Two victories to Espoo in the International Quality Innovation Award

The concept "School as a service" won the category of education sector. The concept, developed by the City of Espoo and Aalto University points the way for future learning. In the concept, new service architecture defines school as a network of resources supporting learning. The concept bravely tries out a new operations model; an upper secondary school and the university cooperate closely, sharing facilities and other resources on the campus. The pupils can for example complete university studies, and university students may act as teachers and tutors for the pupils. The operations model also enables a sensible joint use of facilities and significantly reduces facility costs. The model, which has been in place since autumn 2016, has received a great deal of positive feedback and international attention.

The home care's software robot Ropsu won the category for public services. The robot is a software which helps organise work within Home Care and automates the process of ordering agency-hired labour. It combines data from four separate systems and recognises shifts that lack employees. Ropsu then orders the necessary agency-hired labour and arranges schedules for the house calls. The software has been tested in use since the end of 2016.

Employees at the City of Espoo are encouraged to innovate

Innovations from Espoo have been successful also in previous years in the International Quality Innovation Award. The City of Espoo has arranged a Mayor's Innovation Competition together with the Finnish Quality Association since 2011. The goal is to improve public services in the city, and thus achieve improved vitality in the area, more active residents and smooth-running daily living.

”Employees of the city are the best experts when it comes to developing services and procedures in the workplace”, Mayor Jukka Mäkelä says. ”The City of Espoo has made great practical innovations stemming from residents and clients. Success in international quality contests tells its own story about the high level of innovations in Espoo”, Mäkelä continues.

Winners of the Mayor's Innovation Competition automatically participate in the national contest of the Finnish Quality Association. Winners of this contest proceed to the International Quality Innovation Award competition. The concept developed by the Finnish Quality Association has become further internationalised over the past five years. This time, more than 350 innovations from 11 countries participate.

Read more about the innovations:

Espoo innovation School as a Service gains international recognition

Home care software robot Ropsu took victory in international innovation competition