Finland 2004

AC/UNU Millennium Project
Finland Node - 2004 Activities

Report at the March 15-16, 2004, Planning Committee Meeting, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Report at the July 2004 Planning Committee Meeting, Washington, DC

Report at the March 2004 Planning Committee Meeting

Juha Kaskinen, Secretary General of the Helsinki Node represented the Finland Node at the March 2004 Planning Committee Meeting.

Finland Futures Academy (FFA) FFA/ 3.3.2004
Helsinki Node report
Period: July-December 2003

Node Group & meetings
There is a Node group composed of three researchers. In order to ensure the availability of relevant research data in different fields of sciences there is need for national co-operation between all the
relevant futures parties in Finland.
Helsinki Node (2003)
Dr. Osmo Kuusi
Dr. Sirkka Heinonen, chair until the beginning of 2004
Dr. Auli Keskinen, chair from the beginning of 2004 (replaced by Dr. Mika Aaltonen from the beginning of 2004)
M. Sc. Sari Söderlund, general secretary (replaced by Dr. Juha Kaskinen from the beginning of 2004)

During the period there were two Helsinki Node meetings: 26.8. and 17.11.

Millennium-Project Planning Committee meeting, San Francisco, 17th-20th July, 2003
Sari Söderlund took part in the Millennium Planning Committee meeting in 17th-20th July 2003, San Francisco. During the Planning Committee –meeting the following issues were presented (and partly
delivered in a written mode) and discussed:
· Article: ”Millennium Project Evokes Global Responsibility in Futures Studies”, Dr. Sirkka Heinonen (Established in Finnish: Futura 1/ 03, Finnish Future Society)
· Futura annual with Millennium thematic 1/ 03: ”The challenges of the Millennium” (Finnish Future Society)
· ”Indicators of the Millennium Project”, article by Dr. Osmo Kuusi, presented in the ”Scanning for the Futures”–seminar, Global Environments –workshop, Turku, June 2003
· ”Indicator and Local Panel Based Approach in the Meeting of Global Challenges” –EUproject proposal by Dr. Osmo Kuusi, 12/06/03
· ”Proposal for a new Global Challenge within the Millennium Project: The Human-Animal Relationship” by Helena Pedersen from Sweden, 18/06/03
· FFA Annual Report 2002
· Helsinki Node Report – activities since the beginning of 2003

There was a presentation in the “Futures Around the World” –workshop (afternoon,19/7/2003) , the international conference of the World Future Society. Here, Finnish society of futures researchers
and the role of the Finland Futures Academy were discussed. During the Planning Committee – meeting there were two other meetings: futures education around the world and European cooperation
in facilitating futures activities. During these meetings regional approaches to Millennium themes were reinforced and European node co-operation was initiated.

Global challenges –questionnaire: During the 18th and 30th of Dec., the global challenges –questionnaire was sent to about 40 experts.

EU-Project proposal: During the beginning of September, 2003, the EU-Project proposal of “SPIDER – Increasing regional competitiveness through futures research methods” was designed and sent to the EU Commission, for the “Regions of Knowledge Pilot Action” (see the enclosure). The aim of the project is to increase potential of intrinsic regional strengths. The partner regions are: Etelä-Suomi (Finland), Wallonia (Belgium) and Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf (Germany). There was co-operation between the nodes of Finland, Germany and Belgium in generating the project plan. The project was preferably evaluated by the EU and it starts from the beginning of March 2004. The responsible researcher and coordinator of the project is Dr. Juha Kaskinen (FFA).

European node co-operation: There was a kick off meeting of the EUMP-nodes in Brussels on the 21th of November, 2003. The idea is to create a common understanding of the spirit and objectives of the European nodes. European Node meetings will be held twice a year. Sari Söderlund and Olli Hietanen took part in the first meeting.

Global Challenges, 1st Round Delphi questionnaire, Dec. 2003. During December 2003 and January 2003 Global Challenges –questionnaire was sent to about 40 Finnish experts coming from different fields of expertise, from public, semi-public and private organisations.

Activities in the Finland Futures Academy:
· Tallinn University joined FFA course co-operation in the beginning of the Autumn term 2003.
· FUTURES1 (How Can we Explore the Future?) was initiated together with the Turku School of Economics and Business Administration, the Budapest Business University and the Tallinn University.
· Autumn 2003, the second edition of the study book “Tulevaisuudentutkimus. Perusteet ja sovelluksia” was published and the outline of the virtual surrounding (based on the study book
contents) was planned.
· The IAB (international advisory)-members of the Finland Futures Academy, for the second period of 2004-06, were selected on the 18th of November by the FFA Board (see the enclosure).

Plans for the 2004
In the Helsinki Node meeting, the 15th of Jan., 2004, action for the year 2004 was outlined as follows. Helsinki Node
· takes actively part in research commissions coming from the MP coordination unit, the UNU American Council
· takes actively part in all the actions and initiatives of the MP European Nodes with reinforcing the basis for persistant European co-operation
· gives comments on survey questions and action plans of the MP whenever possible
· takes part (Dr. Juah Kaskinen) in the next MP Planning Committee meeting in Sao Paolo, Brasil, March 2004, by giving a presentation on the SPIDER (EU) Project
· takes part (Dr. Mika Aaltonen) in the MP Planning Committee meeting in Washington, July 2004
· writes an article (Dr. Osmo Kuusi) on the modern understanding of the Delphi Method in the context of futures studies. The aim is to analyse how the Millennium Project and some other actors/ projects (PREST & foresight) apply the method and to explore the scientific basis of the Delphi process/ rounds and futures argumentation.
· organises a Millennium Forum (global issues) together with the Finnish Future Society in October 2004, in the context of the meeting of the Club of Rome and the International Advisory Board of the Finland Futures Academy

Helsinki node 2004:
Dr. Mika Aaltonen (chair)
Dr. Sirkka Heinonen
Dr. Osmo Kuusi
M. Sc. Sari Söderlund
General secretary: Dr. Juha Kaskinen

The presentation made by Dr. Juha Kaskinen is available at: http://www.acunu.org/millennium/mppc-0304/Finland-report.PDF

Contact:
Dr. Juha Kaskinen
Secretary General
Helsinki Node
Finland Futures Research Centre
Turku School of Economics and Business Administration
P.O. Box 110, 20521 Turku
FINLAND
Tel. +358 2 3383 525 or mobile +358 40 820 9801
Fax. +358 2 2330 755
Email <Juha.Kaskinen@tukkk.fi>
http://www.tukkk.fi/tutu/english.htm

Report at the July 2004 Planning Committee Meeting, Washington, D.C.

Dr. Mika Aaltonen, Chairman of the Board of the Finnish Node, and Dr. Juha Kaskinen, Secretary General, represented the Node at the Millennium Project Planning Committee Meeting in July 29-31, 2004, in Washington, D.C., and the "Futures from Around the World" session of the World Future Society annual Conference.

Juha Kaskinen presented the report on behalf of the Helsinki Node:

Finland Futures Academy (FFA) FFA/ 23.7.2004
Helsinki Node report
Period: January - June, 2004

Node Group & meetings
The Helsinki Node group is composed of four researchers and coordinator of FFA. In order to ensure the availability of relevant research data in different fields of sciences there is a need for national co-operation between all the relevant futures parties in Finland.

Helsinki Node 2004:
Dr. Mika Aaltonen (FFRC), Chair
Dr. Sirkka Heinonen (VTT)
Dr. Osmo Kuusi (VATT)
M. Sc. Sari Söderlund, Coordinator of FFA
General secretary: Dr. Juha Kaskinen (FFA and FFRC)

During the period there were two Helsinki Node meetings: the first on January 15th and the second on April 14th.

The UNU Finnish committee member prof. Vappu Taipale received a letter from the Helsinki Node, informing her of the situation of the Millennium Project's possible organizational change. She answered on July 12th that the issue is under investigation in the UNU and will be considered at the next meeting of the UNU in December 2004.

Millennium-Project Planning Committee meeting in Sao Paolo, March 15th - 16th 2004
Juha Kaskinen took part in the Millennium Planning Committee meeting on March 15th - 16th 2004 in Sao Paolo. During the Planning Committee -meeting the following issues were presented and discussed:
· Helsinki Node Report - activities since the July of 2003
· Presentation of the SPIDER-project

Global challenges -questionnaire
The Global Challenges -questionnaire Round 2 was delivered to approximately 30 Finnish experts at the beginning of May 2004.

Middle East Peace Scenarios
The proposal of Middle East Peace Scenarios was delivered to Finnish Middle East affairs experts (N = 30) in February 2004.

EU-Project SPIDER
The EU-Project "SPIDER - Increasing regional competitiveness through futures research methods" was started officially on February 1st 2004. The aim of the project is to increase the potential of intrinsic regional strengths. The partner regions are: Etelä-Suomi (Finland), Wallonia (Belgium) and Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf (Germany). It is a co-operation between the nodes of Finland, Germany and Belgium. The coordinator of the project is Dr. Juha Kaskinen (FFA). During the first four months of the project, more detailed planning is carried out including the planning of local action groups' actions and their networks and the planning of regional analyses of each target region. The data gathering for regional analyses was started in June.

European node co-operation
The EUMPI-nodes got together in Brussels on April 16th, 2004. The idea of EUMPI is to create a common understanding of the spirit and objectives of the European nodes. Sari Söderlund and Juha Kaskinen took part in the meeting. A conference proposal on futures studies and foresight was discussed. The conference is planned to happen in April 2005. It is suggested that the MP-meeting should take place at the same time. The first version of the program was made by Sari Söderlund. A more detailed draft is on the agenda of the next EUMPI-meeting in Prague in the middle of September.

Other items of the agenda were:
- SPIDER-project
- Global Partnership for Development-project
- EUROSOFI-project
- 2004 Methodology Conference in Prague
- General Questions of EUMPI
- Rising new questions in European context

Activities in the Finland Futures Academy
Juha Kaskinen and Sari Söderlund took part in the COST A 22 meeting in Paris on April 1st - 3rd 2004. The conference idea (April 2005) was presented to the planning committee of COST A 22. It was decided that COST A 22 clarifies if it can join. The next COST A 22 meeting will take place on October 14th - 16th 2004 in Malta.
The Finnish Ministry of Education granted a master program on futures studies to the FFRC and FFA in May 2004. The negotiations with Turku School of Economics and Business Administration on additional funding and practical arrangements will start in August 2004. The probably international master program will start in September 2005.

Plans for the year 2004
In the Helsinki Node meeting on April 14th 2004, action for the second part of the year 2004 was outlined as follows. The Helsinki Node
· Takes actively part in research commissions coming from the MP coordination unit, the UNU American Council.
· Takes actively part in all the actions and initiatives of the MP European Nodes by reinforcing the basis for continuing European co-operation.
· Gives comments on survey questions and action plans of the MP whenever possible.
· Takes part in the next MP Planning Committee meeting in July 2004 by giving a presentation on the SPIDER-project in progress, on Helsinki Node report (Juha Kaskinen) and on the evaluation of State of the Future methodologies (Mika Aaltonen).
· Writes an article (Dr. Osmo Kuusi) on the modern understanding of the Delphi Method in the context of futures studies. The aim is to analyze how the Millennium Project and some other actors/ projects (PREST & foresight) apply the method and to explore the scientific basis of the Delphi process/ rounds and futures argumentation.
· Organizes a Millennium Forum (global issues) together with the Finnish Future Society in October 2004, in the context of the meeting of the Club of Rome and the International Advisory Board (IAB) of the FFA.
· Continues the development of World Futures Academy. The issue will be on the agenda of the IAB meeting. There is also a new initiative discussed with partners in South Africa to apply the model of FFA there.

This report can be downloaded from: http://acunu.org/millennium/mppc-0704/Finland-2004July.doc

The Finnish Node made two other presentations:

Dr. Mika Aaltonen, Chairman of the Board of the Finnish Node, presented an Analysis of Futures Research Methodology V2.0: "How Do We Make Sense of the Future?". The analysis can be downloaded as an MsWord document from: http://acunu.org/millennium/mppc-0704/FRM-analysis.doc

Dr. Juha Kaskinen, presented the new developments and plans on the SPIDER project of the EuMPI. The presentation is available at: http://acunu.org/millennium/mppc-0704/SPIDER-0704.ppt.

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