VAMK’s new strategy – promoting a wellbeing economy
Vaasa University of Applied Sciences’ new strategy 2035 was created through an interactive and participatory process. According to its new strategy, VAMK is positioning itself as a promoter of the wellbeing economy and is particularly an international leader in sustainable development and the energy transition.
Vaasa University of Applied Sciences has renewed its strategy for the years 2025-2035. The vision of the new strategy is to be the main partner in expertise for the working life, students, and collaborators. In the updated strategy, VAMK is strongly looking to the future and positioning itself as a promoter of the wellbeing economy.
The wellbeing economy aims for an ecologically and socially sustainable economy by investing in people’s wellbeing, such as in skills and knowledge. The goal is to create competitive advantage for the working life stakeholders by training future experts and providing pioneering insights.
”At the core of our strategy is a constant dialogue with our partners, so that together we can find solutions and best practices that contribute positively to society and support students’ abilities to meet the changing needs of working life. At the same time, the focus of our activities is enabling our students to build their own future, in accordance with their own wishes and goals,” says CEO, President Hannu Vahtera.
The strategy was renewed together with stakeholders
The goal of the strategy renewal was to create the conditions for clarifying the operations and to better respond to the challenges of a changing world. For this reason, VAMK’s strategy renewal was carried out as an interactive and participatory process, involving input from VAMK’s students, staff, and key stakeholders.
In the beginning of the strategy journey, the independent think tank Demos Helsinki was involved, with a task was to act especially as a sparring partner and challenger.
”Through surveys, workshops and stakeholder interviews, we have been able to gather comprehensive views and ensure that the new strategy meets the common needs of the region and VAMK,” tells Sirpa Rutanen, Communications and Marketing Manager.
“Especially from the point of view of communication, it has been important that the strategy process has been transparent and inclusive. The task of communications is to continue to support strategy work by clearly communicating concrete results so that the new strategy becomes known both internally and externally,” continues Rutanen.
International leader in sustainable development and the energy transition
The themes in the renewed strategy emphasise VAMK’s role as an international leader in sustainable development and the energy transition. These themes reflected in both education and research, development, and innovation activities (RDI), include the energy transition, smart digitalisation and the clean transition, international business expertise and logistics, solutions for the wellbeing transition, as well as design thinking and system design.
