Responsibility and sustainable development at SEAMK

At the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, we believe that the best higher education institution builds future where internationality, entrepreneurship, collaboration and sustainability go hand in hand. We want to be solving such challenges of sustainability, as the climate crisis and nature loss, and promote well-being, sustainable economy and culturally diverse, civilised society, within the limits of the Earth’s carrying capacity.

Therefore, we are committed to responsibility in all our activities: in teaching, research, development and innovation activities and in the daily life of our community. Our activities are conducted by the sustainable development goals of the United Nations Agenda 2030(Opens in a new window), from which we recognised the six most important goals:

• 4 Quality education
• 9 Sustainable industry, innovations and infrastructures
• 12 Responsible consumption
• 13 Climate actions
• 3 Health and well-being
• 8 Decent work and economic growth

And in all of our actions our cross-cutting goal is number 17 Cooperation and partnership.

Responsibility is one of our values and it guides all our activities. The universities of applied sciences have a central role as regional developers that enable vast positive and impactful actions.

Together we influence

The mission of our university of applied sciences is to build, together with the working and business life, a globally sustainable, moderate and fair future. Our aim is to secure a basis for human development, welfare and adaptability in the changing world. The aim of our university of applied sciences is to inspire, to act as a role model and to develop new more sustainable solutions together with our partners. Our effectiveness stems from the competency that we produce. Effectiveness can be seen, for instance, in changes in working life practices, operational models, financing principles and ways of thinking.

Our aim is that graduating students from the Bachelor’s degree programmes know the principles of sustainable development, advance their implementation and act responsibly as professionals and members of society. The aim of the Master’s degree programmes is that graduates develop and lead sustainable and responsible practices in their work and support sustainability change in their working communities and society.

Competence in sustainability and responsibility is already a part of basic working life skills. We want to ensure that all our students have these skills and capabilities that will enable their success in working life and promote sustainable development and responsible actions both at work and in their own lives.

In the sustainability and responsibility work, our operations are guided by the policies of the sustainable development of the Ministry of Education and Culture and the sustainable development and responsibility programme of the Arene, The Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences. We are committed to promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals(Opens in a new window). We consider in our activities the goal of Finland to become a carbon neutral circular economy by the year 2035. Our goals are guided by the Universities of Applied Sciences Act.

Our university of applied sciences has set strategic goals related to sustainability and responsibility that conduct SEAMK’s activities. These goals guide both teaching and RDI actions.

See also the strategy of SEAMK for years 2025-2026.