Studying

The Master's Programme in Technologies for Sustainable Use of Renewable Resources uniquely combines emerging technologies, sustainability, and Finland's significant expertise in the natural resource sector, including agriculture, food production, and the forestry industry..
Why Technologies for Sustainable Use of Renewable Resources?

An increasing number of experts are needed to solve the global challenges of food systems and the forestry sector through the use of technologies. Upon completing your studies, you will be a professional in sustainability and utilising technical and digital solutions in the agri-food and forest industries in Finland and abroad. 

As a graduate of the Master's Programme in Technologies for Sustainable Use of Renewable Resources, you will:

  • Understand the operating environment of the Finnish natural resource industry, its key actors and the importance of renewable resources for sustainable development
  • Have the skills to develop, implement and apply technological solutions that consider different aspects of sustainability in the agri-food and forest sectors
  • Be able to combine financial thinking with responsible business solutions and cost management in food and wood supply chains 

You will enhance your expertise in a real operational environment through the programme's versatile collaborative partnerships and connect with specialists in the field throughout your studies. In addition to completing intensive and project courses with our collaborating organisations, you can also include an internship in your studies, which can be undertaken with our partner companies.
 

The programme addresses the need for sustainable development experts, preparing them to tackle challenges in natural resource management and food systems.
Language of instruction

Teaching of the courses is carried out in English. You can also complete courses, write a Master's thesis and get supervision in English, Finnish or Swedish.

Structure and content

The scope of the Master's degree is 120 credits and takes two academic years to complete. In addition to choosing your specialisation area, your studies will consist of both field-specific advanced courses and optional courses, as well as project courses in collaboration with various organisations.

Your studies will have the following structure:

  • Advanced studies (80 credits) including a Master’s thesis (30 credits)
  • Other studies (30 credits) covering the key themes of the programme, including also language studies
  • Work-life orientation and career planning
  • Elective courses (10 credits), which can be taken from the offerings of this or other degree programmes 

The teaching focuses on improving sustainability in the agri-food and forest sectors through technologies, exploring a wide range of applications including artificial intelligence, machine vision, data analysis, modelling, measurement technologies, and much more.

Your studies also include versatile project courses conducted in the programme’s collaborative area outside the university campus.

Specialisation modules

System modelling and simulation module includes following course topics:  

  • Engineering principles and control strategies for automating and optimising energy and industrial processes.
  • System modelling and simulation of renewable and conventional energy systems using mathematical and computational tools (e.g., MATLAB, Python, PLC).
  • Integration of sensors and data acquisition systems for real-time monitoring and process control.
  • Applications of automation and control in enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability across industrial sectors.  

Measuring, mapping and analysing of natural resources data module consists of following themes: 

  • Laser scanning and other 3D remote sensing data as well as data processing and interpretation methods.
  • Application areas of remote, close-range sensing and positioning technologies in the field of natural resources.
  • Artificial intelligence with new measurement and positioning technologies in analysing spatial natural resources data.
  • Managing datasets including Big Data and generating new information from them using various analysis methods and artificial intelligence. 

Sustainable management of resources and innovations module covers topics such as: 

  • Management and cost accounting, including key tools and methods that support decision-making and strategic planning in food and wood supply chains
  • Managing innovation in agri-food value chains to enhance sustainability
  • Business and data science in supply chains of renewable resources such as customer behavior analysis or utilisation of artificial intelligence within agri-food and forest sectors.
  • Sustainable supply chain management including carbon footprinting, principles of circular economy, recycling of renewable materials and energy efficiency. 
Collaboration with external partners

Company collaboration and work-life orientation have a strong emphasis in the Master’s Programme in Technologies for Sustainable Use of Renewable Resources. Your studies include project courses and intensive courses carried out with the programme's partners, offered either as standalone courses or integrated within other courses. The students will network with companies during their studies and gain valuable working life experience. This will also help international students to integrate into the Finnish labour market and society.

You can also complete an internship in partner organisations. The teachers and researchers of the degree programme have extensive networks in Finland and internationally with businesses across the food, agricultural and forestry sectors. They also collaborate with government organisations, and research institutes outside the university, such as the Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT), the National Land Survey of Finland (MML) and the Finnish Food Authority. 

The master's programme also cooperates closely with other master's programmes at the faculty and other teaching units on the Viikki campus. Teaching and research collaboration takes place across faculty boundaries, and therefore, you will have access to many interesting courses at the University of Helsinki, also outside of your programme.

Master's thesis

Your degree includes a Master's thesis (30 credits), which you will complete independently with support from your supervisors. Additionally, the seminar studies (5 credits) included in your curriculum will assist you during the thesis writing process. You may complete your Master's thesis within the faculty's research projects or as an assignment with the programme's partners, such as research institutes or companies. Upon completion of the thesis, these partners may become potential employers.

Student life

Student life and especially the student organisation culture is exceptionally rich and diverse in Finland. 

At the University of Helsinki, more than 240 student organisations operate within the Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY), ranging from faculty and subject organisations to political and societal organisations, and from choirs and orchestras to sports and game clubs. Their activities include anniversary celebrations, academic dinner parties, cultural events, get-togethers and excursions.

Students in Finland are also entitled to many benefits and services. For example, affordable student housing, low-cost sports services and student-priced meals. You also get numerous discounts, for example on public transport fees across the country.

Your campus

The Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry is located at the Viikki Campus, an international hub of life sciences that hosts several faculties, institutes, research projects and network organisations. There's also a veterinary teaching hospital, a research farm, an arboretum, a greenhouse and a research field. 

The faculties of Viikki Campus have several research stations in Finland offering excellent facilities and support for research and teaching.

More about the programme