Sustainability in practice at HAMK – walking the walk

Sustainability is on everyone’s agenda, but how many actually practice it?

At Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), we always try to set an example by not just implementing sustainability teaching into the core of our courses but also by putting it to work in real life.

One of these projects was done at the Valkeakoski campus, at the International Business Degree Programme, in autumn 2023. It was a continuation of the collaboration between HAMK, represented by senior lecturer Simona Chilba and Kierrätyskeskus Helsinki. Kierrätyskeskus Helsinki has created a network of reuse operators within Finland, with the scope of developing the intensity of reuse processes as part of the sustainability challenges of reaching set targets for 2030. The project was called CircWaste, and the created network’s name is RENET.

The sustainability challenge

The new Waste Law Act in Finland states that reuse activities should surpass recycling activities. The CircWaste project was created to raise awareness about the reuse situation in the country but also to give an equal opportunity for companies and entities to become more engaged in waste preparation so that it can be reused at maximum.

Following the collaboration discussion between HAMK and CircWaste, five student projects were created to tackle the sustainability challenge of reuse within specific sectors. The chosen sectors were some of the most challenging (private individuals, textile industry, electric and electronic equipment community, building materials and furniture industry – from industry to municipalities). The projects have been handled during the spring term as part of the course on principles of sustainability.

The outcome was a detailed analysis of each sectorial implementation of reuse processes, plus a long list of recommendations for the CircWaste representative. The company representative has graded our students’ work as outstanding, being highly impressed by their work and the research results obtained. The results were further used by the CircWaste project to develop sustainability solutions within the country. The company representative also took around four pages of notes during the face-to-face presentations of student groups.

Taking the projects further than the classroom

The collaboration did not end there. During this project, HAMK students have gotten in touch with the Valkeakoski city’s Climate Specialist to organize an event to raise awareness amongst the local community on the importance of reuse.

The reason for this was that they felt the learning should be transferred further to other involved stakeholders. As the City Council agreed on the event, HAMK IB has created a new project, and a team of students have been selected to help with the logistics and administration. CircWaste also decided to support the event, and an advertisement has been sent to all reuse operators in Finland. The city of Valkeakoski has also sent invitations to companies and operators within six adjacent municipalities.

The work of students

As the main creators of this one-day event, named Eco-Koski Tapahtumat (“Eco-Koski Happenings” in English), the students took charge and dealt with the event with a complete project planning tool and started inviting company representatives to speak. They got in touch with local companies through calls or direct visits. They invited local businesses to present their sustainability practices to the event.

Recycling and reuse events were organized for locals and student communities in Valkeakoski on the event day (14th September 2023). Social sustainability was considered, and several relaxation and creation activities were also set: a music recital of Iranian music, a football game with local school children joined by a football star from Ilves-Kissat, a music recital from the pupils of Valkeakoski Lifelong Learning Center Music School, a yoga and meditation lesson by the Art of Living Organization and a violin music recital by one HAMK student.

As for the reuse practices, representatives of companies demonstrated their corporate sustainable practices. The ones that joined on the day were Finn-Korkki Oy and Styrofoam Oy. Other representatives from local schools participated alongside the local community. The Soroptimist Society brought in textiles for sale, and a blogger called Tuunaajamutsi organized amazing textile painting and paper-art creation workshops. A few other HAMK students also had their own workshop set to show how art can be made differently through pixel art and paper reuse for decorations and flowers.

The follow-up

The event was a success, and it is a proven effect of what can be done if people start taking action and putting into practice the learning. The day brought the local community and HAMK students into a creative socializing event, where they had the chance to practice their Finnish language skills and socialize with different cultures. It was an amazing result and an example of how student work can support the sustainability challenges that our society is facing in a fun and interactive way.

The main outcome of the event is that it is now a yearly setting for every spring period, thus also ensuring the permanent link between HAMK students and the local community. This contributes not only to the newly created social connection but also to implementing sustainability practices as a direct part of the curricula at HAMK IB.

The students used material with the old HAMK logo and created an art piece that is now sitting on the wall of the HAMK Valkeakoski campus. As the title says, at HAMK, we put sustainability into practice not only by teaching but also by doing. In this way, we try to be part of the forerunners in changing the world into a more sustainable one.