Sustainable Societies
Sustainable Societies
#researchareas
Sustainable Societies
We create societal impact
by conducting RDI work with our partners, developing networks of companies and organizations, and promoting responsible business models.
As a key builder of comprehensive security,
we strengthen preparedness, resilience, and mental endurance by providing holistic support to individuals, companies, and public actors.
We promote the circular economy and sustainable consumption
by developing resource use across sectors while taking into account global climate, economic, and raw material pressures.
By focusing on regenerative industry and business,
we advance systems thinking and operating models related to the green transition and support innovations that generate sustainable growth.
In regional development,
we promote the smart specialization priorities of the region by building international clusters and ecosystems with our partners and by engaging in project preparation and implementation.
Our expertise includes e.g.:
- Business development
- Management and supervisory work
- Internationalization
- Service and product development
- Sales
Download our service offerings here!
Are you interested in collaborating with us? Share your ideas here and we will contact you!
Contacts
RD Manager
Kaija Villman
+358 44 785 6840
kaija.villman@savonia.fi
Research Manager
Tuomo Eskelinen
+358 44 7856613
tuomo.eskelinen@savonia.fi
RDI Team Leader
Raisa Leinonen
+358 44 7855 833
raisa.leinonen@savonia.fi
Sustainable Societies’ RDI Articles
Can play help solve regional challenges? Lessons from cooperation across borders ›
Building Resilience Through International Collaboration: Savonia at FH JOANNEUM Staff Week 2026 ›
Impact Pathway – A Tool for Evaluating Alternative Futures, Action Portfolios, and Adaptive Pathways ›
Savonia participated Waste4Soil Project Meeting in Ljubljana ›
Learning to Use AI Wisely: Insights from a Practical University Students’ Workshop ›
Lessons from Conference Visits: What Did We Learn from Gamification and Games for Health? ›
Two Mission Soil projects developing business models for soil health in a co-creation workshop ›
When games and regional development met – InnoGS project partners’ visit to Finland ›
Examples of our ongoing projects:
Waste4Soil
The project develops technological and methodological solutions for recycling food waste from the food industry into local bio-based soil conditioners to improve soil health.
Soil Pollution Processes – Modelling ad Inclusion Advanced Digital Decision Support Tools (SOILPROM)
SOILPROM will improve the modelling of soil pollution processes for metals, PFAS, nutrients, microplastics, and pesticides through soil, air, water, and plants compartments, to reach reduced levels of pollution and healthier soils across Europe.
Climate Engine
The project’s mission is to launch five new Climate Innovation Laboratories, strengthening entrepreneurship, accelerating innovation-to-market pathways, and embedding long-term institutional change.
Developing Industrial Tourism in Northern Savonia
Project focuses on creating both digital and physical industrial tourism routes, developing and packaging tourism services, establishing a regional network of industrial tourism companies, piloting the developed concepts, and promoting the opportunities of industrial tourism through communication. The project highlights the history and stories of industrial companies as part of the regional development of Northern Savonia.
More information from:
Project Manager Katariina Moilanen,
+358 44 785 6266, katariina.moilanen@savonia.fi
Midlife Career Chance (Change) – Life Long Learning
The CHANCE project aims to improve the competencies and skills of adults in the 50+ group through a tailored training program to start their own entrepreneurial projects, pursue a career change, or work as freelancers.
Art without Barriers – Inclusiveness through Art
The project aims to increase the participation and inclusion of those in the most vulnerable positions and to improve the target group’s social cohesion through art activities.
TESAR – Training for early-stage researchers on Evidence-Informed Policymaking
TESAR project’s mission is to bridge the gap between research and policymaking by empowering early-stage researchers (ESRs) with the knowledge, skills, and tools to turn evidence into impactful policy. Project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
More information also from:
Project Manager Maria Luojus,
+358 44 785 6083,
maria.luojus@savonia.fi
BoostECO – Building Future-proof Ecosystems
The goal of the project is the user-based joint development of North Savo’s ecosystems and cluster cooperation.
Energy efficiency, sustainable decision-making and responsibility in space utilization (“E-Teho”)
The project will produce a new responsible process development model for planning and decision-making regarding alternative uses for underutilized properties.
Weather Disruption – Solutions for civil protection emergencies caused by extreme weather conditions
The project aims to strengthen preparedness for disruptions to food and water supplies caused by extreme weather events in civil protection situations by developing operational capabilities and solutions.
More information:
Project Manager Jyri Wuorisalo,
+358 44 785 6914,
jyri.wuorisalo@savonia.fi
InnoGS – Innovation through Gamification
The project aims to support rural regions by developing inclusive, digital innovation communities called Digital Innovation Districts (DIDs). These communities bring together local people, organisations, and authorities to solve challenges using creative and gamified digital solutions.
The Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security
The project’s aim is to develop the operating model of the Centre of Excellence for Comprehensive Security so that the comprehensive security expertise in the region can be productized and solutions can be transmitted to the national level and also operate in global networks.
Tahko – The Destination for Every Season
The two-year business group project’s main objective is to attract more international tourists from nearby markets to Tahko tourist resort. At the same time, the project aims to enhance the international productization, marketing, sales, and communication skills of local companies.
More information from:
Project Manager Tiina Kuosmanen,
+358 44 785 6097, tiina.kuosmanen@savonia.fi
NewSteps – Enhance Career Transition for professional dancers applying Dual Career approach to dance industry
NewSteps is a project focused on supporting European dancers by equipping them with educational tools, career development opportunities, and networking activities to address the critical issue of career transition and career changes.
More information from:
Project Manager Johanna Partio,
+358 44 785 7417,
johanna.partio@savonia.fi
Enhancing Comprehensive Security through Energy Storage (“Turva-akku”)
The project examines and develops comprehensive security in North Savo, with a particular focus on energy. It enhances the expertise and activities of Savonia UAS and the participating organizations in relation to energy resources, energy efficiency and security of energy supply. This is achieved by developing calculation methods and tools for sizing solar photovoltaic systems, also considering the storage of electrical energy in batteries.
More information from:
Project Manager Jari Niemelä,
+358 44 785 7553,
jari.niemela@savoniafi