Projects

Tommi's work unfolds through places, people, and shared experiences rather than formal titles alone. His path in international higher education has been shaped by a strong connection to nature, outdoor sports, and collaborative learning across borders.

As Lapland UAS joined the European Network of Outdoor Sports (ENOS), Tommi became deeply involved in building this international community. From participating in the very first ENOS Master Campus Summit to contributing to the Campus Steering Group, he has worked quietly but consistently to turn networks into living platforms for cooperation. One defining moment of this journey was the organization and co-leadership of the second Outdoorsport Master Campus Summit in Lapland, where the Arctic environment itself became part of the learning experience.

Tommi's work extends beyond meetings and strategy into concrete educational practice. He has designed and coordinated a Nature Connection Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) in Finland, bringing together students and educators around experiential, place-based learning. At the same time, his collaboration with Universidad de Talca in Chile through TFK / Erasmus KA-171 reflects a belief in long-term partnerships that bridge cultures, hemispheres, and pedagogical traditions.

At the Faculty of Sports at Lapland UAS, Tommi has focused on opening doors — expanding opportunities for student and staff exchanges and strengthening international pathways. His approach is grounded in the idea that meaningful education happens when mobility, nature, and shared curiosity come together, creating spaces where learning is both professional and deeply human.

In parallel, Tommi contributes to European regional development through his involvement in the Interreg EU project DEPART, where his work focuses on sustainable sport tourism. Within this project, he supports the integration of outdoor sports, education, and sustainability, strengthening cross-border cooperation, knowledge exchange, and good practices.

Recent development work includes the launch of Green Exercise studies as part of the Bachelor of Sports program at Lapland University of Applied Sciences, as well as the creation of structured study paths from Sports (BA) to sustainability-focused education (MA) in cooperation with the University of Lapland. This work includes the development of cross-sectional study units that are accessible to students from both institutions, strengthening interdisciplinary learning and supporting smooth educational transitions between applied sports education and academic sustainability studies.

In parallel, Tommi is involved in the development of a new international degree program in outdoor sports, planned to start in 2027, and contributes to the preparation of an Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Sustainable Outdoors, developed together with USN and the University of Edinburgh. His international collaboration also extends to Universidad de Talca and the MINSOL research institute in Chile, focusing on learning, nature, and outdoor educational contexts.

Tommi has created or is associated with educational materials for outdoor students and international exchange students on Arctic and winter safety topics, including cold weather safety, ice safety, snowshoeing and navigation in Arctic conditions, backcountry skiing safety, and outdoor guide field protocols. These materials cover practical safety issues such as hypothermia and frostbite prevention, ice condition assessment, navigation in limited daylight, route planning, winter route planning and avalanche-awareness principles in mountain terrain, emergency procedures, group management, and field decision-making.

Alongside his educational and network-building work, Tommi is engaged in research-oriented development that brings together outdoor play, health, equity, sustainability, and intergenerational well-being. His work is especially focused on advancing Horizon-level research initiatives exploring the links between outdoor play, health, and societal resilience. He is also a member of a Finnish adventure pedagogy development team, contributing to the evolution of experiential and nature-based educational approaches.

A central theme in this work is Nature–Culture connectedness as a foundation for well-being. Tommi approaches nature not only as an environment for physical activity, but as a cultural, social, and educational space — one that supports inclusion, lifelong learning, and sustainable ways of living. These ideas also guide his interest in sustainable tourism and education, where learning, place, and responsibility intersect.

International collaboration plays a key role in this research-driven development. Tommi has contributed to the co-creation of an international course on nature connectedness, developed together with partners from CREPS, USN (University of South-Eastern Norway), PXL Education, and Comenius University. The course brings together diverse perspectives from education, sports, health, and environmental studies, reflecting his belief that complex well-being challenges are best addressed through interdisciplinary and cross-cultural collaboration.

Through this work, Tommi aims to connect research, practice, and education in ways that support healthier people, more equitable learning environments, and a more sustainable relationship between humans and nature — across generations and borders.