Program

• 13:00-16:00
• Higher education networks may reserve classrooms for on‑site meetings. Each room is equipped with USB‑C projection facilities and can accommodate approximately 15–40 participants.
• Venue: Taidelukio Lumit, Koljonniemenkatu 48–50
• Further instructions & registration: See Registration (link). 

• 08:30 Registration opens, morning coffee/tea and Karelian pasty available
• 09:15–10:00 Event opening: Hosted by Anne Heikkinen, Director of Communications and Impact, Savonia University of Applied Sciences / Opening remarks: Mervi Vidgren, President & Managing Director, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, and Laura Hirsto, Vice Rector, University of Eastern Finland / Savonia University of Applied Sciences music and dance lecturers Katariina Liimatainen (piano), Jari Tyni (piano), Terhi Kuokkanen (dance), and Johanna Partio (dance): Debussy – En Bateau
• 10:00–10:45 Keynote 1: Siamäk Naghian, Genelec
• 10:45–12:15 Lunch
• 12:15–13:00 Keynote 2: Jonna Korhonen, The Ministry of Education and Culture
• 13:00–13:15 Break
• 13:15–14:45 Session 1
• 14:45–15:15 Break, coffee/tea and pastry
• 15:15–16:45 Session 2

Evening Reception | 2 June, 18:45–23:00

Time: 18:45–23:00 (doors open at 18:45, welcome at 19:00)

Program:

• 19:00–19:15 Welcoming words
• 19:15–19:30 University Pedagogy -magazine awards ceremony
• 19:30–21:00 Dinner
• 21:00–21:45 Savonmaa! – musical performance Savonian evergreens as jazz arrangements! Savonmaa! is a fantastic jazz band from Kuopio that has breathed new life into well-known Savonian and Savonian-inspired compositions. The songs have been boldly reimagined, yet with respect for the originals. The band: Sanna Rosberg, vocals / Pekka Toivanen, saxophone / Kari Kalliokoski, guitar / Elina Lehikoinen, piano / Lemmy Lehikoinen, base / Tomi Kämäräinen, drums
• 21:45–23:00 DJ

Venue: Albatrossi – Makasiiniravintola, Makasiinikatu 1, Kuopio
Arrival: Located at Kuopio harbour, directly in front of the large breakwater. The venue has an accessible entrance.

Menu

• Green salad, dressing, olive oil
• Separate items: grapes, watermelon cubes, feta-style cheese cubes, olives
• Potato salad
• Hot-smoked salmon (served cold), roast beef (served cold), cold remoulade sauce for fish and meat
• Bread, herb cream cheese
• Dessert: coffee, tea and mango sheet‑cake slices
• Additional suitable options will be provided for vegetarians and vegans.

The evening reception includes two wine servings with drink tokens.

Admission: Included in the two‑day registration fee. Please bring your event pass, as it is required for entry.

No separate tickets available.

Dress code: Smart casual.

• 08:30–09:00 Morning coffee/tea and fruits
• 09:00–09:45 Keynote 3, Martin Weller, Institute of Education Technology (via stream-connection): Tales from the Riverbank – using metaphors from ecology to consider sustainability in higher education. 
• 09:45–10:00 Break
• 10:00–11:30 Parallel Session 3
• 11:30–13:00 Lunch
• 13:00–14:30 Parallel Session 4
• 14:30–14:45 Break
• 14:45–15:15 Event closing: Hosted by Anne Heikkinen, Director of Communications and Impact, Savonia University of Applied Sciences / Closing remarks: Laura Hirsto, Vice Rector, University of Eastern Finland, and Esa Viklund, Director of Education, Savonia University of Applied Sciences / KouKe’s remarks, passing the baton to the next organizer
• 15:15–15:45 Departure coffee/tea and pastry

CEO, Genelec

DSc (Tech.) Siamäk Naghian is CEO of the Iisalmi-based, internationally renowned sound system developer and manufacturer Genelec. Naghian joined Genelec in 2005. Before becoming the company’s CEO in 2011, he worked as the company’s R&D Director and Executive Vice President.

Naghian has also worked for Nokia in various research and development positions and leadership roles. Naghian received his doctoral degree in Technology from the Helsinki University of Technology (currently Aalto University). He has published several articles related to mobile networks and mobile applications and is one of the editors of a book on UMTS networks. He holds numerous patents in the field of wireless and mobile networks and sound reproduction systems. In 2018, Naghian was selected as the Enterprise Executive of the Year in Finland and in 2020, the alumnus of the year of the Aalto University School of Electrical Engineering.

Innovation management and the utilisation of innovations to promote the wellbeing of society and the environment are close to Siamäk’s heart, together with science, art and culture.

Naghian has been a member of the Board of the University of Eastern Finland since 2022 and was selected Chair of the Board as of 13 January 2026.

Director, Division for Higher Education Policy, The Ministry of Education and Culture

Jonna Korhonen serves as Director of Division for Higher Education Policy at the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Korhonen has over 20 years of experience in the development of higher education, international cooperation, and higher education policy in Finland and Europe. In her current role, she is responsible for leading the preparation, implementation and monitoring of higher education policy. Her work focuses in particular on the development and steering of the higher education system, EU education policy and internationalization, digitalization of higher education, continuous learning as well as Talent Boost cooperation and education-based immigration.

Over the course of her career, Korhonen has worked in the university and university of applied sciences sectors, at the European University Association (EUA) in Brussels, Universities Finland UNIFI, and CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd. She holds a degree in geography and also serves as Chair of the Government Digital Office and as Secretary General of the Ministerial Working Group on Reforming Society.

Professor emeritus, Institute of Education Technology

Martin Weller is Emeritus Professor of Educational Technology, at the Open University. He was the Chair of the Open Programme, the Open University’s flexible, multi-disciplinary degree, and the Director of the GO-GN, a global network of Doctoral students in the area of open education. He developed the OU’s first fully online course in 1999, which attracted over 15,000 students annually. He was the OU’s first VLE Director, and the Director of the OER Hub team, who undertook research into aspects of open education.

He is the author of numerous books including The Digital Scholar, 25 Years of Ed Tech and Metaphors of Ed Tech. He maintains a popular blog at blog.edtechie.net. He was the President of the Association for Learning Technology (ALT) for five years and held honorary chairs in open education from both ICDE (the International Council for Open and Distance Education) and Commonwealth of Learning.

Keynote: Tales from the Riverbank – using metaphors from ecology to consider sustainability in higher education. 

Abstract: Using metaphors from ecology relating to resilience of ecosystems, invasive species, cooperative conservation and rewilding, this talk will consider different approaches to developing sustainability of human based, caring approaches to higher education. It will offer higher level and practical suggestions for both institutions and individuals as higher education faces multiple threats and opportunities over the next twenty years.