Sopuli course

Sustainability is the imperative of our time. The Sustainability Transformation Doctoral Education Pilot (SusTra) presents an essential opportunity for everyone to engage with our open Studia Generalia lectures in autumn 2025. The best experts in the field offer the lecture series, tackling the pressing sustainability challenges we face. These 14 online lectures will provide impactful insights into creating a sustainable life and society across various domains, including work, business, leadership, administration, legislation, social imagination, well-being, and education.

These Studia Generalia lectures are based on an open Sopuli PhD course organised by SusTra Doctoral Education Pilot, a collaboration of 10 universities and Finnish Environment Institute (Syke). 

The Sopuli online lectures during autumn 2025, as Studia Generalia

The Sopuli lectures were held online in zoom during autumn 2025, being open to anyone interested in the topics. The language for the lectures is English.

The lecture recordings are now available. Kindly note, the captions are still preliminary.

Completing the Sopuli PhD course for doctoral students

By completing the course, the doctoral researchers participating in it will be supported to identify their researcher position within sustainability transformations. Furthermore, the doctoral researchers will be equipped with transferable skills for becoming sustainability transformations researchers in their respective fields of science.

In addition to the lectures, the doctoral researchers are expected to write an essay (3000–4000 words, in English/Finnish/Swedish). The essay primarily centers on the information provided in the lectures. The deadline for the essay is 18 Dec 2025. To attain the credits (5 ECTS), one needs to attend the lectures and agree about the essay review & language with the own supervisor or faculty member within one’s own university.

Grading of the course will be Pass/Fail. Supervisor evaluates the essay’s quality based on three criteria: 1) coherence of argumentation, 2) depth of reflection, and 3) adequacy of information. 

Application to the Sopuli PhD course ended 31.8.2025. More detailed essay instructions were sent by email on 30.9.2025.

SusTra Research Community

Are you a doctoral researcher or a post-doc with a focus on sustainability transformations or related themes? Join the SusTra Research Community by filling out a short application form.

Further information

Responsible course leader: Professor Arto O. Salonen, UEF

Course coordination: Research manager Meri Löyttyniemi, UEF

EVALUATION AND ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS 22.12.2025    

EVALUATION INSTRUCTIONS

  • 5 ECTS
  • The evaluator is the doctoral researcher´s supervisor
  • Language is agreed in advance with the evaluator / Finnish, Swedish, English
  • Assessment is pass/fail
  • The essay has three assessment criteria: consistency of argumentation, depth of reflection, and sufficiency of knowledge
  • References in the essay: The essay is expected to be written according to the writing guidelines of the host university
  • The doctoral researcher´s supervisor or the university administration records the 5 ECTS achievement in the doctoral researcher´s personal study plan according to the practices of the respective university and faculty (the Sopuli course is not part of the official doctoral studies of the universities, so it does not have a specific course code)

ARVIOINTIOHJEET

  • Laajuus 5 op
  • Arvioija on väitöskirjatutkijan ohjaaja
  • Kieli sovitaan etukäteen arvioijan kanssa / suomi, ruotsi, englanti
  • Arviointi on hyväksytty/hylätty
  • Esseen arviointikriteereitä on kolme: argumentaation johdonmukaisuus, reflektion syvyys ja tiedon riittävyys
  • Viitteet esseessä: Suorituspaikan eli oman yliopiston kirjoitusohjeiden mukaisesti essee toivotaan kirjoitettavan
  • Väitöstutkijan ohjaaja tai yliopiston hallinto kirjaa 5 op:n suorituksen kyseessä olevan yliopiston ja laitoksen käytäntöjen mukaan väitöstutkijan henkilökohtaiseen opetussuunnitelmaan (opintojakso ei ole osa yliopistojen virallisia tohtoriopintoja, joten sillä ei ole erityistä opintojaksokoodia)


ESSAY INSTRUCTIONS (provided in English)    

In addition to the lectures, the doctoral researchers are expected to write an essay (3000–4000 words, in English/Finnish/Swedish). The essay primarily centers on the information provided in the lectures. Supervisor evaluates the essay’s quality based on three criteria: 1) coherence of argumentation, 2) depth of reflection, and 3) adequacy of information (in relation to the issues discussed in the essay). To attain the credits, one needs to attend the lectures and agree about the essay review & language with the own supervisor or faculty member within one’s own university.

Lecture recordings are available at this page. The slides will not be provided separately.

Grading: Pass/Fail

The deadline for the essay to be delivered to your evaluator is 18 Dec 2025. 

Format of the essay: preferably pdf (or e.g. word), font size 11 and spacing 1,5.

Language: to be agreed beforehand between the student and the evaluator.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy: Students may use AI for language editing and to enhance their understanding of terms and concepts, but not for writing essays. In the essays, it is essential to disclose how AI was utilized. Any misuse or failure to report the use of AI will result in a failing grade for the essay.

Please deliver the essay before 18.12. by email to a) your evaluator b) cc: meri.loyttyniemi(at)uef.fi with the following format:

Email subject: Sopuli essay 2025 / Student name

Include in the essay pdf document:

  • Sopuli PhD course essay
  • Date
  • Your student number (not your name)

Include in the email body:

  • Your name, student number, email, university
  • Evaluator´s name, email, university

Thank you for attending the lectures. Feedback will be collected in spring 2026.