UBF 2022 – Responsible development in a changing world
Written by Jussi Meriläinen
For the fourth time University of Oulu faculty and stakeholders gathered in UBF, University Business Forum. This year’s theme “Power to renew” took shape with accompanying ideas of responsibility, collaboration, and lasting change in businesses.
UBF is arranged to bring forward the brilliant research conducted in University of Oulu. In last year’s fashion the event structure was in two parts: main session with keynote speeches, and 6 unique theme sessions representing all the faculties, with their own insights and focuses.
Arto Maaninen, Vice-rector of co-operation, opened the day presenting this year’s theme “Power to Renew”, a collective opportunity for change through research and evolving business practices. The following keynote speeches were presented by our long-time partners, contributing the overall theme by offering “Inspiration for renewal”.
Succeeding with change
In the first keynote speech "Succeeding with change" Sari Heinonen from OP-Henkivakuutus (Eng. life insurance) described how a company should continuously respond to changes in environment, in customer needs and in technological development.
The solutions given revolved around an organization with strong core values, a continuous strategy, and an adapting structure. She also emphasized responsibility and sustainability being critical parts of financial success in the future. These values should be reflected with everyone involved in company operations and integrated in the core business to be effective.
Solving the needs of future humans
The second keynote presented by Mikko Uusitalo from Nokia Bell Labs Finland introduced their world-class research and shone light on the role of external collaboration in their research model. The theme of renewal was presented as a transformation of industries through global collaboration, which in this case was the development of 6G technologies by University of Oulu and Nokia Bell Labs.
He also demonstrated how the collaborators in their DAP (Distinguished Academic Partners) program form an efficient network of research and businesses to drive disruptive innovations.
EU funding powers renewal
A very welcome surprise addition to our keynote roster was Pekka Sivonen, now former Head of Finnish Liaison Office for EU Research & Innovation in Brussels. His message was, how European Commission is encouraging the green and digital transitions of businesses and is providing plenty of resources for the effort.
The audience was presented with new data on of Finnish track-record on Horizon 2020 program. Especially Large companies and SMEs should seize more these opportunities in the future projects. Sivonen presented the Horizon Europe and Digital Europe as starting projects, that provide funding for the drivers of societal and digital change.
In the future UBF2022 texts we concentrate in the theme sessions, and how they offered “Power to Renew”!
