The Year of Community

As part of her studies in higher education, Campus Host Riina Lahtinen conducted research on community at Salo IoT Campus. The study focused particularly on the post-pandemic era, involving nearly 150 individuals from the campus through surveys and thematic interviews. The findings of the thesis research were predominantly positive - despite the significant changes in work practices brought about by the pandemic, there is still a strong need for community!

In search of community

Last summer, I embarked on the final stretch of my Master's degree studies, diving into the exhilarating yet daunting thesis project. From the beginning of my studies, it was clear that my thesis would in some way be connected to the campus, but it took a while to refine the final idea. As we transitioned from the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic back towards normalcy about a year ago, our team unfortunately observed that our events no longer attracted participants in the same way as before the COVID-19 pandemic. This sparked a desire to investigate whether community at Salo IoT Campus still holds significance in the new normal — whether the pandemic has subdued community spirit or if there is still room for it in the future of campus life.

There's still hope

The research findings indicated that the pandemic has not significantly reduced the desire of Salo IoT Campus customers to belong to the campus community. On the contrary, up to 77% of respondents in the thesis survey felt that the campus should invest more in fostering community spirit. Additionally, 16% of respondents believed that the pandemic and increased remote work had positively impacted their desire to be part of the community.

So, why is community spirit considered important on campus? Based on the research results of my thesis, two key significances of community spirit can be identified:

1.Community spirit can positively influence the meaningfulness of everyday work life.

2. Community spirit can facilitate networking and create new opportunities for collaboration.

But what is community spirit, really?

I have taken an interesting journey into the depths of community spirit over the past six months. Everyone has their own understanding of what community spirit is, but defining it is a more challenging task - and even after studying the subject, I still can't simply explain it. Each person's experience of community spirit is personal, but I would like to highlight a couple of important observations from my thesis:

Community spirit is based on trust. According to the research, we are at least on the right track here, as the data often mentioned the good atmosphere and team spirit on campus. Many respondents also felt that the campus community takes care of each other and works together. Wonderful feedback!

Community spirit is not just about shared events and big spectacles; it starts with small things, like greeting each other. Let's remember this in our busy lives - let's be kind to each other!

The COVID-19 pandemic has perhaps permanently changed the way we work. Many are content to work from home, but some of us desperately miss being around people. For those who belong to the latter group, we want to provide opportunities and ways to network and interact on campus. Perhaps we can also encourage those who enjoy working from home to occasionally join others in person.

Year of community

My thesis is now completed, but the most challenging part of my role as a Campus Host lies ahead. Community spirit cannot be built alone; it requires help from community members. In a large community like Salo IoT Campus, it's not possible for everyone to know each other and be one big family, and that's not our aim either. My primary wish as a Campus Host is that every new and existing member of the community feels safe and welcomed on campus.

This year, the campus is focusing on enhancing community spirit. Hopefully, the year will include new events and activities, opportunities for togetherness and collaboration, strengthening trust, and presence. More smiles and exchanging news. First, we're trying to revive campus coffee mornings with a slightly updated concept - less formality, more free conversation. And popcorn. Hopefully, we'll see you at the campus coffee morning on Wednesday, January 18th!

Once again, thank you to all of you who responded to the survey for my thesis or participated in interviews! This wouldn't have been possible without you! ❤️

Riina Lahtinen Campus Host