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Tampere University's team in the School of Digital Technologies of Tallinn University

As a follow-up to the Tampere University visit from 25 – 28 October 2021 by a three-member team from the School of Digital Technologies, a delegation from Tampere university paid a reciprocal to Tallinn University for the period 07-09 June 2022. The key objective was consolidating cooperation in shared course deliveries and joint project engagement pursuits. The Tampere University was represented by Markku Turunen, Professor of Interactive Technology; Sirkku Kotilainen, Professor of Media Studies; Anna Castrén, Education Specialist and Pauliina Baltzar, Doctoral Researcher. The delegation was received by the Leadership of the School of Digital Technologies (Peeter Normak, Director of the School of Digital Technologies, Hans Põldoja, Director of Studies and Merja Bauters, Professor of Digital Transformation and Lifelong Learning).

In his welcoming remarks during a meeting, Peeter Normak gave a nostalgic account of the long collaborative history between TLU and Tampere University. He expressed his excitement about the new cooperation between the institutions and promised his support for the collaborations between the Digital Transformation and  Lifelong Learning Research Group and Tampere University.

Activities began with various institutional presentations from the Tampere team. Markku and Sirkku showcased their research activities on Accessibility/XR and Perspectives of Sustainability on Digital Literacy, respectively. TLU team PhD student and junior researcher Ekaterina Krivich on empathy research, Darja Tokranova on participatory design in the creative use and Associate Professor in  Digital Transformation Nuno Correia on audiovisual design and novel technologies in the use of performance artists gave their presentations.

Figure 1. Presentation by Sirkku Kotilainen on Perspectives of Sustainability on Digital Literacy.

Figure 2. Presentation by Markku Turunen on Accessibility/XR

 

Figure 3. Presentation by Nuno Correia on embodied experiences

Next on the agenda was a visit to the EduSpace, where Visiting Research Fellow Janika Leoste presented the EduSpace theoretical background, methods and tools such as robotic games and telepresence.

Figure 4. Janika Leoste presents the EduSpace 

After visiting EduSpace and playing with tools, the participants went to see Citizen OS to understand the collaboration the Open Society Technology (OST) program does with Citizen OS. Sara Sinha presented what Citizen OS does and how they collaborate with OST. Anett Linno, the CEO, provided in-depth views on Citizen OS's future strategies. The discussion was lively on qualitative and quantitative analysis of deliberate democratic platform use, social hackathons and virtual environments on where and how these could be useful.

 

Figure 5. Sara Sinha explains the Citizen OS platform use and technical background. 

The outcome of the visit was tightened collaboration between the Tampere University program on Sustainable Digital Life and OST, student and teacher exchanges, and joint funding applications.

 

Metropolia University of Applied Sciences visited Tallinn University's School of Digital Technologies

On the 16th of June 2022, a Metropolia University of Applied Sciences delegation paid a visit to Tallinn University. The School of Digital Technology's Digital Transformation and Lifelong Learning Research Group hosted the team.

The Metropolia team included Director RDI Anna-Maria Vilkuna, Senior Specialist in RDI Services Minna Möttönen, Project Manager Päivi Keränen, Director, Innovations Minna Elomaa-Krapu, Smarter Mobility Center of Innovation Oscar Nissin, Data-driven construction Anna-Stina Tähkävuori, Director for Innovation Hub Mona Roman, Manager, R&D Development Services Antti Laurikainen, Manager, R&D Development Services Maarit Haataja, and Senior Advisor Susanna Näreaho.

Participating in the reception from the Tallinn University side was Director of the School School of Digital Technologies Peeter Normak, Prof. Digital Transformation and Lifelong Learning Merja Bauters, Research Fellow in Digital Transformation Abiodun Afolayan Ogunyemi, Research Fellow James Sunney Quaicoe, and Junior Researcher Marwa Samih Mahmoud Seoudy Ibrahim.

As part of the activities, the Metropolia UAS team visited The EduSpace (Innovation Laboratory) of Tallinn University and later discussed with the Digital Transformation and Lifelong Learning research team about their research, study lines, and departments of Tallinn University - with the intent of establishing a formal inter-institutional collaboration in the future. Consequently, the two universities have identified specialities overlaps and earmarked potential collaboration areas as follows:

•       Workplace learning research, primarily through the novel tools developments

•        Algorithmic systems and how to implement the regulations

•       Exchange of Bachelors to do their thesis on our research items and our master students to use Metropolia
        research cases as case studies for their master thesis 

•       AR/VR/XR technology usage with Helsinki XR center in the areas of workplace learning and creative industries 

•       HEI and vocational learning development with various digital tools 

 

Figure 1. Director of the School of Digital Technologies - Peeter Normak, Merja Bauters - Professor of Digital Transformation and Lifelong Learning and Metropolia UAS’ Director RDI Anna-Maria Vilkuna and Manager, R&D Development Services Antti Laurikainen having a discussion.

A return visit is planned by the School of Digital Technologies in the 2022/2022 Academic Year to Metropolia UAS.

 

Contact: merja.bauters@tlu.ee