Karelia University of Applied Sciences acts as an employer and higher education community responsibly and promoting sustainable development. Our goal is to increase ecological, economic, social and cultural responsibility and well-being at our university. We constantly evaluate and develop the operation of the college. We implement an open operating culture in accordance with the principles of open science and research. The promotion of sustainable development is included in our education offer for degree students and in the offer of continuous learning and is an integral part of our RDI activities.
Karelia University of Applied Sciences’ Karelia2030 – Sustainable vitality strategy has strongly taken into account the three dimensions of responsibility. Responsibility is one of our three values.
We are committed to the low-carbon goals of the city of Joensuu and the province of North Karelia. According to the strategy, the goal is a carbon-neutral university of applied sciences by 2028. We involve multidisciplinary students, staff and partners in the development of responsibility, for example we promote resource-wise circular economy solutions in cooperation.
Karelia has a sustainable development and responsibility group and a sustainability coordinator. The task of the group is to advance and coordinate sustainable development and responsibility activities at the university of applied sciences. The group is also responsible for updating Karelia’s Sustainable Development and Responsibility Programme. The programme was published 14.2.2023.
At Karelia University of Applied Sciences, responsibility and sustainable development are part of the continuous improvement work according to the quality system. Karelia is involved in the cooperation of the calculation and management of the carbon footprint of universities of applied sciences. Karelia is also committed to the joint sustainable development program of universities of applied sciences.
Karelia University of Applied Sciences is a contractual partner of the North Karelia Biosphere Reserve and promotes the UN’s sustainable development goals through the cooperation network. The Biosphere Reserve of North Karelia is part of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Program sustainable development research, experimentation and development area network.
Karelia promotes the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
Through our operations, we promote Sustainable Development Goals in line with our strategic choices.
We promote sustainable well-being, especially in a sparsely populated area. Together with our partners, we develop products, services, operating models and technological solutions that support multidisciplinary sustainable well-being. We operate actively in provincial, national and international networks of the welfare industry.
We implement high-quality and accessible educational activities in our degree courses and continuous learning. We build a sustainable future by including sustainable development expertise in all our degrees. With our training activities, we bring know-how and vitality to working life. We listen and actively anticipate the needs of working life. We are a wide-ranging developer of the skills of work communities.
We will promote new investments, bold innovations and exports in our area through product and process development. We aim to be a national leader in climate-smart construction, new energy solutions and energy efficiency. We will develop green transition solutions in international networks together with our partners in work life and higher education institutions.
With our diverse education activities, we promote the training and participation in working life of people at different stages of life. We support the smooth introduction of advanced technologies and innovations to strengthen the growth and competitiveness of companies. We renew multidisciplinary learning, research and innovation environments for intelligent production and services. We offer companies the opportunity to develop their operations in interaction with our students.
We implement solutions to sustainability challenges in our research, development and innovation activities and in our research and learning environments, and we cooperate with companies in the region in the development of these innovations. We develop new intelligent industrial solutions and automation of service processes in a multidisciplinary way with our partners in the working and business world.
We are committed to the low-carbon goals of the city of Joensuu and the province of North Karelia. Climate change and the solutions related to combating it, such as the circular economy and resource wisdom, will be part of the teaching and activities of all our educations.
We work in cooperation with the area’s business life and stakeholders, as well as in international cooperation to promote sustainable development. We will create a truly international and networked higher education community in Karelia. With flexible education and partnership cooperation, we produce solutions to the challenges of diverse work and careers.
Contact information
Karelia UAS Sustainable Development and Responsibility Group:
Leena Väyrynen
Sustainability Coordinator (1.1.-30.6.2024)
[email protected]
+358 50 409 4582