RDI tackle topical challenges
The year 2021 offered a couple of significant research, development and innovation successes. The Horizon2020-funded FUSILLI project on sustainable food production started in the spring. It is TAMK’s first framework programme project. In the autumn, we received FIRI infrastructure funding from the Academy of Finland. The purpose of the funding is to strengthen technological abilities.
RDI staff deserve a big thank you for the second coronavirus year. Despite the challenges, our activities developed well and the growth of external funding continued.
RDI strongly focused on topical challenges. Examples of them are the Development of Surface Hygiene in a Changing Epidemic Situation project as well as projects on development of remote and digital work competences and student wellbeing. We invested in impact by directing communications to results and effects.
The number of publications continued to grow from 671 in 2020 to 824 in 2021. The number of publications doubled from 407 in 2019. The large proportion of open publications fulfils the open science and research ambition.
As a whole, external RDI funding grew slightly to €5.1 million (5.0 in 2020). Because of the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, this was a good achievement, especially in international projects.
Centralisation of international affairs coordination to one place was a large strategy-based change in development of internationalisation. We formed so-called continent teams which develop both education cooperation, RDI and business cooperation. All funding expertise was gathered to the External Funding unit. The measures aim at strengthening TAMK’s impact and competitiveness. Systematisation of partnership activities was also started.
Get to know our RDI specialists in these videos:
Text: Kirsi Viskari, Vice President, RDI
Editing: TAMK’s Communications and Marketing Services
Photo: Saara Lehtonen