Pedaforum 2025

• Higher education institutions face increasing demands to strengthen collaboration with the labour market and support students’ career paths. Have you addressed any of the following topics in your work or research?
• What new and innovative ways can be developed to enhance collaboration with the labour market in higher education?
• How can higher education pedagogical solutions support students’ transition to and retention in the workforce?
• What kind of higher education pedagogy enhances teachers' career-readiness and entrepreneurial skills?
• What future changes are anticipated in the development of higher education pedagogy?
• How can the labour market contribute to the development of higher education pedagogy?

High-quality higher education requires pedagogical leadership. Have you addressed any of the following topics in your work or research?

• What type of leadership supports pedagogical development in higher education?
• How can leadership foster the development of staff’s pedagogical competence?
• How can institutions make the transition from pedagogical discussions to pedagogical practices?
• How can pedagogical leadership be associated with student’s study experience?
• What kinds of quality criteria and impact metrics can be beneficial for supporting pedagogical leadership?

Data has become one of the most critical resources, and its effective use can be decisive for an organisation’s success. Data-driven leadership helps make better decisions, improve predictability, and achieve sustainable competitive advantages. Have you addressed any of the following topics in your work or research?

• How do you practise data-driven leadership?
• What opportunities does AI bring to data-driven leadership in higher education?
• What possibilities do higher education experts have for utilising data?
• What are the best practices and tools to support data-driven leadership?

Lifelong learners form an essential part of the educational mission of higher education institutions. Developing educational offerings requires collaboration and foresight. Have you addressed any of the following topics in your work or research?

• What are the key future skills students should acquire during higher education?
• What is the role of higher education in the framework of continous learning?
• What types of learning environments best support continous learning?
• How can continous learning be developed in collaboration with the labour market?
• What is the significance of continous learning for promoting employment?
• What role do projects and initiatives play in strengthening continous learning?

Digitalisation and AI significantly influence the forms, objectives, evaluation, and concerns of learning and teaching. As tools evolve, higher education institutions need innovative experiments and solutions. Have you addressed any of the following topics in your work or research?

• What are the future digital solutions for teaching and learning in higher education?
• How does AI transform teaching in higher education?
• How does AI reshape assessment practices in higher education?
• How does AI change the competence requirements of teachers and students?
• What ethical considerations must be taken into account when utilising AI in higher education?
• How should higher education institutions address changing demands regarding data security?

Learning increasingly takes place in various networks, smaller modules, and workplaces. New learning platforms and formats require identifying the needs of target groups and utilising service design. Have you addressed any of the following topics in your work or research?

• What networks enhance high-quality learning in higher education?
• How do small learning modules support network-based learning?
• What role does service design play in creating learning offerings for networks?
• How can networks collectively develop high-quality pedagogical solutions?
• What kinds of learning can emerge through RDI (Research, Development, and Innovation) activities?
• What are the learning environments of the future?

Many factors, both internal and external to higher education institutions, affect student well-being. New tools and approaches allow for identifying factors influencing well-being and providing better support. Have you addressed any of the following topics in your work or research?

• How can learning support solutions strengthen students’ well-being and graduation?
• How can the well-being of international students in Finland be successfully supported?
• What impacts does student exchange have on student well-being?
• How do employment prospects and job opportunities affect student well-being?
• What role can career planning and guidance play in promoting student well-being?
• How can AI be utilised to support student well-being?

Sustainability encompasses ecological, social, cultural, and economic dimensions. Higher education institutions play a crucial role in advancing societal sustainability transitions and adopting new ways of thinking and acting. Have you addressed any of the following topics in your work or research?

• What best practices and new solutions can enhance the sustainability, inclusivity, and accessibility of higher education communities?
• How can staff well-being and sense of community be supported in a multi-location university?
• How can community-building be supported in remote teaching?
• How can community-building be supported in independent study?

Higher education is undergoing significant changes and reforms, such as the doctoral education pilot and the aspiration of universities of applied sciences to establish their own labour market-oriented doctoral programmes. Have you addressed any of the following topics in your work or research?

• What could the future of higher education in Finland look like?
• What could a doctoral programme offered by a university of applied sciences entail?
• What forms of collaboration should exist between universities of applied sciences and universities?

The abstract for an oral presentation should include:
a) the purpose of the research or development work and possible research questions,
b) the main theoretical framework and connection to the session theme,
c) the methods used or the implementation of the development work,
d) key results or findings, and
e) the theoretical or practical applicability of the results in different contexts.

Presentations may address ongoing or completed research or development work.
The duration of an oral presentation is approximately 20 minutes, followed by 5 minutes for questions. Each session lasts 90 minutes and typically includes three presentations.
Individual proposals will be grouped into thematically coherent sessions.

Posters may present ongoing or completed research or development work. The abstract for a poster should follow the same structure as for oral presentations.

Digital posters will be presented during a poster session where authors will be available to discuss their work. The presentation time for each poster is approximately 5–10 minutes. Posters will also be displayed on smart boards throughout the conference.

Workshops focus on the development of higher education pedagogy through interactive and participatory activities. The abstract for a workshop should describe:
a) the objectives of the workshop,
b) the methods of implementation and participant engagement, and
c) the expected outcomes for participants.

Workshops can last 60 or 90 minutes. Please specify the duration and the maximum number of participants in your abstract.

The purpose of the abstract is to briefly introduce the content and goals of the presentation. The committee will use the abstracts to make selections and plan the conference program.

• Title: Max. 15 words
• Length: Max. 250 words. Include in-text citations (e.g., Jokinen, 2022), but do not provide a separate reference list.
• Keywords: 3–4 keywords
• Language: Abstracts can be submitted in Finnish or English (the presentation language will match the abstract's language).
• Suggested Structure:
• State the objective and target audience of your presentation.
• Describe how the presentation relates to the session theme.
• Explain why the topic is important and what (e.g., scientific, artistic, societal) discussion it contributes to.
• Define key concepts and theories, and outline materials, methods, findings, or conclusions.
• For workshops, clearly describe how the presentation will engage the audience.

Interest to present on the main stage:

Some presentations may be featured on the main stage and streamed for remote participants. The committee will select proposals from those who indicate their interest in presenting on the main stage by checking the relevant box when submitting their abstract.