Webinar: Exploring Coordination and Sustainability of Multifaculty Research Networks 

Webinar Recap

The OH-Boost project organised a webinar titled “Multifaculty Research Network Coordination and Management”, on 18th of December 2025, which marked the final coordination session from the Helsinki side of the project. The webinar was opened by Suranga, who reflected on the three years of experience-sharing and collaboration within OH-Boost and introduced the speakers.

The session featured presentations by Tino Johansson, Coordinator of the Helsinki Institute for Sustainability Science (Helsus), and Topi Pauskanen, who has coordinated OH-Boost activities at the University of Helsinki. The aim of the webinar was to share experiences related to the coordination, governance, and sustainability of multidisciplinary research networks within a university context.

Tino Johansson presented the background, structure, and activities of Helsus, a university-wide research network founded in 2018 that brings together researchers from all 11 faculties of the University of Helsinki. With approximately 580 members, Helsus focuses on sustainability transitions through interdisciplinary research, education, and engagement activities such as seminars, conferences, and courses. Tino also described the transition of Helsus from an institute to a research network, a change recommended by external evaluators to enhance horizontal collaboration across faculties.

Topi Tanskanen shared experiences from the Helsinki One Health initiative, which is affiliated with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and operates as part of the Resilient and Just Systems (RESET) profiling area alongside Helsus. He discussed the role of One Health within this structure and reflected on the challenges of coordinating network activities while ensuring independence and visibility within the university.

The webinar concluded with a discussion on the long-term sustainability of multifaculty research networks and reflections on future collaboration beyond the lifetime of the OH-Boost project, which will conclude by the end of the year.

Key Takeaways from the Webinar:

• Multifaculty research networks such as Helsus and Helsinki One Health play an important role in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across faculties and disciplines.

• Helsus operates as a university-wide research network with limited core funding from the rector, highlighting ongoing challenges in securing sustainable financial support.

• The transition from institutes to research network models at the University of Helsinki was driven by the need to improve efficiency and strengthen horizontal collaboration.
  
  

• Demonstrating impact—through research outputs, education, and societal relevance—is essential for securing continued institutional support for interdisciplinary networks.
  
  

• Effective communication, shared events, and coordination activities are key tools for maintaining engagement among network members.
  
  

• The experiences shared during the webinar underline the importance of documenting lessons learned and maintaining collaboration beyond individual project timelines, including after the conclusion of OH-Boost.

The recording from the webinar is available below.