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Record year for international science conferences
Jyväskylä is a lively city for international meetings, conferences and congresses. 2024 was an all-time record year for science conferences in the city. Jyväskylä hosted the 5th largest number of congresses in Finland, with 60 in total and 5917 participants. These figures include both on-site and virtual congress attendees.
According to a nationwide survey organised by the Finland Convention Bureau, the average conference delegate leaves Jyväskylä with €1276. When online delegates are deducted from the total number of delegates, the estimated congress revenue is €5.2 million.
– Thanks for this fantastic result are due to the conference organisers. It is particularly gratifying that in Jyväskylä the conferences were mainly held on-site, with only a few hybrid and online. This is good news for local accommodation, catering and social programme providers,” says Jaana Ruponen, Marketing Manager of the Jyväskylä Convention Bureau.
In the survey, Jyväskylä was rated 4.4 (on a scale of 1-5) as a conference city. When asked about the highlights, one response summed up many of the things that came out of the survey.
“I got to network with researchers in my field and visit Finland for the first time. I enjoyed the food, Finnish culture, seeing a beautiful country and interacting with many wonderful Finnish people.”
Almost all the conferences were organised by the University of Jyväskylä and the aim of the gathering was to share scientific research knowledge and strengthen international scientific networks.
Jyväskylä awards 2024 event and congress organisers
The City of Jyväskylä presented the 2024 Congress and Event Awards on 4 February 2025 at an event held at the Harmooni Restaurant. 2024 was a record-breaking year for events and congresses. A record number of participants attended internaThe City of Jyväskylä presented the 2024 Congress and Event Awards on 4 February 2025 at an event held at the Harmooni Restaurant. 2024 was a record-breaking year for events and congresses. A record number of participants attended international meetings and conferences, with more than 5,800 scientists gathering in Jyväskylä during the year.
The Congress Award was presented to the Congress of the Sports Sector
The Congress Prize was awarded to the organising committee of the 2024 AIESEP conference. Organised at the Faculty of Exercise and Sport Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä, AIESEP was the largest conference organised in the city in 2024, attracting 550 participants from 52 different countries, from all continents. The conference theme “Past meets Future” paid tribute to Jyväskylä as a pioneer in physical education teacher education. The highly successful conference took advantage of the spring campus in creative ways.
Honourable mention for excellent communication at the conference
The IAEVG 2024 conference received an honourable mention for its outstanding communication and for creating a good atmosphere and a good team spirit during the event. The conference was organised by the University of Jyväskylä’s Institute of Education and Training. The conference was attended by 401 participants from 45 countries on site and 320 participants remotely. The conference addressed key issues in the field of guidance in a rapidly changing world.
Congress Ambassador Award for strong backround work
Congress Ambassador Varpu Marjomäki awarded the Congress Ambassador Award to Satu Julin and Johanna Nousiainen, project coordinators of the University of Jyväskylä.
The award was given to Julin and Nousiainen for their important work as conference facilitators. They assist conference organisers in areas such as finance and project management.
A new Congress Ambassador, Associate Professor Arja Sääkslahti from the Faculty of Physical Education at the University of Jyväskylä, was also announced at the award ceremony. The Congress Ambassador will encourage scientists in Jyväskylä to actively communicate science internationally, especially by organising congresses and conferences.
The Convention Award is awarded by the Jyväskylä Convention Bureau Steering Committee, which consists of representatives of educational institutions, the city and companies providing convention services.
In the picture, the award recipients from left to right are Johanna Nousiainen, Satu Julin, Heidi Vanhanen,Timo Jaakkola, Arja Sääkslahti, Pekka Hämäläinen, Hanna Pullinen, Miika Lähdeniemi, Tiina Eskonen, Vesa Holm, Outi Ruusuvirta-Uuksulainen.
New promotional video for Jyväskylä Congress City out now
Jyväskylä is a dynamic and youthful city in the middle of the most beautiful lake district. The city’s strength lies in its versatility and adaptability, with a compact city centre where everything is within walking distance.
The city is ideal for organising congresses. The main hotels and meeting and congress facilities such as Jyväskylä Paviljonki, Seminaarinmäki and Agora are located close to each other. Within half an hour’s drive you will find a wide variety of social programme that will leave unforgettable memories.
In this video, congress participants share their experiences of Jyväskylä as a congress city. Looks great, doesn’t it?
More information
Jaana Ruponen
Jyväskylä Convention Bureau, [email protected]
Jyväskylä’s congress business is booming again after covid years
Jyväskylä is a lively city for international meetings and congresses. The city hosted the fifth largest number of non-profit international meetings and congresses organised by public bodies in Finland, with 39 in total. They were attended by 3,565 people.
– The size of congresses and meetings in 2023 was still smaller than before covid, but the trend is positive. It is particularly noteworthy that in Jyväskylä, the congresses were mainly held on-site and only a few were hybrid. This is good news for local accommodation, catering and social programme operators,” says Jaana Ruponen, Marketing Manager at Jyväskylä Convention Bureau.
The congress was mostly organised by the University of Jyväskylä and the aim of the meeting was to share scientific research and strengthen international scientific networks. According to international studies, the congress programme plays the most important role when participants decide which congress to attend.
According to the Finland Convention Bureau’s delegate survey, around half of congress guests also spend time in Finland outside the congress days. They appreciate the ease of getting around and the local service.
The Jyväskylä Convention Bureau (JCB) helps international meeting and congress organisers to bring events in their field to Jyväskylä. It is based on a network of 22 public associations and companies. The network is led by the City of Jyväskylä. The statistics were compiled by the Jyväskylä Convention Bureau and the University of Jyväskylä.
More information:
Marketing Manager Jaana Ruponen
Jyväskylä Convention Bureau
tel.+358 50 344 6496, [email protected]
The City of Jyväskylä awarded the 2023 Event and Congress Organisers of the Year
The City of Jyväskylä presented the 2023 Congress and Event Awards at an event in Jyväskylä Paviljonki on 23.1.2024. The winners have boldly expanded their activities and organised outstandingly successful congresses.
The Congress Award was presented to the congress in the field of sport. In 2023, most of the congresses were held on-site in Jyväskylä instead of online in previous years. The Congress Award was given to the organising committee of ICST2023 – 12th International Conference on Strength Training. The conference was organised by the Faculty of Sport of the University of Jyväskylä. The conference focused on strength training research. It was the largest conference organised in the city in 2023, with 264 participants, 44% of whom were foreign. The ICST conference series started in 1998, when the first conference was held in Finland.
The conference is held every two years in different countries around the world. Congress Ambassador Award for a tenacious conference organiser. Suvi Saarikallio, Congress Ambassador, awarded the Congress Ambassador Award to Jan Lundell, Professor of Chemistry Teacher Education at the Faculty of Mathematics and Science of the University of Jyväskylä.An incentive prize was awarded to Jan Lundell for his long-standing commitment to organizing congresses. In particular, the European Congress on Molecular Spectroscopy from 13 to 17 August 2023 was a particular testimony of perseverance, as it was only the third time it had been organised due to cancellations caused by covid.
The new Congress Delegate, Professor Varpu Marjomäki from the Department of Bio- and Environmental Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, was also announced at the awards ceremony. The Congress Ambassador will encourage Jyväskylä scientists to actively communicate science internationally, and in particular to organise congresses.
The congress award is granted by Jyväskylä Convention Bureau steering committee of representatives from educational institutions, the city and companies providing convention services.
More information: Jaana Ruponen, Marketing Manager, Jyväskylä Convention Bureau, +358 50 3446496, [email protected]
35th European Congress on Molecular Spectroscopy – EUCMOS was organized in Jyväskylä 14-17 August, 2023.
Professor Jan Lundell, Chair of the EUCMOS 2020/2023 Local Organizing Committee was appointed as one of Finland Convention Bureau’s congress heroes.
“The planning process of the congress was very interesting. We initially aimed to host the congress in 2020 and our planning process was already in full speed in 2019. We were excited to host the event in Finland for the first time – however, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic led to two years of successive cancellations. Then, in 2022, the war in Ukraine broke out so we had to cancel due to increased prices and people’s unwillingness to travel. Finally, in 2023, we were able to organize this live here in Jyväskylä.”
For more information:
Jan Lundell, professor,University of Jyväskylä, tel. +35840-744 5270, email: [email protected]
Congress activity has recovered from covid years – in Jyväskylä, congresses are mainly organised locally
Jyväskylä is a lively city for international meetings and congresses. The 2022 congress year saw a return to the era of local meetings after covid. Jyväskylä hosted the 5th largest number of congresses in Finland, 32 in total, with 3 300 participants. These figures include both on-site and virtual congress attendees.
– The pre-corona period has not yet been caught up, but the trend is good. It is particularly good that in Jyväskylä the congresses were mainly held on-site and only a few were hybrid. This is good news for local accommodation, catering and social programme operators, says Jaana Ruponen, Marketing Manager of the Jyväskylä Convention Bureau.
The congress was usually organised by the University of Jyväskylä and the aim of the meeting was to share scientific research and strengthen international scientific networks.
– According to international studies, meeting face-to-face, sharing research knowledge and creating international research networks and contacts is very important. That is why most of the congresses will certainly be organised on-site in the future, says Ruponen.
The Jyväskylä Convention Bureau (JCB) helps international meeting and congress organisers to bring events in their field to Jyväskylä. It is based on a network of 22 public associations and companies. The network is led by the City of Jyväskylä. The statistics were compiled by the Jyväskylä Convention Bureau and the University of Jyväskylä.
More information:
Jaana Ruponen, Marketing Manager, Jyväskylä Convention Bureau, tel. +358 50 344 6496, [email protected]
Jyväskylä awards 2022 event and congress organisers
The congress and city event awards were presented on 8.2.2023. This year’s winners boldly expanded their activities. Yläkaupungin Yö celebrated its 30th anniversary with a record-breaking scale and the award-winning conferences ALAPP and PROFESS were held on-site in Jyväskylä. The Congress Ambassador Award was given to Mihaly Szerovay for his novel conference concept.
Congress prizes were awarded to four congresses
Last year, congresses were again allowed to be organised without restriction. The congress awards emphasised the importance of holding congresses on-site in Jyväskylä. The congress prize was awarded to the 12th ALAPP, International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Applied Linguistics and Professional Practice and PROFES, the International Conference on Product-Focused Software Process Improvement.
ALAPP and PROFES, held over three days, attracted a significant number of researchers from different disciplines to Jyväskylä, almost half of whom came to Jyväskylä from abroad.
Honorable mentions went to the Nordic Football Conference, held for the first time in May, and the 54th IVLA Visual Literacy Association Conference, which took advantage of Jyväskylä’s wide range of activities in the form of sports and cultural experiences.
Congress Ambassador Award for the football conference
Congress Ambassador Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen awarded the Congress Ambassador Award to Professor Mihaly Szerovay from the Faculty of Physical Education at the University of Jyväskylä. Szerovay created and organised the first Nordic Football Conference in cooperation with the Finnish Football Association.
The new conference ambassador, Professor Suvi Saarikallio from the Department of Music, Art and Culture at the University of Jyväskylä, was also announced at the award ceremony. Congress Ambassador encourages Jyväskylä scientists to actively communicate science internationally, especially by organising congresses
Event of the Year Yläkaupungin Yö
The event of the year award was given to a city festival familiar to Jyväskylä residents, the Yläkaupungin Yö, which has been exemplary in promoting cultural accessibility.
For more information:
Jaana Ruponen
Marketing Manager
Jyväskylä Convention Bureau
[email protected]
tel. +358503446496
Success story
The University of Jyväskylä and Finnish Society of Sport Sciences, with the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity hosted the first Online International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity (ISAPA) on June 15-18, 2021. ISAPA is a well-respected international scientific congress and is organised around the world biennially. The Online ISAPA 2021 was granted patronage by the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE).
International congresses 2021 mainly virtual
Jyväskylä is a lively city for international meetings and congresses. However, the congress year 2021 was quieter than normal due to the pandemic. The organiser was mainly the University of Jyväskylä. The aim of the gathering was to share scientific research knowledge and strengthen international scientific networks.
According to statistics from the Jyväskylä Convention Bureau and the University of Jyväskylä, 33 international scientific meetings and congresses were organised in 2021. They were mainly organised as online events, either fully virtual or hybrid, with some participants on-site and some online. Some were postponed to future years and some were cancelled altogether. Before the pandemic, there were around 50 meetings per year, with an average total of 3800 participants.
– Although fewer congresses were organised than in previous years, the number of participants was about the same as before,” says Jaana Ruponen, Marketing Manager at the Jyväskylä Convention Bureau. This is because the virtual event lowers the threshold for participation, for example by reducing travel costs and saving time. Local accommodation, catering and social programme operators are of course not happy about this, as important tourism revenue is lost when people attend congresses from their home computers instead of coming to Jyväskylä,” Ruponen continues.
– Organising congresses online is easy with today’s technology. Whereas in 2020 the challenge was to increase technological know-how, now the aim is to improve the participant experience. According to international studies, face-to-face meetings, sharing research knowledge and creating international research networks and contacts are very important. That is why most of the congresses will certainly be organised on-site in the future – and this year will be no exception,” says Ruponen. However, the uncertain global situation makes researchers cautious about applying for new congresses.
The Jyväskylä Convention Bureau (JCB) helps organisers of international meetings and congresses to bring events in their field to Jyväskylä. It works through a network of 22 public associations and companies. The network is led by the City of Jyväskylä.
For more information:
Marketing Manager Jaana Ruponen, Jyväskylä Convention Bureau, tel 050 344 6496, [email protected]
Health and safety are our top priorities
20 January 2021
When the time is right, all of us in the Finnish business events industry want to make sure that event planners and congress guests who come to Finland can enjoy their trip safely. Business events suppliers in Finland monitor and follow the advice of authorities regarding the corona virus situation and work together around health safety to ensure the safety of the facilities and services.
Finland is the most popular congress country in the Nordics
12 August 2020
According to the annual meetings statistics report*, published by the Union of International Associations in July, Finland is the most popular Nordic country for hosting international congresses. Finland ranks number 12, the top three countries being Singapore, Belgium and South Korea. The Finnish capital Helsinki also beats its Nordic neighbours and takes the 12th spot in the city ranking.
Jyväskylä in top 5 of the congress cities
4 March 2020
Jyväskylä was the fifth most popular congress city in 2019 according to the national statistics. There were 51 conferences and congresses held and they brought together 3736 participants to the city. Meetings and congresses were organized mainly at the University of Jyväskylä and aimed at sharing scientific knowledge and strengthening international networks.
The number of the congresses and the participants varies widely from year to year. 2016-2018 were record-breaking, while 2019 congresses were significantly smaller.
– Jyväskylä is a convenient city to organize congresses and the feedback from participants and organizes is generally excellent, says Jaana Ruponen, Marketing Manager from Jyväskylä Convention Bureau.
The feedback praises the compactness of the city and its great facilities to organize congresses. The professional service, the exciting adventure venues nearby and the variety of accommodation options are highly recognized. In addition to hotel expansions, the city has also recently raised the amount of more affordable accommodation options. Pure nature, cruises and walking along the beach were considered to be a refreshing experience after hectic congress day.
– The biggest challenge for Jyväskylä is accessibility. Participants from all around the world are annoyed by the low number of flights between Helsinki and Jyväskylä, Ruponen continues.
Jyväskylä’s congress marketing is based on a network of 22 public corporations and companies. The network is run by City of Jyväskylä and channelled through Jyväskylä Convention Bureau (JCB). JCB helps organizers of international conferences and congresses to apply events to be organized in Jyväskylä.