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Flavoria Innovation Festival is organized on November 11–15, 2024, in co-operation with the City of Turku. Participants can expect an intensive but rewarding week working on interesting company challenges. Also, this year we have an extra incentive – the participants have the chance to apply for a study trip to Japan, organized and sponsored by the City of Turku and Sasakawa Foundation.

Innovation Festival is organized as part of the “WiseFood – resource wise food chains” project co-funded by the European Union.

What is Flavoria Innovation Festival?

Flavoria Innovation Festival is a week-long innovation event during which multidisciplinary student teams solve real company challenges.

This year’s amazing challenges are related to sustainability, responsibility, circular economy, product development, and Finnish food. The challenges are presented by Juustopuoti, Birkkala Spelt Farm, Unica restaurants, co-operative Turun Osuuskauppa, and Raisio.

The language of the week is English, and we warmly welcome students from different universities and schools to participate. Working hours during the week (from Mon to Fri) are approximately from 12 to 5 PM. Additionally, about two weeks before the actual innovation week, we organize an orientation event (1,5-2 hours). There will also be a pre-assignment that has to be handed in before the week.

Why should you participate?

• Motivating company challenges
• Possibility to network with fellow students and company representatives
• Feedback and sparring from experts
• Design Sprint method
• 2–5 ECTS; read more about the course in the Study Guide

Read more about the Innovation Festival

How to enroll on the course?

When enrolling, you have the chance to place the challenges in your favorite order. We try to form the groups based on primary wishes. The enrollment period ends on October 20, 2024.

University of Turku students

University of Turku students enroll on the course in the Peppi Study System. Sign in to the Student’s Desktop and write the course name “MEDV1020 Flavoria Innovation Festival” in the Search for courses field at the top of the page. Enroll on the course and answer all mandatory questions.

Students from other universities or schools

Enroll on the course in Konsta and answer all questions. In order to enroll students from other universities or schools on this course, we need to collect your personal details, so please answer carefully.

If you have any questions about the course or enrolling, please contact us at flavoria@utu.fi.

How to apply for the trip to Japan?

This year, the participants of the Flavoria Innovation Festival have an amazing opportunity to apply for a sustainability and circular economy related study trip to Japan, organized and sponsored by the City of Turku and Sasakawa Foundation. The trip is in December 2024 (from 6th/7th Dec to 15th Dec) and the destinations are Obuse Town in Nagano Prefecture, Tottori, and Suginami City in Tokyo.

The students (4–5 people), who get to travel to Japan, are selected right after the Innovation Festival week, and the decisions are made based on a motivation letter and personal performance during the week. Both the festival and the trip accumulate ECTS credits (2 + 2).

This is how you apply:

1. Sign up for the Innovation Festival through the links above.
   
2. Write a motivation letter (max one A4) where you state the following:
   
   – Why do you want to travel to Japan?
   – What is your relationship to circular economy?
   – Do you commit to participate in Flavoria Innovation Festival in November?
   – Are you ready to travel to Japan in December 2024 and commit to the program organized there?
   – Your contact details and study background
   
   
3. Send your letter to us at flavoria@utu.fi by October 30, 2024, with subject line ”WiseFood / Japan”.

Additional information about the trip

Participants of the Flavoria Innovation Festival can apply for the study trip to Japan. By sending us your application, you commit to the trip if you are chosen. If you would like to withdraw your application, please inform us by October 30, 2024 by email. If you are chosen for the trip, cancellation is possible only for health or other compelling reasons.

City of Turku is responsible for organizing the trip, and more detailed program will be announced during autumn. Students’ flights, accommodation, meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and insurance are covered. Students themselves need to check whether they need a visa to Japan (Finnish citizens don’t need a visa if the duration of the trip is under 3 months). City of Turku can assist with visa-related questions.

Read an article about a similar study trip last year