Goal and actions
The aim of STUE is to create and promote research-based solutions that transform cities into safe, resilient, and sustainable living environments for people of all ages, ethnicities, and capabilities. To this end the STUE team will:
- Organise events for sharing research findings and creating new ideas. Learn more and sign up here.
- Support already existing and new multidisciplinary research groups and networks by, for example, organising events, communications, and small funds for collaborative activities. Learn more about STUE action grant here.
- Support and create cutting-edge research with postdoc and tenure positions.
- Offer a focal point and support for collaboration between researchers and society.
- Offer contacts, partnerships and research-based knowledge for cities, the public sector, civil society, organisations, and businesses that wish to join the quest for sustainable transformation.
- Share information about research and collaboration opportunities on our website, Twitter and e-mail list/newsletter. Please let us know if you have relevant news or blogposts we can share! Subscribe to our e-mail list here.
STUE strengthens Tampere University’s research profile on research of sustainable transformation of urban environments. STUE is funded by the Academy of Finland’s PROFI6 funding instrument from 2021 to 2026.
Research focus
Urban environments are understood comprehensively in STUE, including social, natural, business, and physical infrastructures. STUE developes innovative approaches to research policies, health and well-being, urban planning, infrastructures, and business organisations and their interconnections. We contribute to the theoretical and practical understanding of the systemic change of sustainable cities. Our research focuses is especially on the three interconnected areas described below.
Inclusive communities and practice-based politics
This research area approaches cities as communities that must be capable of adjusting to temporary and sudden shifts in external conditions and to demographic transformations, the long-term needs of residents, and diverse lifestyles. The focus is on the interactions between everyday life, governance, and policies in urban environments. Our approach includes bottom-up practices, citizens’ perspectives to societal changes, understanding the agency of individuals and marginalised groups as well as human–non-human relationships.
Urban environments for health and well-being
This research area combines existing research on the impact of the natural and various built urban environments to eco-social, physiological, and psychological well-being. It includes interdisciplinary research on urban green space, environmental health and holistic well-being, and ecological community planning as well as sustainable urban development by promoting the circular economy.
Resilient infrastructures and businesses
This research area contributes to the understanding of resilient infrastructures and the role of business organisations in the systemic change towards sustainable cities. Our approach includes theoretical discourses related to organisations and institutions, circular economy, carbon neutral buildings, materials and processes, and new sustainable models for housing and transportation.
The community
Tampere University is among the frontrunners in addressing interdisciplinary research on urban environments with a focus on sustainable transformation. It has created a unique profile and orientation by integrating critical theory and research with societal activities and needs to find practical and scalable solutions to urban issues.
The research community includes some 50 professors and senior researchers working in the area. We have expertise in multiple fields including medicine, psychology, architecture, policy studies, history, gerontology, social work, management and organisational studies, and transportation research.