Job shadowing on the Project Management at the University of Helsinki

From September 9th to 13th, 2024, project assistants from the OH-BOOST team at the Estonian University of Life Sciences took part in a five-day job-shadowing program at the University of Helsinki, one of the project’s key partners.

Urszula Malińska-Mark and Amita Kulina from the OH-BOOST team visited Helsinki and during five productive days, they observed the daily work of project manager Topi Tanskanen and took part in key meetings. Meetings included sessions with the Helsinki One Health Team, the RESET Project Team, and the financial unit. They also met with experts like Cornelia Thomas, a grant coach from Research Services, Laura Kippola, a Team Leader from the Project Coordination Unit, and Heli Simojoki from Veterinary Clinic Management. Additionally, they attended the Researcher Forum, observed a RESET workshop on food and water, and had discussions with the communication department and research services. This provided them with valuable insights into project coordination, financial oversight, and interdisciplinary research management.

The job-shadowing visit aimed to observe and learn from the operational processes, research management, and interdisciplinary collaboration at the University of Helsinki. Urszula and Amita gathered valuable insights during their time in Helsinki, which they plan to transfer to the Estonian University of Life Sciences. These lessons include best practices in project documentation, financial oversight, and research support services, all of which can further enhance the efficiency of ongoing projects back home.

For example, they observed how Helsinki’s centralized system significantly streamlines project management, ensuring smoother coordination across teams. Additionally, they were impressed by the use of AI solutions to maintain financial transparency, offering a more efficient approach to financial oversight. Another standout takeaway was the role of expert coaches who provide targeted grant support, making it easier for researchers to secure funding. These strategies, especially the interdisciplinary collaboration fostered through projects like RESET, have great potential for improving processes at the Estonian University of Life Sciences.

Overall, the experience provided a valuable understanding of the University of Helsinki’s approach to project coordination, funding management, and teamwork. The knowledge gained will help the Estonian University of Life Sciences to refine its own processes, enhance interdisciplinary projects, and strengthen research support to better serve both faculty and research teams.