Cyber threats do not respect national borders or language barriers, and cyber criminals do not work alone. According to Lehto, there is no solid, centralised control over cyber security.

“It’s difficult to say whether the crooks have already innovated all the possible methods of committing crimes. In any case, they do have a lot of methods at their disposal.”

Lehto sees it as essential that states, companies and research organisations work together to combat cyber threats, crime and terrorism. n

The Kangas project will be the main urban development project in Jyväskylä for several decades to come. In the future Kangas will be home to 5 000 inhabitants and 2 000 new jobs.

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In future degree students at JAMK University of Applied Sciences will be able to specialise in cyber security.

Following their first year of core subjects, students of cyber security on the Information and Communications Technology degree course will study the building blocks of the information society, and test their reliability and protect them against threats. They will also study programming and data networks from the perspective of security.

Some of the courses will take place in JAMK’s Realistic Global Cyber Security Environment (RGCE). Major problems arising from eDemocracy that affect data networks and information systems can be demonstrated in this isolated environment without compromising real-world systems.

Students at JAMK were previously able to qualify as cyber security professionals by completing a Master’s Degree. n

CYBER SECURITY HELPS TO KEEP KANGAS RUNNING SMOOTHLY

By Tommi Salo The Kangas area of Jyväskylä is being transformed into an environment for developing new approaches in modern living. An outline plan is being prepared for the Kangas ICT service architecture. This will incorporate elements such as safety, integration of electric locking and access control systems with equipment rooms, and the physical securing of the various spaces and areas. The ICT solutions also include a fibre optic and mobile phone networks, as well as smart building technologies and systems to display energy consumption rates.

Cyber security will play an important part in future services in the Kangas area.

“Planning for the area is oriented towards the safety and ease of daily life. At the moment we are determining what systems are needed for Kangas and how the different systems can be linked together in a way that makes life easy for the users,” says Tanja Oksa, Manager of the Kangas Development Project.

Areas where cyber security will be taken into account include the protection of privacy, data collection without identification of individuals, and controlled access to physical equipment environments. n

HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

IN BRIEF THREE MEDALS FOR CENTRAL FINLAND AT EUROSKILLS 2014

PHOTOS: SKILL S FINL AND RY

By Timo Sillanpää Competitors representing Jyväskylä College – which belongs to Jyväskylä Educational Consortium – won two personal medals at EuroSkills 2014, which was held in October in Lille, France.

450 young skilled workers, from 25 countries, competed over 3 days in 41 skills for the title best of Europe.

Joona Finni (Restaurant Service) and Oskar Hänninen (Print Technician) both won Bronze. In addition to his personal Bronze, Joona Finni was also a member of the group that won Silver in the Cook & Serve team category.

The Gold medal in Restaurant Service went to the host country, France, with an Austrian competitor taking Silver. Restaurant Service is the biggest category in EuroSkills, with 17 countries competing. It covers a range of tasks and performance is evaluated according to criteria ranging from technical knowledge to social skills.

The Print Technician Gold went to France and Silver to Portugal. In addition to offset and digital printing, this year competitors were tested for the first time on large format printing. Success requires concentration, speed, accuracy, broad technical knowledge and an understanding of quality requirements. n

Oskar Hänninen (Print Technician) and Joona Finni (Restaurant Service) both won Bronze.

KANGAS TO FEATURE AT INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY SHOW

By Pia Tervoja Kangas – which is Jyväskylä’s foremost city area development project – will be prominently featured at the MIPIM property investment expo.

The expo, which will be held in Cannes in March 2015, is one of Europe’s biggest and best known exhibitions in the property field. Jyväskylä will be part of a joint Helsinki-Finland stand.

Kangas is a 30 hectare area that was formerly occupied by a paper mill. By 2025 it will have around 2 100 jobs and 3 000 residents. Innovations planned for Kangas include the area’s own fibre optic network, and smart solutions for the municipal infrastructure, energy and parking.

The area is being planned around the concept of resource-wise living.

“Kangas offers a range of investment op-

portunities – not only for the construction of housing and workplaces, but also hybrid models where services, places of work and housing are combined into different types of investment packages,” says Anne Sandelin, Project Director.

Other parts of Jyväskylä that will be on show at MIPIM are the city-centre Lyseo block, Eteläportti – the ‘Southern Gate’ – and the Hippos area with its sports and wellbeing facilities. n

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IN BRIEF

ARCHITECTURE • ART • CULTURE • DESIGN • ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE • EVENTS • NEWS • SPORT • LIFE • EDUCATION

WANTED: INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS STORIES

By Pia Tervoja In 2015 the Kasvu Open will be Finland’s biggest growth entrepreneurship competition and sparring process and competition for Start Again companies.

The aim is for 850 enterprises to enter and of these 450 to take part in the Kasvu Open sparring process. In this endeavour the enterprises can count on the help of over 900 growth entrepreneurship professionals.

In the Kasvu Open use is made of the Kasvun Kiitorata (’Growth Runway’) concept developed by the University of Jyväskylä’s School of Business and Economics. During the year roughly 20 regional Growth Paths will be arranged for businesses. The winners will qualify for the Great Kasvu Open final to be held in Jyväskylä on 22.–23.10.2015.

“This year we are challenging enterprises to improve the preconditions for international growth, which will also be reflected in the sparring partner profiles. Those ready to get involved include seasoned professionals on the boards of important Finnish export companies,” says Matti Härkönen, CEO of Kasvun Roihu Oy. The Kasvu Open, to be staged now for the fifth time, has received good feedback from entrepreneurs. Enterprises have not only found new business partners and key personnel but also gained access to different financing models. n kasvuopen.fi The Jyväskylä-based mining branch equipment supplier Sleipner Finland won the 2014 Kasvu Open competition. Pictured here Sales and Marketing Director Janne Pöllänen.

PHOTO: TERO TAKALO-ESKOLA

JAMK GAINS EUR-ACE ACCREDITATION FOR ENGLISH-LANGUAGE LOGISTICS PROGRAMME

By Timo Sillanpää The English-language Logistics Engineering Programme at JAMK University of Applied Sciences­ has gained the prestigious EUR-ACE accreditation. This is the first programme at a Finnish University of Applied Sciences to achieve this international recognition of its quality.

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EUR-ACE accreditation is granted by the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education, ENAEE. The EUR-ACE accreditation agency in Finland is The Finnish Education Evaluation Centre (FINEEC).

Accreditation shows that the Logistics Engineering Programme meets the same quality criteria as equivalent programmes at leading

European educational institutes.

“For prospective students the EUR-ACE quality label shows that the programme we offer is of high quality. I also believe EUR-ACE accreditation makes our Bachelor of Engineering degree worth more in the marketplace,” says Sami Kantanen, Head of Department, Logistics. n

HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND

JYVÄSKYLÄ INTERNATIONAL TATTOO CONVENTION 30.–31.5.2015 The 1st Jyväskylä International Tattoo Convention is one of the newest and freshest body art conventions in the world. This convention will bring together an exciting range of creative, unique, talented tattoo artists from all over the world.

EVENTS 29.–31.1. BeatCon Music & Games Festival Venue: Jyväskylä Paviljonki – International Congress and Trade Fair Centre www.beatmusentertainment.me 6.–8.3. Building Trade and Home Renovation 2015 -fair Venue: Jyväskylä Paviljonki – International Congress and Trade Fair Centre www.paviljonki.fi 25.–27.5. CM3 – Computational Multi Physics, Multi Scales and Multi Big Data in Transport Modeling, Simulation and Optimization Venue: Jyväskylä Paviljonki – International Congress and Trade Fair Centre www.jyu.fi/cm3 30.–31.5. Jyväskylä Tattoo Convention Venue: Jyväskylä Paviljonki – International Congress and Trade Fair Centre www.jkltattooconvention.com 1.–5.6. Neutrinos and Dark Matter in Nuclear Physics – NDM’15 congress Venue: University of Jyväskylä, Department of Physics 8.–11.6. Meeting of the Nordic Microscopy Society – SCANDEM 2015 Venue: Jyväskylä Paviljonki – International Congress and Trade Fair Centre www.scandem.org

7.–12.7. Jyväskylä Festival Venue: Jyväskylä www.jyvaskylankesa.fi

23.–25.9. International Symposium on Exercise Physiology: Focus on High-Intensity Training and Nutrition Venue: University of Jyväskylä

30.7.–2.8. Neste Oil Rally Finland 2015 Venue: Jyväskylä Region www.nesteoilrallyfinland.fi 7.–9.8. 13th International Alvar Aalto Symposium Venue: Museum of Central Finland www.alvaraalto.fi

24.–26.11. European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network (ELGPN) Congress Venue: Jyväskylä Paviljonki – International Congress and Trade Fair Centre www.elgpn.eu AKK SPORTS LTD./TONI OLLIKAINEN

10.–13.8. Meeting of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement – PIRLS Venue: Jyväskylä Paviljonki – International Congress and Trade Fair Centre 25.–27.8. Systech Conference – Systematic Learning Solutions Conference & Expo Venue: University of Jyväskylä 2.–4.9. Bioenergy 2015 Venue: Jyväskylä Paviljonki – International Congress and Trade Fair Centre www.bioenergiamessut.fi 23.–25.9. Cybersecurity & ICT 2015, FinnGraf 2015 Venue: Jyväskylä Paviljonki – International Congress and Trade Fair Centre www.kyberturvallisuusmessut.fi finngrafmessut.fi

The Finnish round of the WRC calendar will be run on Central Finland’s sand and gravel roads from 30.7.–2.8.2015.

UNIVERSITY OF JYVÄSKYLÄ AMONG THE WORLD’S TOP 350 RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

By Timo Sillanpää The University of Jyväskylä is listed among the top 350 on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings list, which compares the performance of research-oriented elite universities worldwide. The university’s position on the 2014–2015 list published in October of this year was 351–400. The University of Jyväskylä has improved its result in particular where international

PETTERI KIVIMÄKI

joint publications and citations are concerned.

In 2011 the University of Jyväskylä was invited to participate in the Times Higher Education’s global comparison of universities, which has appeared in its present form since 2010.

On the American Best Global Universities Rankings list the University of Jyväskylä in turn occupied 496th position in the global comparison and came 215th in the comparison confined to Europe. n

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www.cyberfinland.fi

HUMAN TECH CENTER FINLAND