Impactful RDI activities 2024
Laurea carries out externally funded practical research and development work in strategic research areas that are based on future needs and Laurea’s strong competence in healthcare and social welfare, service business, and security management.
Laurea’s RDI activities were at the centre of the EFQM evaluation carried out at Laurea in spring 2024, together with Excellence Finland (formerly Finnish Quality Association). Laurea achieved a record score of 502 in the evaluation, which is 65 points more than in the 2022 evaluation. At the same time, Laurea’s star rating increased from four stars to five stars. Compared to other organisations in Finland that were assessed with the EFQM model, Laurea was at the level of the median result or better in each evaluation area.
The evaluation found systematic and dynamic knowledge-based management, an open and encouraging atmosphere and a good operating culture, active collaboration, interaction, communications and good operating models as the main assets of Laurea’s RDI activities. The organisation of Laurea’s RDI activities and clear lead in the activities were also highlighted positively. The aim of the evaluation is to draw on the external evaluation team’s assessment of the long-term development of RDI activities, with a special emphasis on increasing the volume and enhancing the impact of RDI further. Based on written material and interviews, Laurea’s RDI activities are evaluated by experts representing different fields.
Laurea’s RDI activities received five stars in the external EFQM evaluation.
The projects coordinated by Laurea were rated highly also in a survey for the project partners. All respondents assessed Laurea’s overall success in coordinating the project as excellent or good. The survey was sent to the partners of the project that Laurea coordinated after each project had ended. An assessment of the different areas of a project, the significance of its outcomes, and their willingness to recommend Laurea were requested on the survey. The development suggestions obtained from the survey will be used to develop project activities.
During the preceding strategy period, the change project that focused on increasing the impact of research and development activities and competitive funding defined Laurea’s current research programmes and cross-cutting themes. The research programmes – a sustainable and versatile healthcare and social welfare sector, service business and circular economy, and consistent security – organise Laurea’s RDI activities into separate themes. The research programmes consist of individual research and development projects that carry out the actual research work. The cross-cutting themes of the research programmes are entrepreneurship, pedagogy and co-creation, digitalisation and information management in society, and ethical competence and foresight competence.
Laurea’s first project funded by the Business Finland Research to Business (R2B) programme – GreenSense – received funding in autumn 2024. The project handles the concept of innovative and sustainable sensors that support the wellbeing of older people with dementia. The project’s target audience is a special group, which emphasised the importance of Laurea’s expertise. Laurea’s human-centred study of vulnerable groups was a key factor that convinced the funder of how important the project is. The project is an important first step to the commercialisation of the research results. The aim is to make the results of Laurea’s RDI activities available to society as widely as possible. One way to do this is to base the results on business activities.
Laurea has been in the CoARA network since 2023. The International Coalition of Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) aims to reform research evaluation practices. One of the goals is that business competence and the societal influence of research would become even stronger merits when evaluating research. It is very important that universities of applied sciences are involved in the reform of practices, as RDI work at universities of applied sciences differs from the activities of traditional science institutions in many ways. Applied research and various development projects that affect the society are particularly emphasised in the university of applied sciences sector.
The results of the national monitoring of open science and research were published at the end of October, and Laurea was one of the five universities of applied sciences that achieved the highest level of evaluation. Laurea achieved the highest level of evaluation in all four areas: openness of the operating culture, openness of publications, openness of materials and infrastructures, and openness of learning. Within the sub-areas, Laurea has made progress especially in the openness of the operating culture and the openness of data and infrastructures, which are greatly affected by Laurea’s commitment to open and responsible career development and the management of the data produced in projects. Open publication of learning materials has also improved well compared to other universities of applied sciences.
Laurea’s diverse forms of publication are one way of strengthening the institution’s participation and impact in society. Alongside more traditional forms of publication, podcasts and videos are fairly new ways of producing and sharing information about our activities and reaching new audiences. In 2024, Laurea exceeded its publication target of 750 publications. For example, 354 articles were published in Laurea Journal online magazine. We published more than 70 videos and podcasts, and 12 books in the Laurea Publications series.
Examples of impactful RDI activities in 2024
The Living Lab for language learning and integration opened
The Living Lab is an innovative development platform that brings together developers, service providers, students, businesses, communities and researchers. The i4L -Living Lab for Language Learning and Integration brings together different actors with a common interest in immigrant integration and language learning. Learn more about the i4L Living Lab.
Laurea-coordinated project to develop e-learning in medicine in Ukraine
Laurea University of Applied Sciences is coordinating a new Erasmus+ funded project called Digital Transformation for Medical Education in Ukraine, which aims to support Ukrainian medical universities in their digital transformation. The three-year project will develop innovative solutions to support e-learning in the challenging war conditions in Ukraine.
Laurea's expertise included in a handbook for social welfare operators
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health published a handbook on the use of digitalisation in the social welfare and health sector. The publication ‘Digitalisation and its promotion of practices, skills and culture’ was written by Laurea's Principal Lecturer, Outi Ahonen, PhD.
VISU project: ecosystem nights to promote sustainable clothing
The VISU project, Village for Sustainable Clothing, coordinated by Laurea, which ended in 2024, has been an important step towards a sustainable clothing culture. The project focused on connecting young consumers, educators and textile companies through a new model of collaboration.