By Sirkka Heinonen (Helsinki Node Co-Chair)

During the Conference organised by the Finland Futures Research Centre (FFRC) on Futures of Natural Resources, 13^th -14^th June, in Turku Sirkka Heinonen from the MP Helsinki Node conducted a Special MP Session and a Roundtable Interview for the T-winning Spaces 2035 Project. Her organising team consisted of Paula Pättikangas, Amos Taylor and Riku Viitamäki as well as the Millennium project Intern Samaneh Ebrahimabadi, all from FFRC Helsinki office, as well as of Lassi Tähtinen and Nele Korhonen from Aalto University. The Finnish Society for Futures Studies (FSFS) was also one of the organisers, represented by its acting secretary general Riika Räisänen.

The MP Session was organised in co-operation with the Millennium Project, Finnish Society for Futures Studies and Aalto University within the FFRC Conference in Turku on 13^th June. The foresight exercise was inspired by a keynote presentation from Jerome Glenn, the CEO of the Millennium Project. In his keynote, Glenn highlighted the implications of the evolution from Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI) to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), based on a recent MP study. He also presented some paradoxes for futures of work.

Then Sirkka Heinonen presented her futures provocation, which is one of the key elements in running a futures clinique. Through these provocative introductions, the workshop participants were invited to critically ponder some of the paradoxes representing the current paradigm of work. The workshop aimed to provide the participants with a deeper understanding of these paradoxes, as well as the use of Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) as a method to deconstruct the underlying assumptions that shape our understanding of work.

The Roundtable Discussion on ‘Futures of Work, AI and Narratives’ was organized within the FFRC Conference in Turku on 14th June with Jerome Glenn, Executive Director of the Millennium project, and Mariana Bozesan, Member of the Club of Rome, as interviewees. The Roundtable was hosted by Sirkka Heinonen and Markku Wilenius, both of them Professors in Futures Studies and Members of the Club of Rome, as well as original founders of the MP Helsinki Node.

The questions were prepared by Riku Viitamäki and Sirkka Heinonen both for the use of the T-winning Spaces 2035 project and for futures studies students at Finland Futures Academy (FFA). The questions addressed dealt with the changes in work/leisure balance, AI, leadership and role of narratives in science communication. The video of the Roundtable was shot by Amos Taylor and will become available online later.

The following two events were also part of Jerome Glenn’s visit to Finland, invited by Sirkka Heinonen for the T-winning Spaces 2035 project where Glenn is member of the international advisory board.

The recent FFRC Conference in Turku, Finland, hosted the launch of the book “Our World of Futures Studies as a Mosaic” on June 14th. This publication features contributions from a diverse range of authors who reviewed the field of futures studies from various geographical and institutional perspectives. During the launch event, the contributors to the book had the opportunity to discuss the key themes and findings presented in their respective chapters.

They highlighted the unique aspects of their research, as well as their aspirations for the future development of futures studies within the specific regions and contexts they addressed. The primary aim of this edited volume is to inspire and establish benchmarks for the field by showcasing successful practices and case studies from countries including Finland, Denmark, Morocco, Singapore, Italy, and Germany. Additionally, the book includes a chapter that explores the roles of global networks, such as the Millennium Project, UNESCO, and the Club of Rome, in shaping the landscape of futures studies.

Ceremonies of Conferment of Doctoral Degrees at Aalto University in Dipoli, Otaniemi on 14^th June.

Director of our T-winning Spaces 2035 project Saija Toivonen, assistant professor at Aalto University was Master of Ceremonies at Aalto University’s Conferment of Doctoral Degrees. The conferment celebrated the Doctors of Science in Technology who graduated from Aalto University between 1 May 2023 and 30 April 2024 – a total of 68 doctors were conferred. Conferment, the most prestigious of the academic celebrations, was hosted this year by the School of Engineering. Jerome Glenn and Sirkka Heinonen were invited by her to attend the gala dinner and dancing. Aalto University Rector Ilkka Niemelä shook hands receiving the 400 guests onsite in the famous architectural building Dipoli, Otaniemi.