Written by: Ephy Kouzi, FOCUS

Charting the Path for the Final Phase of the Project in Kuopio

Kuopio, Finland – On 24 and 25 June 2026, the ᴇNᴀBʟS consortium gathered for the project’s 4th Plenary Meeting, hosted by the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) at the Bioteknia campus. As the project enters its final phase, this two-day hybrid meeting focused heavily on “closing” strategies and maximising the exploitation potential of the project’s key outcomes, while also serving as an important opportunity for self-assessment.

Key Highlights & Focus Areas

Day 1: TVET Modules, Higher Education & Living Labs in Action

The first day opened with welcoming words from UEF, followed by an inspiring keynote speech by Sanna-Kaisa Rautio (Priodiversity LIFE project) on regional nature work in North Savo.

The morning sessions focused on the development of educational programmes:

• NBS TVET & Skills Development: 3s presented the status of the NBS TVET modules and teacher training guides, focusing on pilot-testing experiences across the project’s Living Labs.
• NBS in University Curricula: UEF steered the dialogue on incorporating NBS principles into university studies and promoting a Whole Institution Approach (WIA) within partner institutions.
• Living Labs in Action: Guided by WUR with the assistance of CERTH, the consortium engaged in a vital self-assessment session. Partners re-evaluated their theory of change to prioritise core tasks that will yield maximum impact during the remainder of the project.

True to the ᴇNᴀBʟS philosophy of learning from nature, the day concluded with an outdoor walking tour to the Puijo forest and a visit to the historic Konttila farmstead. Additionally, the onsite team had the great opportunity to visit the UEF strawberry cultivation laboratory, gaining hands-on insights into modern agricultural research and biodiversity-friendly practices.

Day 2: Policy, Dissemination, and Future Planning

The second day shifted focus toward the long-term sustainability, policy impact, and exploitation of project results:

• Policy Recommendations: ICA presented the key findings from national policy events and laid out the organisational aspects for the upcoming European policy event.
• Monitoring & Exploitation: Updates were presented on project monitoring and assessment (CERTH), exploitation strategies (ICA), dissemination actions (FOCUS), and liaison activities with related European initiatives.

The meeting ended with a joint discussion to align all partners on the technical tasks, data exploitation, and project management steps required as ᴇNᴀBʟS heads towards its final milestones.

Stay tuned for more updates on our upcoming NBS TVET modules, teacher training guides, and policy events!

Follow our journey on social media using the hashtag #ᴇNᴀBʟS.