Research
areas

Research profile and areas: Comprehensive Security, Resource Wisdom and Renewable Industry

The mission of our RDI focus areas is to provide research services that enhance the growth, profitability and internationalisation of the key sectors in the regional economic structure. To maintain high impact, our investments in the development of our competencies are tailored to regional needs. Activities in the RDI focus areas must be on a high national level and contain international research collaboration as well. In addition to the specific focus areas, we continue with RDI activities in response to regional development end educational needs in all areas under the educational responsibility of Savonia.

The research areas include Bio and Circular Economy, Well-being, Sustainable Societies, Machinery and Energy, Food System and Water Safety. The research areas strengthen Savonia’s work-oriented activities and national and international partnerships, and integrate into the objectives and activities of Savonia’s work-oriented training programmes.

Each research area has a societal mission and role in the orientation and implementation of research carried out under the profiles. The research areas provide training, testing, analysis, expertise and research services in cooperation with public authorities, local businesses and other partners.

RDI focus areas and their key missions are:

Machinery and Energy

• Savonia supports sustainable business and green and digital transitions in the local mechanical engineering and energy industries together with sectoral ecosystems.
• Applications include product development and design in the technology industry, production and materials engineering, and production technologies and electricity distribution in the energy industry.
• Savonia’s main research subjects include product and plant innovation, additive manufacturing, renewable energy sources, new forms of energy and energy storage.

Contact:

Mechanical engineering, Esa Jääskeläinen, R&D Manager, esa.jaaskelainen@savonia.fi, t. +358 44 785 6271
Energy technology, Jarno Ruusunen, R&D Manager, jarno.ruusunen@savonia.fi, t. +358 44 785 6778

Wellbeing

We operate within the KuopioHealth ecosystem and coordinate the implementation of the ecosystem agreement between the City of Kuopio and Ministry of Economic Affairs and Empoyment of Finland.

Central themes:

• Effective Sote service production and customer-oriented development of services using smart technologies, service design and business development.
• Sustainable and personalised promotion of well-being and the use of cultural well-being perspectives.
• Development of new learning environments – VR/XR technologies, appropriate learning platforms and gamification
• Child protection, inclusion, digitalisation of social work and the future of early childhood education and care.

Contact:

Mikko Ylilauri, R&D Manager, mikko.ylilauri@savonia.fi, t. +358 44 785 6152

Water Safety

• Our main areas of expertise include water treatment technologies and smart water management solutions. We apply our expertise primarily to urban water management and the development of integrated management systems for water-intensive industries, in particular mining, pulp and paper, and agriculture.
• We carry out large-scale piloting and testing in order to create tangible added value for our partners, accelerating product development processes in relation to new innovations.
• We play an active role in the Kuopio Water Cluster and have contributed to its transformation into a recognised international agent.
• Savonia coordinates the implementation of the ecosystem agreement between the City of Kuopio and Ministry of Economic Affairs and Empoyment of Finland.

Contact:

Eero Antikainen, R&D Manager, eero.antikainen@savonia.fi, t. +358 44 785 6325

Food Systems

We improve the vitality and well-being of the region by developing the local food system. We increase the competences and capacities of companies operating in the food sector and in business development and launching new innovations in the sector’s ecosystems.

Central themes:

• Improving primary production processes and the profitability of producers’ businesses
• Improving the operational capacity of food businesses and generating new innovations
• Developing sustainability in the food service sector and promoting food tourism

Petri Kainulainen, Director of Education, petri.kainulainen@savonia.fi, t. +358 44 785 6635

Bio and Circular Economy

• Our research activities focus on bio-based products and material cycles and related piloting and processing solutions.
• We make recycled fertilisers and soil improvers using industrial byproducts, agricultural field and biomass, with the aim of facilitating the nutrient cycle. We promote the implementation of know-how and new technologies in a way that strengthens the circular economy in the region.

Contact:

Harri Auvinen, R&D Manager, harri.auvinen@savonia.fi, t. +358 44 785 6923

Sustainable Societies

• We improve Savonia’s strategic competitiveness while focusing on the development of innovative economic thinking and innovation culture. We support sustainability investments made by other companies.
• We explore the social acceptability of innovations and develop value networks, innovation ecosystems and responsible business models.
• We improve the resilience of different actors in society as part of comprehensive security. We create new opportunities for developing disaster management.
• We support the resilience of residents in times of crisis. We integrate Savonia’s climate security and cultural expertise into regional, national and international development processes.

Contact:

Kaija Villman, R&D Manager, kaija.villman@savonia.fi, t. +358 44 785 6840

Business services that innovate work-oriented partnerships

Savonia’s business services (design, development and testing services) transform the overall way in which businesses and partnerships interact with their customers. Companies are guaranteed the new opportunities and benefits created by Savonia’s multidisciplinary approach and applied research and development. The business services develop Savonia’s partnership model.

The learning and RDI environment for entrepreneurship and innovation shared by Savilahti operators increases the level of competence of students and businesses in the region. Co-development environments are used to address the shortage of professionals faced by companies and the ongoing development of personnel competences.
Business Center North Savo, DigiCenter North Savo, Design Center and Wellness Center strengthen multidisciplinary services as well as business, network and international cooperation, which helps to develop and diversify local business.

Contact:

Kaija Sääski, Business Services Director, kaija.saaski@savonia.fi, t. +358 44 785 6922

Contact:

Aki Happonen, RDI Expert, aki.happonen@savonia.fi, t. +358 44 785 6033