This conference will discuss how to work across internal and external boundaries of UNIC to further develop ways of boosting knowledge development and co-creation to contribute to UNIC’s mission of societal impact and improvement. What is our joint narrative? In practice, what does it mean to be the European University of Cities in Post-Industrial Transition? How do diverse UNIC branches contribute to this narrative? What is the role of UNIC Cities in UNIC operations? How can we collaborate to come up with added value for our post-industrial Cities and societal impact in general?

The purpose of each conference session is to work hands on timely tasks that contribute to the workpackages’ project deliverables.

Venues

The conference is organised in Linnanmaa campus, University of Oulu (Erkki Koiso-Kanttilan katu, Oulu). Plenaries take place in Saalastinsali (address Pentti Kaiteran katu 1, Oulu) and parallel sessions in Tellus area (2T door, Erkki Koiso-Kanttilan katu, Oulu). The meeting of UNIC Council will be held in lecture hall L2 (2T door, Erkki Koiso-Kanttilan katu, Oulu). The welcome dinner and evening party is hosted in Kasarmiklubi (Upseerikatu 8, Oulu) and the city reception takes places in Oulu City Hall in address Kirkkokatu 2 a, Oulu).

Participants

We invite scholars and practitioners from diverse contexts of UNIC to pursue the theme of the conference from fresh and diverse standpoints contextualizing them within the UNIC discourse and their particular understanding of the notion of ‘engagement’.

The conference is targeted to UNIC Management Board members, UNIC Council members, staff members of each UNIC office, UNIC expert group members, and Thematic Line representatives. Because the event is a working conference, we do not take registrations from participants not involved in UNIC activities, offices or groups.

Conference Program

The conference program consist of plenaries, parallel sessions, meetings and social evening programs. Please see the detailed conference program below.

*Sessions marked with a * have a hybrid / online option available for participants. 

Tuesday 24.9. at 9-10 Plenary

• · Opening Plenary: How can we cross boundaries internally and externally?
  UNIC Campus + City & Societal Engagement [Online "listen-in" option available)

Tuesday 24.9. at 10-11:30 Parallel sessions 1

• · Program for Management Board Members
• · How can we sustain the UNIC4ER legacy?*
• · Cities Meet Cities*
• · How can we build educational offerings within UNIC? Principles of Building Educational Offerings
• · How can we increase the attraction and awareness of UNIC?*
• · Student Unions and Student Advocacy in Finland – How can we guarantee student advocacy and involvement?

Tuesday 24.9. at 12:30-14:00 Parallel sessions 2

• · UNIC Management Board Meeting*
• · Cities Meet Cities
• · How can we build challenge-based learning projects?
• · How can we communicate for high impact?*
• · Meeting of International Offices

Tuesday 24.9. at 14:30-16:00 Parallel sessions 3

• · Management meets Student Board
• · How can we build human-centric City Futures Roadmaps?
• · How can we build inclusive and accessible mobilities?
• · Planning Meeting for the Malmö Thematic Line Conference*
• · Building PhD Cooperation and Mobility within UNIC – Exchange on PhD Practices of Our Universities and Existing and Planned UNIC PhD Initiatives*

Tuesday 24.9. at 16:00-18:00

• · UNIC Council meeting

Wednesday 25.9. at 9-10 Plenary

• · How can we evaluate UNIC’s Societal Impact? UNIC Societal Engagement and Impact Forum

Wednesday 25.9. at 10-11:30 Parallel sessions 4

• · Meeting of the Global Engagement Expert Group*
• · How can we develop city-engaged projects?
• · How can we organize a Summer School, Winter School and BIPs? Practicalities of organizing a Summer School / Winter School and BIPs*
• · Fostering Superdiversity in the Classroom

Wednesday 25.9. at 12:30-14:00 Parallel sessions 5

• · City-led Project Development Sessions
• · Walk-In Session Virtual Campus
• · International Relations Office meeting and Working Hour
• · How can we deepen collaboration in diversity and inclusion (D&I) related issues and evaluate our work?
• · Student Board Meeting*

Wednesday 25.9. at 14:30-16:00 Parallel sessions 6

• · Thematic Line-led Project Development Sessions
• · UNIC Student Ambassadors’ Network

Wednesday 25.9. at 16-17:00 Plenary

• · Closing Plenary: How to move on? Key Take Aways for the UNIC Campus*

Thursday 26.9. morning Parallel sessions 7

• · at 9-11:45 Internal WP2 Meeting
• · at 10-11:30 Internal WP3 Meeting*
• · at 10-11:30 Internal WP4 Meeting*
• · at 10-11:30 Internal WP5 Meeting*
• · at 10-11:30 Internal WP6 Meeting*
• · at 10-11:30 Internal Thematic Line Meetings or TL-led Project Development sessions

Thursday 26.9. at 12:30-14:00 Parallel sessions 8

• · Inter-institutional Communication Workshop
• · Thematic Line-led Project Development sessions
• · at 12:30-14:30 How can we foster interaction between international students and local companies? A CityLabs roundtable to benchmark good practices

Thursday 26.9. at 14:30-16:00 Parallel sessions

• · Thematic Line-led Project Development sessions

*Sessions marked with a * have a hybrid / online option available for participants. 

Social Evening Program

Please register to conference evening programs, as well. Social evening programs are

• · Welcome Dinner and Evening Party on Tuesday 24.9. in Kasarmiklubi (Upseerikatu 8, Oulu)
• · City of Oulu Reception on Wednesday 25.9. in Oulu City Hall (Kirkkokatu 2 a, Oulu)

Registration

Registration to the conference is now open. Registrations are collected via Eventbrite online registration form: contact your local UNIC office for the link! Both onsite and online participants need to register to the event. Registration is closed on Friday 6.9.2024.

In case of cancellation of your registration or if you need to make changes to your registration, please contact UNIC Oulu Team and UNIC Headquarters via email unic@oulu.fi and unic@eur.nl.