Research projects 20

The designation of protected areas and of regions of special conservation interest has gained due relevance across the globe, particularly in the past three decades. Territories covered by protected areas are steadily expanding. Within this framework, numerous international strategies define the importance of Capacity Building and Training as the key challenge of the 21st century. The Training Masters in Ecosystem Services Management in Protected Areas (ECOSERVE) aims at developing an innovative practice-oriented MSc programme according to Bologna criteria in the field of protected areas management, and at meeting sustainable development and labour market needs through networking activities. ECOSERVE will be a qualitatively new MSc programme implemented in higher education institutions of the Russian Federation and Mongolia, strengthening their educational partnership with non-academic partners in the field of protected areas management and responding to demands for professionals of public services, private service providers and tourism businesses. It will contribute to adapt land management strategies to the actual changing natural drivers, such as climate, in alignment with global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The program knowledge base, materials and courses in Russian, Mongolian and English, will be continuously updated and disseminated through a network of resources centres of protected areas in Partner country HEIs, promoting inter-regional cooperation in environmental protection, nature and biodiversity conservation issues, and management.

Team

Cristina Vega

The Myanmar Energy and Environment Education (MEEE) project, coordinated by the Finland Futures Research Centre, directly contributes to the development of sustainable and inclusive socio-economic growth in Myanmar by enhancing capacities of Myanmar partner institutions to provide quality education on environment and sustainable energy for growing societal and energy sector development needs. Myanmar is currently in a critical time in its energy transition. To be able to attract investors in the renewable energy sector and to re-investigate the government’s RE targets, enhancing access to energy and electrification, as well as reducing CO2 emissions and environmental pollution from fossil fuels there is a dire need for nationally grounded energy expertise.

Team

Mika Korkeakoski, Noora Vähäkari, Osku Haapasaari, Jyrki Luukkanen

The CRECE project, coordinated by the Finland Futures Research Centre, supports Cuba in the provision of regionally relevant multidisciplinary education in sustainable energy engineering and renewable energy development. This is done in order to ensure that Cuban higher education institutions (HEIs) are better equipped and able to provide high-quality experts for the ever-growing societal and energy sector development needs. The Cuban energy sector is undergoing a state-led transformation. So far, this “Energy Revolution” has improved energy efficiency but harnessing renewable energy (RE) resources is still lagging far behind. In order to attract investors, meet the government's RE targets, and reduce CO2 emissions and environmental pollution from fossil fuels, Cuba needs national expertise and experts in RE development. CRECE answers this call by training skilled experts and enabling cross-sectoral and regional cooperation possibilities. Cuban partners will be better equipped to conduct international-level energy related research and provide sustainable energy experts to the growing labour market needs.

Team

Noora Vähäkari, Mika Korkeakoski, Osku Haapasaari, Jyrki Luukkanen

The overall objective of the project is to support Higher Education Institutions in Tanzania, Mozambique and Ethiopia to provide education that promotes sustainable socio-economic development. Application of renewable energy and adoption of energy-efficient lighting products and systems have the great potential to reduce the increasing energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. Tanzania, Mozambique, and Ethiopia have large potential of renewable energy and energy saving by applying energy efficient techniques. The project will support the development of much needed technical expertise and experience in the field of energy efficient lighting.

Team

Pramod Bhusal

The overall aim of the project is to strengthen the forest-related higher education system in Laos to improve domestic capacity to sustainably manage forests for the benefit of the people and the environment, while at the same time enabling Laos to effectively respond to the demands and opportunities of international processes such as the Agenda 2030 (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Team

Prof. Markku Kanninen; Nicholas Hogarth, Adrian Monge, Dipjoy Chakma

The collaboration between UEF and KNAU aims to provide an enabling environment for teaching fisheries and aquaculture, at both vocational and bachelor level, by training of trainers, developing teaching and study material and developing the teaching infrastructure at KNAU. The main activities of FishEDU are: 1) training of trainers on fisheries and aquaculture subjects and pedagogics 2) piloting of courses in two newly developed curricula and development of course material 3) establishment of an aquaculture demonstration fish farm and training centre and an e-library.

Team

Professor Raine Kortet, Professor Sari Havu-Nuutinen, University Lecturer Liisa Nurminen, Project Researcher Sofiia Nishaeva, Project Researcher Oksana Skaldina

To support and strengthen the capacity of Hamelmalo Agricultural College (HAC) so that it can contribute to increasing agriculture productivity and enhancing environmental sustainability, through their education mission by meeting ecological, economic and social needs and by building of new multidisciplinary partnerships and networks and strengthening of the existing ones.

Team

Mohamed Elfadl, Semere Amlesom, Juha Helenius, Mike Starr, Markku Larjavaara

The overall aim of the INDOPED project is to raise the teaching capacity of Indonesian University teachers that they will be enabled to bring the Higher Education to the European standard. The benefit of the INDOPED project for the Indonesian partners is to bring added value to their educational system, to introduce Indonesian lecturers to interdisciplinary pedagogical approaches that innovation becomes an integrated term in all of their doings. It will allow to prepare their students for the challenges on the labour market and to increase interfaculty and interuniversity cooperation possibilities that are not widely used in Indonesia.

Team

Jussi Riihiranta Meiju Keinänen Sakari Koivunen Vesa Taatila

  • Head of research Jyrki Luukkanen
  • Language n/a

The project responds to the identified needs of the Mekong HEIs to: 1) create sustainable energy engineering curricula, 2) improvement of sustainable energy knowledge, innovative pedagogical approaches, skills to foster research oriented learning, 3) improvement of international, national and regional networks DEEM project aims to integrate futures and sustainability thinking, promote innovation and entrepreneurship, build public-private partnerships and include innovative teaching methods. Associate partners from the governments and civil society provide guidance on most relevant challenges and skills needed.

Team

Dr Jyrki Luukkanen, Mr. Mika Korkeakoski, Dr. Jari Kaivo-oja, Mr. Timo Nurmi

The ENhHANCE project proposes enhancements for SECE-AAiT and CoICT-UDSM in engineering education, research capacity and industry outreach through collaborative activities with COMNET-Aalto. The COMNET-Aalto department is a long-established and leading unit for research and education in Finland in the area of networking and communications engineering, and plans to leverage that extensive knowledge and experience for the benefit of the partner HEIs (SECE-AAiT and CoICT-UDSM).

Team

Prof. Riku Jäntti (Aalto), Prof. Jyri Hämäläinen (Aalto), Dr. Edward Mutafungwa (Aalto), Beneyam Haile (Aalto), Dr. Dereje Hailemariam (AAiT), Dr. Eneyew Adugna (AAiT), Prof. Henry Kundaeli (CoICT-UDSM), Dr. Honest C. Kimaro (CoICT-UDSM)