First drafts of the campus vision scenarios now published

The three draft scenarios have been developed on the basis of a survey of the university community on the future campus, conducted in the spring, and through consultation with experts in different fields. Experts’ perspectives have been heard on topics such as digitalisation, sustainable development and internationalisation in higher education.

And don’t worry if you can’t make it to the campus vision days. The scenarios are available online and comments can be submitted until 21 November. The working group's scenario work will continue until the end of the year.

“The scenarios have been developed by looking into the future and considering different options. The scenarios are deliberately as different as possible from one another, but they all reflect the main priorities that the university community has emphasised in planning for the future. Priorities include community, interdisciplinarity, diverse facilities and events,” says Lotta Leinonen, chair of the vision working group.

Today, a survey has also been opened to students and staff, presenting all the priorities and allowing them to choose the ones most important to them. The same form also allows you to comment on the draft scenarios and give feedback on the campus vision process so far. The form will be open until Monday, 21 November 2022.

The scenarios are:

CAMPUS AS A CITY

The large campus area itself functions as a mini city that brings all faculties and functions together and offers services and encounters between the university community and the townspeople. At the core of the campus area is a center easily accessible by various means of transport, which is always open. This creates attraction and attracts services and events, tying all the townspeople to their own university.

CITY AS A CAMPUS

City as a campus approach emphasizes the lively entity formed by the University of Oulu and the City of Oulu together. Discipline or program-specific units nurture communal spirit, and they are in several properties, bringing flexibility to the management of properties and request for different learning and research spaces. All units and versatile services are concentrated in the center area within walking distance. The sustainability of the urban campus consists of the resource-wise reuse of existing properties and the opportunities that can be realized by new construction. The city campus is easily accessible to everyone and everywhere, mainly by foot, bike, and public transport.

WORLD AS A CAMPUS

The University of Oulu is an internationally acclaimed network producing education and research services and solutions. Campus is formed from network-based activities, which are spread into digital environments and mostly occasionally rented physical spaces in regional scope such as Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland or internationally. The University of Oulu offers a comprehensive experience of belonging to the scientific community and participation for all who desire it across the globe.

Campus vision days will be held in the Kieppi Lobby of the Kontinkangas campus on Wednesday 9 November from 10:00 to 13:00 and on Thursday 10 November also from 10:00 to 13:00 at the orange cloakroom on the Linnanmaa campus. The working group members will present the scenarios, and you can ask questions about the process and comment on the scenarios.

Work on the campus vision will continue as the campus vision working group continues to work on the scenarios based on the comments received. The scenarios will be further elaborated on and will also be discussed at the university's faculties, departments and the Student Union Council during November and December. These events will also provide an opportunity to comment on the scenarios before the final campus vision work is published. There is still time until the end of this year to create the vision, so there will also be plenty of time to influence both the scenarios and the process itself!

The 15-member campus vision working group includes university staff from each faculty, students and representatives from various service units. The campus vision working group started its work in March 2022, when the university's Board of Directors decided to launch a long-term visioning process for the campus. The purpose of the campus vision work is to examine the conditions for creating as uniform a campus area as possible for the University of Oulu's activities gradually over the next 25 years. Through digitalisation, studies and work are increasingly being done at freely selectable locations. The university’s overall need for space will be reduced and will focus on versatile, modifiable facilities.

More information:

Campus vision working group,

Chair Lotta Leinonen

lotta.leinonen@oyy.f