Mona-Anitta Riihimäki

Professional background: Master in Plant ecology, PhD in Plant Genetics, vocational education in greenhouse growing

Research Focus:

• Sustainablity in food chain.
• Sustainability in the management of higher education institutions.

Key Engagements and Contributions: Chair of the Committee for Natural Resources education, The Rectors’ Conference of Finnish Universities of Applied Sciences. In October 2024 She started to act as a chair of ICA CoP Bio-Edu. Lately she has been involved in national assessment of Bioeconomy Higher Education as a evaluation team member (Finnish Education Evaluation Centre). In 2025 she’ll continue the work, when the role of sustainability in all education levels will be in FinEEC’s focus.

Presentation Title and Objective: AKIS in Finland and the role of universities of applied sciences in regional competence creation in Bioeconomy

I will discuss the role of AKIS in Europe, national implimentations and importance of regional actors. Universities of Applied Sciences are dedicated to applied research and work-life oriented education. UAS together witn other AKIS actors have important task in ruaral areas in competence building at the field of natural resources.