This article reflects on the Finnish higher education funding model’s effects on publication activities in universities of applied sciences (UAS) and traditional universities, how publication, science communication and knowledge brokering are connected and how R&D projects can build publication and communication strategies for impact.
Effects of Finnish HEI funding on publication and science communication activities
Looking at the publication data of Finnish institutions of higher education collected by the Ministry of Education, the publication activities of UAS are more diverse than those of traditional universities (see image 1). According to the data only 12% of the publications by UAS were scientific in 2024, which is the latest confirmed data collection. The majority, 52%, were targeted at an audience with a professional interest in the topics and approximately a third at the public. Audiovisual material and ICT software accounted for 5% of the total. (Vipunen – Education statistics Finland n.d.a.) These publications include but are not limited to articles, guidebooks or workbooks, podcasts, videos and other multimedia content. Universities on the other hand focus on publishing research results. Over 80% of all publications produced in 2024 by universities were scientific, mostly peer-reviewed articles. Out of all university publications that year 13% were targeted at a professional audience, 5% at the public and 0.4% were audiovisual materials or ICT software. (Vipunen – Education statistics Finland n.d.b.)
In total universities produced almost four times more publications than UASs did in 2024 (Vipunen – Education statistics Finland n.d.a; Vipunen – Education statistics Finland n.d.b). However, looking at format and who they are intended for there is more diversity in the publications of universities of applied sciences. This latest confirmed data collection is a good representation of both UAS and university publication data from the most recent years. The differences are obvious, but to understand why Finnish UASs seem to have a broader perspective on publication than universities, we need to look at the funding model of Finnish institutions of higher education. Overall, the Finnish funding model is mainly based on results in education and R&D. On top of that, a small part of the basic funding is strategy-based. The basic funding structures for Finnish UASs and universities are the same; the differences lie in how these are emphasised. (See image 2.)
A portion of the R&D and research funding respectively is based on the number of publications made by staff: researchers, teachers, and experts. It accounts for 2% of the total funding for UASs and 14% for universities. (Ministry of Education 2024.) For Metropolia UAS this equals approximately 1.2 million euros per year based on our publication results. Where universities are mainly funded for peer-reviewed scientific publications in high impact journals and the funding for other publication formats is minimal a broader spectrum of publication types and formats have a significant impact on UAS basic funding. Scientific and professional publications are equally rewarded. And even with the change in our funding model from 2025 onwards, popularized and audiovisual publications—as well as artistic activities that are otherwise excluded from this article—are still a significant part of the funding that, for example, Metropolia UAS receives. Open access publication is also rewarded. (Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön asetus ammattikorkeakoulujen perusrahoituksen laskentakriteereistä 171/2024 [Decree of the Ministry of Education and Culture on the criteria for calculating the basic funding of universities of applied sciences 171/2024]; Opetus- ja kulttuuriministeriön asetus yliopistojen perusrahoituksen laskentakriteereistä 170/2024 [Decree of the Ministry of Education and Culture on the criteria for calculating the basic funding of universities 170/2024]; Vipunen – Education statistics Finland n.d.a; Vipunen – Education statistics Finland n.d.b.) The recent development of the Finnish UAS funding model strengthens the task outlined in the legislation: they should conduct applied research, development projects and innovation activities that directly serve working life and regional development (Universities of Applied Sciences Act, 4 §).
Looking at the diversity of UAS publications mentioned previously—guidebooks, workbooks, podcasts, videos and other multimedia content among others—this could also be considered science communication. One definition of science communication that can directly be applied to Finnish UAS publication is by Australian researchers T.W. Burns, D.J. O’Connor and S. M. Stocklmayer. They determine that science communication is using appropriate skills, media, activities and dialogue to create awareness, understanding or an interest in science, form opinions, or for pure enjoyment. Science communication may involve scientists, mediators, and other members of the public. The activities can be peer-to-peer or between groups. (Burns, O’Connor & Stocklmayer 2003, 191.) The purpose and ways to work in this definition align with publication activities of UASs in Finland. However, in the Finnish funding model only content that is created by the researchers or experts themselves is eligible, and a set of criteria for different types of publications is developed continuously and confirmed annually. Mediators—mainly publication specialists like me, communication specialists, editors, and editorial board members—work with said researchers and experts to develop good-quality and effective content. Project partners, participants, and students who have participated in R&D activities also contribute to the publications.
Interaction with society to promote the impact of research findings is also a principal task of universities (Universities Act 558/2009, § 2). However, since professional, popularized and audiovisual publications that are a means to the end do not have a significant impact on the funding the data is most likely incomplete. Regardless, the basic funding of higher education institutions in Finland directs UAS towards a more diverse set of publication types and formats and universities to publish in high impact scientific journals.
The role of UASs in knowledge brokering
Where science communication and publication activities are often carried out by researchers or research organizations themselves—unless they are mainstream media content—knowledge brokering, a term that is used more in recent years, is commonly defined as transferring knowledge between entities that are not immediately connected. Knowledge brokers can be either individuals or organizations (Weber & Yanovitsky 2021, 2; Caduff, Bornhaupt, Lockton, Rehm & Daly 2024). Knowledge brokers also have an important role in building relationships and mobilizing for actions to improve decision-making processes and practice, especially from the point of view how evidence-based knowledge is used (Yanovitzky & Weber 2019).
Recently the focus of knowledge brokering has shifted from knowledge brokers transferring knowledge from creator directly to its user, policy makers or practitioners alike, to how research findings are taken into use in networks (Weber & Yanovitsky [Eds.] 2021; MacGregor, Rodway & Farley-Ripple 2025). With this comes more variety regarding who is considered a knowledge broker. Looking at Finnish UASs, they are an essential part of the networks where new knowledge is created, distributed, and taken into use. They also have several roles in the practice of knowledge brokering:
- Finnish UASs are creators of new knowledge in their R&D projects. They distribute findings mainly to practitioners and working life, but also within the research community, as well as to the public and policy makers, as the publication numbers show. Applied research is emphasized.
- Finnish UASs are knowledge brokers. They use their position between basic research and working life, spot ideas and concepts published by researchers and apply them to working life. This requires close cooperation with businesses and organisations in development projects and is in line with the idea of knowledge brokering as taking old ideas and using them in new places, new ways and new combinations (Hargadon & Sutton 2000, 158). This also allows UASs to draw attention to the broader significance of new research for society: communicating it to policy makers and the public.
- Finnish UASs take new knowledge into use. The obvious example is using research findings and learnings from development work in UAS education. As UASs focus on educating professionals to serve the needs of working life they not only use the new knowledge but also serve as knowledge brokers as the knowledge will find its way as students enter working life. Additionally, UASs take new knowledge into use by testing, refining and adapting it. One important area is of course taking new knowledge into account when developing pedagogy or services for students and staff (e.g. Spokes 2025a; 2025b).
With the focus shifting to networks, co-creation becomes highly relevant not just in research and development activities, but also when looking at publication and science communication activities.
Tailoring publication and science communication for impact
It is a fact that research findings can improve both public policy and professional practice when focus is put on how they are used in decision-making processes or working life (Weber & Yanovitsky 2021, 2). It is equally important to provide popularized knowledge to the public (Sterk & van Goch 2023, 3). A diverse set of carefully curated and executed publications combined with other science communication activities on one topic is the key to support this kind of transformation in society. The purpose of the initial basic or applied research is to create new knowledge and make it available primarily to the scientific community in the form of scientific publications, even though the efforts of open science of course aim to make these new findings accessible to anyone. Professional publications reflect on that new knowledge in relation to certain professions, jobs, or contexts. At best, they help professionals apply relevant new knowledge to everyday work. Popular publications and other science communication efforts are there to reach relevant individuals and groups with the new information, stimulate new ways of thinking and perhaps also encourage new ways of doing things in everyday life.
Applying the previously cited definition of science communication to Metropolia UAS: the purpose of publication and science communication activities carried out by us is to create awareness and understanding of applied science in general and on the topics on which we do research specifically. We want to form opinions. But even further, with our publications we want to help professionals apply the knowledge created in our R&D projects to their work. This is why the majority of our publications are aimed at a professional audience, for example 71.9% in 2024 when excluding public artistic and design activities from the total amount (Vipunen – Education statistics Finland n.d.), and why we as an active publisher offer consultancy, training, and editing services to R&D projects as well as to our staff at large.
Let us look at an example. Hytke, a project that developed participatory research, development and innovation partnership culture and activities for sustainable well-being at Metropolia UAS and in our RDI networks received funding during the years 2021–2024. The project’s publication efforts were extensive, ranging from scientific articles and guidebooks to podcasts and videos. Over 40 publications were completed and complemented with other communication efforts such as social media content, events, presentations, workshops, and webinars. (Sipari, Vänskä & Helenius 2024.) The contributors to this vast number of publications include not only researchers and specialists from Metropolia and its partner organizations but also experts by experience who served as co-researchers in the project, and students.
What stands out to me is that the publication and communication efforts were diverse and aimed at scientific and professional audiences as well as the public. The project’s approach was all-encompassing, and the use of publication and communication efforts were strategic and integrated into all stages of the project. The efforts of successful R&D projects with a real impact on society do not need to be as extensive in numbers as in the Hytke project, but the strategic and comprehensive approach is necessary. At best, a cluster of different types of R&D projects within the same theme could provide this variety and the quantity that the Hytke project realized on its own.
Capturing knowledge creation in real time
In the context of co-creating new knowledge in networks one interesting format to look at is podcasting. The rise in consumption of audio content cannot be denied. In Finland statistics on podcast listening or downloading are available from 2019 onwards. That year 26% reported on having listened to or downloaded a podcast within the last three months. During the last three years the number has increased to almost 40%. Listening to or downloading audiobooks has doubled during the same time, growing from 13% in 2019 to 26% in 2023 and 2024. (Official Statistics of Finland n.d.) And we are not alone. The same development has been reported in for example Germany, Sweden, and the U.S. (see e.g. Döring, Müller, Svenja, Ruhrmann & Schäfer 2022; Internetstiftelsen 2023; Whittle 2024).
From the point of view of co-creating new understanding, noteworthy podcasts are loosely scripted episodes where the topic is defined but there is room for listening, discussing and new learning for all who are participating in the recorded conversation. The starting points are existing knowledge, research and development work in progress, and the professional and personal knowledge of the participants of each episode. The significance of R&D efforts, new ideas on how to apply them, and a mutual co-created understanding on the topic are captured in the recording moment. From a Finnish publication data collection point of view, this is new knowledge that is created while recording an episode. Any new ideas, however, need to be tested to be considered new knowledge in the scientific sense of the word.
At its best, a podcast is an opportunity to invite all involved parties to a conversation on a specific topic. The previously mentioned Hytke project also created a podcast series containing six episodes. The podcast episodes included Metropolia’s RDI Director, researchers and specialists from Metropolia and the University of Eastern Finland, professionals in different fields, as well as experts of experience. My example is from Finland, but the idea could be elevated to an international level where participants from different countries discuss the topic from a European or global perspective.
When a podcast concept is thoroughly thought through and created in the above-mentioned way listeners can later be part of the exact moment when new understanding of the significance of R&D work or new ideas to apply existing knowledge was created. Podcasts are considered an intimate media format (Lindgren [Ed.] 2025) and the listener experience can thus become truly powerful. From a science communication perspective, a podcast might not only be interesting for the listener who wants to learn something new based on its content. The listener might also be there for pure enjoyment. For some the moment when new ideas are created may be the fascination. Thus, podcasts are not only effective for transferring new knowledge and learning something new. They can also fill the listener’s need to be entertained. These two aspects—learning something new and being entertained—are the two most common reasons for listening to podcasts (Tobin & Guadagno 2022), which we as authors and publishers should utilize.
Aligning publication and communication strategies with purpose
The foundation and purpose of Metropolia’s RDI activities is societal impact (Huhtaniemi & Vilkuna 2025). Thus, a requirement is to make the results, effects and impact of research and development visible and support the utilization of results at different levels of society and among different actors. This can be done through various types of publications and communication efforts.
Publications and communication efforts are often done together with partners. It is worth building on the strengths of each partner. For universities of applied sciences, including Metropolia, this means continuing to support professional publications that contribute to the utilization of research and development results in working life. As universities of applied sciences pursue an increasingly diverse funding base and apply for more academic research funding, greater efforts must be made in scientific publishing (Wallin 2024). Thus, cooperation with traditional universities and research institutes is important. For example, about half of the peer-reviewed scientific articles published by Metropolia staff in 2024 were produced in collaboration with Finnish or foreign universities focusing on basic research or research institutes. In addition, good-quality and effective research and development work is reflected in decision-making and people’s everyday lives. Wisely chosen publications and communication efforts that reflect the objectives and purpose of R&D work are therefore key to high impact research and development work.
References
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Author
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Riikka Wallin
Specialist, Metropolia UASPublications specialist Riikka Wallin helps Metropolia UAS staff and students showcase their expertise and the results of their research and development activities. She is the Editor-in-Chief of Metrospective Pop and Metrospective Pro.
About the author
