Dr Tuija Hirvikoski is currently a director at Laurea University of Applied Sciences responsible for the University’s strategic stakeholder management. During her Vice-Presidency, Laurea become Finland’s most successful University of Applied Sciences receiving multiple awards. She has held managerial positions at various Finnish higher education institutions and governmental institutions focusing on sustainable regional and societal development. Hirvikoski’s specific area of expertise is related to multi-stakeholder, user-centred innovation design and ecosystem development (Living Labs).

She has received a PhD in Industrial Management (Innovation and Innovation Ecosystems), MSc in Education and MSc in Administration. As a sought-after advisor, she has provided various audiences with inspirational examples and research results concerning the Finnish education and open innovation ecosystems.

Hirvikoski was the Chair of The European Network of Living Labs between 2015-2018 and has served as a council member in various organisations such as the Uusimaa Regional Coordination Committee, Sendai-Finland Wellbeing Centre R&D Unit, Tech villa Ltd (a Finnish technology centre), Helsinki Information Technology Association, the Talent Cultivation Program for Smart Living Industry in Taiwan, and the Centre for Skills and Post-Secondary Education (SPSE) in Canada.