Student innovation competitions in Finland
In Finland, the work mainly focused on young people over the age of 13. Two innovation projects were carried out with secondary school students from Tampere Vocational College (Tredu) and Tampere Classical High School. TREASoURcE also participated in Tampere University of Applied Sciences’ Sprint Innovation Week.
Circular soltutions in the vocational college
The City of Nokia organized an environmental education week in the fall of 2024 and asked TREASoURcE to be a partner in a circular economy competition. Participants were from the Nokia campus of Tampere Vocational College, representing a variety of different professional fields.
The students were given the task of coming up with the best tips for the circular economy in their own field. We received numerous excellent ideas in response, including those related to recycling and the environmental impact of workplaces.
The winner of the competition was a group of business students with an idea for an app that encourages users to consume sustainably. The concept had been developed to a high degree and could be put into practice almost immediately.
Students wonder why no one admits to overspending
Also in autumn 2024, TREASoURcE carried out a circular economy project with students from Tampere Classical High School, in which the students investigated people’s thoughts on the circular economy and consumption.
Each student contacted interviewees of different ages and asked them about their thoughts on consumption, its sustainability, what they know about the circular economy, and what would encourage them to consume more responsibly.
The interviews revealed that older generations are unfamiliar with the term circular economy but may still act in accordance with its principles. This may be because they have lived in a poorer society and become accustomed to a more frugal lifestyle during their childhood. Younger age groups are more familiar with the circular economy but admit that they are victims of advertising and often buy new goods.
Innovation camp inspires circular economy ideas
The Sprint Innovation Festival is an innovation festival organized by Tampere University of Applied Sciences that brings together university students from different fields and experts from various organizations. At the festival, multidisciplinary teams formed by students tackle challenges for a sustainable future, with experts from various fields providing their perspectives.
TREASoURcE and its partners EcoFellows and Forum Virium Helsinki participated in the spring 2024 festival as working life experts, presenting the students with the challenge of “Mainstreaming circular economy”.
Nine student groups set out to innovate on the challenge. Halfway through the innovation camp, each team presented three alternative ideas to TREASoURcE’s Linda, Jaana, and Kaisa, who provided feedback. The final ideas were presented on the final day, and the groups had also carefully rehearsed pitching their ideas. The winning idea was a reusable coffee mug and its return system. An honorable mention was given to a carefully branded concept for a repair café.
The events and competitions strengthened multidisciplinary collaboration, broadened students’ awareness of circularity, and encouraged them to view their own disciplines through a circular‑economy perspective.
09.03.2026 | Jaana Koivisto (EcoFellows)
For more information, contact: linda.savijarvi@tampere.fi