Ulysseus Winter School on Innovative Pedagogy brings educators together in Helsinki 

From 9 to 13 February 2025, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences hosted the Ulysseus Winter School on Innovative Pedagogy, gathering 31 participants from across the partner universities. The Blended Intensive Programme combined an online kick-off at the end of January with an intensive on-site week in Helsinki, creating a shared foundation for collaborative learning and co-creation.

This Winter School was the first of four Winter and Summer School implementations coordinated by the Ulysseus Pedagogical Development Steering Group. All of these implementations are based on the Ulysseus Pedagogical Guidelines, which were created last spring. The guidelines are designed to support the work of Ulysseus teachers and educators in designing impactful and engaging learning experiences.  

Following the main principles of the Pedagogical Guidelines, the Winter School focused on student-centred, competence-based learning and innovative pedagogical approaches, placing strong emphasis on student empowerment, engagement, and real-world relevance. Throughout the week participants explored how to design inspiring and inclusive learning experiences while strengthening cross-institutional collaboration within the Ulysseus alliance.  

Learning through collaboration and real-world challenges 

Participants worked in multicultural and multidisciplinary teams throughout the week, tackling real pedagogical challenges drawn from their own teaching contexts. Each day introduced a new thematic lens, which teams applied directly to their ongoing work: 

• Learning design 
• Student engagment 

• Authentic learning 
• Digital transformation

Through hands-on activities, discussions, and co-creation, participants developed concrete pedagogical solutions and learning activities that can be implemented in their own institutions and within Ulysseus joint educational activities. 

A key focus was also on digital transformation and the role of AI in education, exploring how technologies can enhance learning in an ethical and pedagogically meaningful way.

Building Community and shared expertise

The Winter School emphasised the importance of collaboration, diversity, and community building. Feedback collected during the programme highlights the value of working in international teams:

• Great energy, diverse background, easy to work with 

• Multidisciplinary, multicultural and marvelous 

• We are from different universities and have a similar pedagogical goal 

Participants also highlighted the importance of discussions, shared experiences, and exposure to different perspectives as key sources of inspiration throughout the week. 

The programme included visits to the Porvoo campus and social activities in Helsinki , offering participants opportunities to experience Finnish culture and strengthen informal connections. The Helsinki Hunt challenged the participants in teams to complete at least 5 out 10 “missions” including popular places to visit or things to do connected with Finnish culture and habits. The results of the Helsinki Hunt were documented in photos and videos on a Padlet-platform visible to everyone, creating a lot of laughter and a bit of competition between the teams.

Facilitating learning through trust and co-creation

The facilitation team from Haaga-Helia designed the programme to support participants from diverse backgrounds and varying levels of experience. As highlighted by Irma Kunnari, the aim was to create a process in which participants, regardless of their starting point, could co-create innovative pedagogical solutions together. 

A central principle throughout the week was trust in the team and the co-creation process. Marika Alhonen emphasised the importance of facilitators trusting the collective potential of the group and focusing on creating the conditions for collaborative learning and development, rather than steering outcomes too tightly. 

Particular attention was also given to group dynamics and the sense of belonging. Kirsi Korkealehto underlined the importance of allowing time for team formation and fostering a positive atmosphere, recognising that a strong sense of belonging directly supports meaningful learning and collaboration. 

Positive impact 

Participant feedback confirms that the Winter School was both professionally and personally impactful: 

• It has been a fantastic experience both for my development as a teacher and on a personal level. 

• A great model for collaborative innovation in higher education. 

• The week-long teamwork was a great idea. 

At the same time, participants identified opportunities for further development, such as continued collaboration beyond the programme and deeper support for applying outcomes in practice. 

Strengthening Ulysseus pedagogy in practice

The Winter School demonstrated how Ulysseus moves from pedagogical principles to concrete implementation, offering the educators the tools, methods, and networks to innovate their teaching. 

The journey continues as the next Ulysseus Summer School on Innovative Pedagogy, will take place in Genoa in May 2025. Building on the experiences and insights gained in Helsinki, the Summer School will further deepen collaboration and pedagogical innovation across the alliance. 

The Summer and Winter Schools offer educators across Ulysseus the opportunity to join the growing community of practice and continue developing engaging, student-centred learning approaches together. 

About Ulysseus

Ulysseus is one of the 73 European Universities alliances selected by the European Commission under its flagship initiative of the European strategy for universities. These alliances, co-funded by the European Commission, bring together almost 650 higher education institutions of all types from across Europe. Led by the University of Seville, the Ulysseus European University Alliance encompasses seven other partner universities: the Université Côte d’Azur (France), University of Genoa (Italy), the Technical University of Košice (Slovakia), MCI | The Entrepreneurial School® (Austria), Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences (Finland), the University of Münster (Germany), and the University of Montenegro (Montenegro).