This project investigates how youth aged 15–18 in Finland, especially those with mobility backgrounds, face systemic barriers to participating in urban life and sustainability efforts. Influenced by global capitalism, environmental crises, and neoliberal urbanism, these challenges burden youth as both consumers and advocates. To address this, a four-stage participatory workshop series is introduced, inspired by Ernst Bloch’s “concrete utopia,” critical pedagogy, and speculative practices. The stages guide youth through reflecting on urban inequalities, critiquing neoliberal constraints, imagining alternative realities, and co-creating inclusive, sustainable city visions. The project blends utopian studies, environmental education, and social design to promote youth agency, spatial justice, and transformative urban planning, offering a replicable model for environmental citizenship.

Keywords: youth agency, urban inequalities, sustainable futures, concrete utopia, environmental pedagogies, participatory workshops, transformative planning, speculative practices, spatial justice​​​

-Academy of Finland score 5/6
Criticising adult-led conceptualizations of green values and environmental ideologies, this project asserts that critical environmental agency is motivated by young people’s consumer experiences. Thus, the project aims to generate knowledge on how young people become environmentally aware and responsive (green) citizens, respecting a sustainable future. Ethnographic research (Finland, Bulgaria, Turkey and UK) includes mapping activities, interviews, essay writing, and workshops, and study youth environmental citizenship as a developing and practiced agency.

Keywords: youth environmental citizenship, consumerism, lived agency, green values, ethnography, critical pedagogy, multi-country comparison, youth activism

This research uses the Mosaic approach to explore children's perceptions of playgrounds in Haskovo, Bulgaria, comparing those built during the communist era with contemporary, newly developed ones. We examine differences in how children view these two types of playgrounds, whether there is a generational gap in perceptions between parents and children, and which playground designs—considering equipment and spatial arrangements—best meet children's needs. The study also looks at how these playgrounds fit into broader children's urban spaces. As the first study in Bulgaria to apply the Mosaic approach, this project serves as a pilot for introducing this child-centered methodology in the country. The study is timely, given the ongoing process of replacing all communist-era playground equipment within the next two years, offering a unique opportunity to understand children's play preferences in the context of a changing urban landscape.

Keywords: children's play, urban design, Mosaic approach, post-communist urbanism, playground preferences, generational perceptions, Bulgaria, child-centered research

The RESIST (Researching Inequality through Science and Technology) project investigates how science and technology (S&T) both drive and mitigate inequality in a global knowledge economy. Recognizing that S&T systems can entrench social disparities, the project examined structural, representational, and distributional inequalities across policy frameworks, skilled migration, accountability mechanisms, and the impacts of emerging technologies. By combining empirical research with policy analysis, RESIST aimed to inform innovation strategies that balance economic competitiveness with social inclusion, advocating for broader innovation goals (SCoPP) and supportive procedural reforms aligned with the Lisbon agenda.

Keywords: science and technology, social inequality, innovation policy, global knowledge economy, structural disparities, Lisbon agenda, inclusive development

"Diving into Radical Creativity," is an innovative open online course breaking free from traditional learning boundaries. Its non-linear structure enables you to navigate a diverse content landscape, crafting a personalized learning journey. Across five chapters covering introduction, individual, process, collective, and impact aspects of radical creativity, this introductory course moves beyond theory and scientific findings on creativity research. It includes multiple case studies showcasing powerful examples of radical creativity. This self-directed course exceeds mere academia; through real-life activities and assignments, it is an opportunity to develop confidence in idea generation, experimentation, and learning from diverse experiences. Designed for both undergraduates and postgraduates, "Diving into Radical Creativity" promises an engaging, practical exploration of radical creativity in varied contexts.​

Keywords: radical creativity, experiential learning, MOOC, self-directed education, innovation, creative confidence, case-based learning, higher education

The “Hands Tenacious of Life” project, which highlights creativity, freshness, and innovation—key priorities under European Union programs—aimed to contribute to the preservation and promotion of cultural diversity through various artistic practices and cultural activities. Specifically, the project sought to raise public awareness about cancer and provide hope and moral support to children undergoing cancer treatment by bringing together young Europeans who have successfully completed their cancer treatments. By organizing workshops in traditional and folk arts, as well as incorporating non-formal education methods such as simulation games, group discussions, and individual practices, the project enabled participants to explore cultural richness and diversity while also becoming familiar with Europe’s shared values. Supported by the Turkish National Agency under the EU Education and Youth Programs and backed by multiple partner organizations, the “Hands Tenacious of Life” youth project was successfully carried out with the participation of peer organizations from Romania, Hungary, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Poland.

Keywords: youth participation, cultural diversity, cancer awareness, non-formal education, artistic expression, EU youth programs, survivorship, intercultural workshops

National Capacity Building Project (5.3M EUR)

The Eradicating the Worst Types of Child Labour in Turkey project was a national initiative funded by the European Commission and implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) across six pilot provinces. Aimed at eliminating the worst forms of child labour, the project focused on strengthening the national child labour monitoring system and delivering direct educational and rehabilitation services to at-risk children. It involved the identification and monitoring of child labour cases, direct support for children and their families, rehabilitation and psycho-social services, development of educational and vocational training programs, implementation of school-based monitoring systems, awareness-raising campaigns, and the establishment of Local Action Committees to enhance inter-institutional cooperation and ensure sustainable, locally driven interventions.

Keywords: child labour, capacity building, national development, ILO, international cooperation, policy implementation, rights of the child, EU funding

The project included the design and implementation of the ‘My Digital Self: Avatar Design Workshop,’ an experiential initiative aimed at fostering multicultural and collaborative learning among youth from Finnish and Japanese high schools within an online context. Developed through a partnership between private companies and formal educational institutions, the workshop brought together young people from geographically and culturally distant locations for a co-design practice and multicultural learning experience. Through individual and collaborative avatar design activities, participants engaged in dialogue about gender representation in digital environments, drawing on their lived experiences to explore facets of diversity.​

Keywords: avatar design, cross-cultural learning, gender representation, youth collaboration, digital identity, experiential learning, Finnish-Japanese partnership

This pilot project aims to raise awareness among young people—future leaders, parents, scientists, and artists—about the increasing threat of cancer as a barrier to development and the importance of preventive measures, through the establishment of “Healthy Living Clubs” in schools under the leadership of LÖSEV (The Foundation for Children with Leukemia). In the short term, the project focuses on developing the charter for these health clubs, which are committed to fostering cancer awareness within schools and their broader communities. In the long term, the project has the potential to expand into national and international initiatives that promote a preventive approach to cancer in educational settings. As a scalable and sustainable model, its ultimate goal is to reduce the number of cancer cases by encouraging healthy lifestyles among young people through schools. Core activities include workshops, roundtable discussions, seminars, and panels, all designed to engage youth actively in the learning and awareness process.

Keywords: cancer prevention, health education, youth awareness, school clubs, healthy lifestyles, creative pedagogy, sustainable school models, development barriers

Total -  (10.2M EUR)

Managed and evaluated numerous EU-funded cross-border initiatives spanning education, sustainability, and innovation sectors, facilitating regional cooperation through communication expertise between Bulgaria and Turkey.

Keywords: cross-border collaboration, regional development, EU funding, project supervision, education and innovation, sustainability, Bulgaria-Turkey relations