Special Issue - UEF CECE case study report

The University of Eastern Finland (UEF) is home to the UEF Research Center for Sustainable Circular Economy (UEF CECE). Established to continue the legacy of the major circular economy project “Circular Economy Catalysts: From Innovation to Business Ecosystems” (CICAT2025), which operated from 2019 – 2023, UEF CECE aims to catalyze positive change towards a sustainable future.

Directed by Hanna Lehtimäki, the center brings together researchers from various disciplines in and outside of UEF aimed at researching, catalyzing, and promoting a change towards a more sustainable future. Officially launched in March 2023, UEF CECE began with an interdisciplinary, collaborative, and appreciative strategy workshop to set a clear vision and guidance on the road ahead.

Research focus

UEF CECE is part of the UEF Business School and linked to the RESOURCE Research Community, which stands for “Sustainable Resource Society: Circular Economy, Energy and Raw Materials.” The center aligns its core research with the UEF and RESOURCE RC’s strategic vision to accelerate societal innovations for sustainability transitions in the nexus of energy, critical raw materials, and the circular economy. Thus, research focuses on three key areas:

1) Sustainable circular economy through microand macro-level analysis, including catalysts for circular economy,

2) Business ecosystems of critical materials and metals to support the greenification and electrification of traffic and logistics, and to explore circular ventures and their role in novel solutions,

3) Sustainable business and new business models, such as the platform economy, customer engagement, collaboration, and data-driven AI analysis to create new business opportunities.

Research projects

UEF CECE has several ongoing research projects:

GOVERMAT – “Multi-level governance of critical materials for future electric mobility” focuses on the innovation and circular ecosystems perspective of EV battery materials and magnets.

CESMI – “Circular Economy Solutions for Microplastics: Indo-Finnish Scientific Collaboration for Innovation” addresses microplastics.

MILESTONE – “Making Circular Economy Socially Inclusive through Entrepreneurship” emphasizes sustainable social inclusion, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

LEADSUS – “Leading Regenerative Circular Economy” develops leadership practices for transitioning to a sustainable and circular economy.

JTF – “Circular economy skill development for working life”, supported by the EU Just Transition Fund (JTF) and partnered with local SMEs and agencies to increase local circular economy knowledge and expertise in the Northern Savo and Northern Karelia areas of Finland, offering micro-credentials in sustainability and the circular economy.

Achievements

In its first year, UEF CECE has focused on increasing visibility, collaboration, and knowledge dissemination. A website was launched, and LinkedIn is actively used for sharing information. The center hosts weekly Morning Coffee sessions featuring national and international speakers from universities, research institutes, and businesses discussing sustainability and the circular economy, with growing attendance.

Despite initial funding challenges, UEF CECE has secured research funding through initiatives such as the “Doctoral School Pilot,” adding two positions, and the LEADSUS and JTF projects, with several applications pending. Additionally, a new International Master’s degree program in Sustainability Leadership to the UEF curriculum, will commence in autumn 2024, with an inaugural class of 15 international students.

UEF CECE has participated in international joint workshops and conferences (e.g. UK, India, Finland, and USA), and organized its own international conferences. Research collaborations span Finland and global networks, expanding through new researchers and inviting members to international networks such as the EU COST Action (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) and the Nordic Circular Hotspot.

Academic exchanges and visits include partnerships with institutions such as U. Exeter, WCEF, and UNEP. Hanna Lehtimäki serves as Finland’s COST Action Leader.

Two edited books with international contributors with the support of UEF CECE researchers have been published:

• “Routledge Handbook on Catalyzing Sustainable Circular Economy” with over 100 multidisciplinary contributors, essential for circular economy enthusiasts. (Open Access)

• “Art and Sustainability Transitions in Business and Society” features 11 chapters from 25 international authors, providing inspirational cases and insights on the role of the arts in sustainability agencies.

In essence, UEF CECE researchers have coauthored a variety of journal publications and book chapters with international and industry colleagues and have been invited to speak at events with internal and external partners from business, society, and education.

Bionote

Nuppu Mielonen is a doctoral researcher in the Business School at the University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland. She is a Project Manager at the UEF Research Center for Sustainable Circular Economy and a University Researcher in “Multi-level governance of critical materials for future electric mobility” (GOVERMAT), a multidisciplinary research project funded by the Academy of Finland. Her research focuses on the circular economy and the ecosystems of green transition metals. Specifically, the emergence, organizing and value creation of circular economy ecosystems are of interest.

Kristina Leppälä is a researcher and lecturer at the University of Eastern Finland Business School's Research Center for Sustainable Circular Economy (UEF CECE). Her research examines organizational and relational social practices that take place within and across organizational boundaries. Currently, she is engaged in two research programs examining sustainability leadership and the just transition for peat entrepreneurs. Due to her expertise in biomedical technology, she is a co-lead for the Special Interest Group 'Health and Innovation' within the International Society of Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM).

Hanna Lehtimäki is a Professor of Innovation Management and Director of the Research Center for Sustainable Circular Economy at the University of Eastern Finland. Her research focuses on circular economy through innovation management, strategic management, organization theory, leadership, and entrepreneurship. As Vice Director of UEF's Sustainable Resource Society, she promotes multidisciplinary social sciences research for sustainability. Her work has been published internationally, and she has recently co-edited books on art and sustainability and catalyzing sustainable circular economy.

Nuppu Mielonen
Doctoral Researcher, Project Manager
UEF CECE, University of Eastern Finland
nuppu.mielonen@uef.fi

Kristina Leppälä
Post-doctoral Researcher
University of Eastern Finland, Finland.
kristina.leppala@uef.fi

Hanna Lehtimäki
Professor, Director
UEF CECE University of Eastern Finland
hanna.lehtimaki@uef.fi