The South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk), is a strong partner for businesses, research institutions, and development organisations in the regions of South Savonia and Kymenlaakso. We help companies to succeed, we foster new entrepreneurship, and we address regional, national and global challenges.
The research infrastructure of our campus cities in Kouvola, Kotka, Mikkeli, and Savonlinna directly serves the businesses in our regions. We develop innovative solutions in areas such as new logistics, sustainable circular economy practices, cybersecurity, and digital business solutions.
We are pioneers in oil spill response, wood fiber processing, and user-centered design. Our focus includes conducting youth research that promotes equality and developing environmentally safe solutions for growing industries.
Our research and development activities aim to renew the vitality of South-Eastern Finland. The impact model of our Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) work is guided by three cornerstones: the environment and sustainability, a human-centric approach, and entrepreneurship with high added value
Our areas of expertise include the digital economy, sustainable well-being, seafaring and logistics, as well as forestry, the environment, and energy.
Our eleven research units strengthen the vitality of our regions and people’s well-being with their unique expertise. Our experts explore, experiment, and develop new products and services, and conduct research to meet the needs of businesses and working life. The research units and laboratories also provide versatile measurement, analysis, and expert services.
A solution-oriented approach and active collaboration with our partners are at the core of our operations. Our top-notch expertise furthermore serves Finland’s largest companies and export industries.
Research and development activities bring the latest knowledge and experts to the region through extensive national partnership networks and international research consortia. Through the continuity of projects, knowledge and expertise accumulate, making the impact stronger than that of individual projects.
Our expertise plays a central role in the sustainability leap of our regions. We develop new value-adding solutions from various perspectives and across different industries.
Our core expertise supports the strategic priorities of the regions and leverages the strengths of the area. We develop user-centric services and products to promote sustainable development and successful business operations.
Examples of ecosystems that combine partnerships and customer relationships include the Logistics Center of Excellence in Kouvola, the Fiber Laboratory in Savonlinna, and EcoSairila in Mikkeli. The Smart Campus in Kotka’s Kantasatama, the Digital Knowledge Management Memory Campus in Mikkeli, and the Circular Economy Hub Hyötyvirta in Kouvola are evolving into environments where research and development naturally link to business activities.
In addition to supporting regional development strategies, our research and development activities also contribute to national and international programs promoting sustainable growth and the green transition.
As a higher education institution, we utilise the knowledge gained from Research, Development and Innovation in our teaching. Students have the opportunity to conduct their thesis projects for companies or participate in internships as part of RDI projects.
Our extensive publication output provides the latest knowledge and best practices from research and development to support the activities of regional stakeholders in improving their own operations.
The goal of our Research, Development and Innovation work is to achieve positive change and create lasting benefits; in other words, to generate impact. The broader impact on regional development often materialises over a longer period of time and in various operating environments.
Societal impact is the result of multiple factors. On one hand, it manifests itself in the number of new businesses and job opportunities, and on the other hand, in the improvement of people’s well-being.
At Xamk, research and development activities are systematically measured and evaluated at various stages of each project’s lifecycle. Strong expertise in project and quality management supports the impact of our development work. Collaboration with education and the business community ensures that knowledge translates into new, better practices.
It is crucial to our work that we reflect together with regional stakeholders on what we aim to achieve with our RDI. What is the societal problem we want to solve? With whom and for whom do we create change? Through what specific actions can we best support the region’s vitality in both the short and long term?
We seek answers to these questions with our partners.
In case you read Finnish, you can find more information about our RDI impact model in ‘Vaikuttavuus ei ole kvartaalitaloutta’, an article on XAMK READ, our RDI publication, with references to further reading at the end:
https://read.xamk.fi/2022/muu-kehittaminen/vaikuttavuus-ei-ole-kvartaalitaloutta/
Impact does not come about in a vacuum. It requires collaboration, networking, and long-term dedication.
Economic indicators highlight Xamk's regional impact. The recognition of Xamk's significance by Timo Aro, an expert in regional development from the Finnish national research organisation VTT, underscores its critical role.
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