Higher education institutions and companies together for a carbon-neutral future
Vaasa Climate Commitment challenge strengthens cooperation between companies, communities, and the city to achieve climate goals. The challenge is accompanied by a two-year project called the Vaasa Climate Commitment Carbon Neutrality Ecosystem, which began at the start of 2025 with partial funding from the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia as part of the Urban Development Ecosystem Agreement.
Vaasa University of Applied Sciences is involved in the project and the climate challenge activities together with VASEK and the University of Vaasa. As part of the project, the City of Vaasa invites local companies and communities to join in building a more sustainable and carbon-neutral Vaasa through concrete climate actions as part of the carbon neutrality ecosystem.
As part of the project, both university’s and VAMK’s students will have the opportunity to support organisations in setting climate goals and bring fresh perspectives to climate work.
Students contributing to the development of carbon-neutral solutions
The ongoing project will create an ecosystem and develop ecosystem-based operating models to enable the systematic involvement of higher education students in addressing carbon neutrality challenges faced by the city and local businesses. At the same time, the project strengthens students’ opportunities to integrate into the regional labour market on a long-term basis.
Seven international students from the Energy Technology degree programme at VAMK took part in the launch of the climate challenge and in interviews with companies during the Energy Week event held in Vaasa in March 2025.
“In the early stages of the project, we will take a closer look at the needs of companies and organisations involved in the carbon neutrality ecosystem, as well as their climate goals. Students and student groups from VAMK will be involved in a need-based and multidisciplinary way to strengthen the knowledge base for carbon neutrality work, for example, through course and project assignments or thesis topics,” explains Senior Lecturer Mirja Andersson, who serves as VAMK’s project manager in the project.
“A student competition related to the climate challenge has also been tentatively planned as a hackathon-style event,” Andersson continues.
More information and upcoming events will be published as the project progresses. Further details about the climate partnership and joining the carbon neutrality ecosystem can be found on the City of Vaasa’s website.
Promoting UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
