Innovative and Sustainable Learning Environments at the Educa Fair 2026
University of Jyväskylä's ISLE project members were actively involved in Finland’s leading education and training event, EDUCA
Members of the University of Jyväskylä’s ISLE project took an active role at EDUCA, Finland’s largest education and training fair. The project was represented by teachers and teacher trainers Markku Hilpinen and Dr Hannu Moilanen from the University of Jyväskylä Teacher Training School, as well as researcher Dr Tiina Mäkelä from the Finnish Institute for Educational Research (FIER), University of Jyväskylä.
The EDUCA Fair annually brings together nearly 20,000 Finnish and international educators, school leaders, researchers, policymakers, developers, and company representatives. The main theme of the 2026 event was the right to teach and the joy of learning.
Key national stakeholders, including the Trade Union of Education in Finland (OAJ), the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, and the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI), were strongly represented. During panel discussions featuring party leaders, including Minister of Education Anders Adlercreutz, educators in the audience actively voiced their views on current educational policy challenges, particularly the growing inequalities within the Finnish education system.
Dr Tiina Mäkelä presented the ISLE project at the Speakers’ Corner, highlighting research conducted by the Innovative Learning Environments (ILE) research group. In addition, project members promoted ISLE at the University Teacher Training Schools’ exhibition stand.
The fair also provided an excellent opportunity to invite Finnish teachers to participate in the ISLE survey, which focuses on quality, equity, and inclusion in innovative and sustainable learning environments, encompassing psychosocial, pedagogical, and physical dimensions.
ISLE project website: https://isleproject.eu/
More information, contact: tiina.m.makela@jyu.fi
ILE research group: https://www.jyu.fi/en/research-groups/innovative-learning-environments-ile
More information about EDUCA: https://educa.messukeskus.com/en/
