Institute of Urban and Regional Studies

02/10/2026

What an inspiring two days at UniverCities 2026! 🏛️
Thank you to all the speakers, participants, chairs, panelists, volunteers and everyone who contributed to making the conference such a great experience.

UniverCities brought this year together
👉 over 100 participants
👉 from 20 countries,
👉 with 47 presentations, 3 keynotes and 2 panel discussions.

For us, the best part of the conference was the opportunity to meet, discuss, build new connections, and share experiences and good practices on impactful collaboration between universities and cities ✨

One of the clear themes that emerged was the challenge of bringing together the different time horizons of universities and cities. Academic freedom and the pursuit of fundamental research have to be balanced with the need for practical knowledge that can support decision-making and respond to pressing societal and environmental challenges.

We need structures for university-city collaboration that make cooperation long-term and sustainable, while at the same time allowing us to respond quickly to a changing world.

There is still much to explore and research in this field. We hope that UniverCities will return again in the future💙

Special thanks for collaboration: University of Helsinki, City of Helsinki, and LUSI - KU Leuven Urban Studies Institute

25/09/2026

Only a few days to go until the seminar Religions and beliefs in the city: "Possibilities, practices, and problems" on Thursday, 1 October 2026, at 9:00–11:00 in Think Corner, Think Lounge 201 (Yliopistonkatu 4, 2nd floor).

If you haven't signed up yet, there's still time: we have extended the registration deadline to Wednesday 30 September. We are also happy to announce a third commentator, Jenni Tahvanainen, Programme Director for Integration at the City of Vantaa, who joins Professors Henrietta Grönlund and Xenia Zeiler in responding to the keynote.

The diversity of religions and beliefs shapes urban space and the everyday life of cities in schools, workplaces, public spaces, and public discourse. How can we act equitably in a religious reality that keeps changing? How should we respond to challenges related to the diversity of beliefs? And what opportunities do religions and beliefs open up for cities?

Our keynote speaker, Professor Christopher Baker (Goldsmiths, University of London), is a leading researcher on the newly visible role of religion and belief in public life. He focuses on the relationship between religion, belief, and urbanisation, and on the role of religion and belief in public policy and civil society. His interdisciplinary work, both theoretical and empirical, covers spatial and built environments, local government policy, and community development. Prof. Baker is visiting the University of Helsinki as HSSH Visiting Professor from late September to early October 2026, hosted by Professors Henrietta Grönlund and Mari Vaattovaara.

When?
Thursday 1 October 2026, 9.00–11.00

Where?
Tiedekulma, 2nd floor, Think Lounge, 201. Yliopistonkatu 4, Helsinki

Register by 30 September at the latest: https://www.lyyti.fi/reg/ReligionsAndBeliefs

Programme:
9.00 Opening
Christopher Baker, Professor of Religion and Public Life, Goldsmiths, University of London: Whose City - whose voice? Identity, participation, subjectivities, religion

Commentaries from:
Henrietta Grönlund, Professor of Urban Theology, University of Helsinki Xenia Zeiler, Professor of South Asian Studies, University of Helsinki
Jenni Tahvanainen, Programme Director for Integration, City of Vantaa

Time for questions and comments from the audience

11.00 End of the event

See you on Thursday!

18/09/2026

Unelmien katu -kirjan artikkeliesittelyissämme nostamme seuraavaksi esiin Anssi Joutsiniemen artikkelin Katu-unelmien anatomia: nopeuden, tilan ja hallinnan paradoksi.

Vaikka liikenne on mullistunut viime vuosisatana, kaupunkitilan mitoitus on säilynyt samana. Artikkeli pohtii tien ja kadun eroa ja sitä, miten tekniset välttämättömyydet kumpuavat historiallisista ja institutionaalisista valinnoista.

Lataa kirja täältä: https://doi.org/10.31885/9789515183514

14/09/2026

We warmly welcome You to the seminar Religions and beliefs in the city: “Possibilities, practices, and problems” on Thursday, 1 October, 2026, at 9:00–11:00, in Think Corner, Think Lounge, 201 (Yliopistonkatu 4, 2nd floor).

The diversity of religions and beliefs shapes urban space and impacts the everyday life of cities in schools, workplaces, public spaces, and public discourse. How can we act equitably in the continuously evolving religious reality? How can we respond to challenges related to diversity of beliefs? How can we leverage the opportunities related to religions and beliefs?

Our keynote speaker, Professor Christopher Baker (Goldsmiths, University of London) is world-leading in developing innovative and strategic research around the newly visible role and impact of religion and belief on public life. His particular focus is on the relationship between religion, belief, and urbanisation, and the role of religion and belief in public policy and civil society. Professor Baker has written widely on the interplay between religion and urban contexts, and the changing dynamic of faith-based organizations and communities in diverse cities and public life. His research is both theoretical and empirical and highly interdisciplinary in its focus on spatial and built environments, local government policy, and community development. Prof. Baker serves as HSSH Visiting Professor in the University of Helsinki from late September to early October 2026, hosted by Professors Henrietta Grönlund and Mari Vaattovaara.

When?
October 1st, 2026, 9.00–11.00 a.m.

Where?
Tiedekulma, 2nd floor, Think Lounge, 201
Yliopistonkatu 4, Helsinki

Kindly register by 28 September at the latest at: https://www.lyyti.in/ReligionsAndBeliefs

Programme:
9.00 Opening

Christopher Baker, Professor of Religion and Public Life, Goldsmiths, University of London: Whose City - whose voice? Identity, participation, subjectivities, religion

Commentaries from Henrietta Grönlund, Professor of Urban Theology (University of Helsinki) & Xenia Zeiler Professor of South Asian Studies (University of Helsinki).

Time for questions and comments from the audience

11.00 End of the event

Welcome!

11/09/2026

You’re warmly welcome to our Urbaria Guest Lecture seminar with Maroš Krivý, Professor of Urban Studies at the Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallin.

Title: Pedestrianship: Urban Design, Revanchism and the Making of 'Livable Cities'
Date & Venue: Tuesday, September 15th. 12.00-13.30, Language Center, Seminar Room 203 (Fabianinkatu 26, Helsinki)

Maroš Krivý is an urban studies scholar interested in power, design and neoliberal urbanism. He is Professor of Urban Studies at the Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallinn, with previous appointments as Marie Skłodowska-Curie Global Fellow at the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal and Research Associate at the Department of Geography, University of Cambridge.

Welcome to join the discussion!

04/09/2026

You still have time to Join us! ⭐
The registration for the UniverCities 2026 Conference is ending on September 8.
Register here: https://epayment.helsinki.fi/product/univercities-2026/

We are adding new sessions 👏 Explore the current programme here: https://helsinki.fi/en/conferences/univercities-2026/programme

31/08/2026

Unelmien katu -kirjan artikkeliesittelymme jatkuvat! Tällä kertaa vuorossa on Markus Kaakisen ja Kimmo Nuotion artikkeli Turvallinen katu.

Katu on näyttämö myös rikoksille. Miten katu näkyy kriminologiassa ja rikosoikeudessa? Artikkeli analysoi katujen turvallisuutta ja asemaa laissa etenkin katujengi-ilmiön kautta.

Lataa kirja täältä: https://doi.org/10.31885/9789515183514

27/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Soc&kom Festsal yesterday to celebrate Urbaria's past nine years and to look at where we go next. We were happy to see so many of you there!

Vice-Rector Anne Portaankorva opened the evening, after which Professor Mari Vaattovaara looked back at what it took to build Finland's leading multidisciplinary urban studies research institute. Professor Tuuli Toivonen, who now takes over as director, presented her already extensive background in urban research and her vision for the future of Urbaria.

The open discussion that followed, moderated by Mikko Posti, was the part we will keep returning to. Many of you brought excellent suggestions on how Urbaria could serve urban researchers at the University of Helsinki even better in the upcoming years.

Warm thanks once more to Mari for two terms of wonderful leadership, and a warm welcome to Tuuli!

21/08/2026

Tämän viikon toisessa Unelmien katu -kirjan nostossa haluamme esitellä Mikko Raskin artikkelin Kenen baanaa poljen? Osallistumisen rajat ja mahdollisuudet Baanan suunnittelussa.

Kaupunkilaiset saavat joskus osallistua katujen suunnitteluun, m***a millä tavoin ja onko sillä oikeasti merkitystä? Artikkeli tarkastelee Helsingin Baanan suunnittelun osallisuuden muotoja hyödyntäen kollektiivisen älykkyyden teoriaa.

Lataa kirja täältä: https://doi.org/10.31885/9789515183514

20/08/2026

Geoinformatiikan professori Tuuli Toivonen on aloittanut Helsingin yliopiston kaupunkitutkimusinstituutti Urbarian johtajana. Toivonen seuraa tehtävässä professori Mari Vaattovaaraa, joka on luotsannut Urbariaa vuodesta 2018.

"Kaupungit kohtaavat nyt ja jatkossa monialaisia haasteita, joita ei voida ratkaista ilman oppiaine- ja tiedekuntarajat ylittävää tutkimusyhteistyötä", Toivonen sanoo.

Urbaria juhlistaa uuden kauden alkua seminaarilla 26.8.2026 klo 16–18 Soc&Komin Festsalissa. Tilaisuuteen ovat tervetulleita kaikki kaupunkikysymyksistä kiinnostuneet.

Kaupungit kohtaavat monialaisia haasteita, joita ei voida ratkaista ilman oppiaine- ja tiedekuntarajat ylittävää tutkimusyhteistyötä, Toivonen sanoo. Urbaria kutsuu kaupunkikysymyksistä kiinnostuneet tutkijat juhlaseminaarin 26.8.2026