RDI without Impact is Irrelevant: How do we start to deliver Real Value in a World of Complex Challenges

From water infrastructure to climate transitions, national and international RDI investments are being redirected toward delivering measurable, system-level impact—signalling a shift to value-centric, complexity-solving innovation across entire ecosystems. RDI Specialists must learn to create real value for society with improved complexity-solving approaches in a world where our enlightenment and science-based progress approaches are challenged.

With the help of his distinguished panel, Miika Kajanus brings his forty years of experience as an RDI Specialist to discuss the options open to the RDI Community, and what wider lessons we can draw from Ukrainian and Finnish situations, in particular when it comes to Forests, Innovation, Climate and Decision Analysis.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

• Miika Kajanus, Honorary Doctor and Doctor of Agriculture and Forestry, serves as RDI Liaison at Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Finland, and as Visiting Professor at King Danilo University, Ukraine.

  
  

DISTINGUISHED PANEL

• Rector Mervi Vidgren, Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

• Rector Ruslan Biloskurskyi , Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University (Ukraine)

• Mikko Kurttila, Programme Director and Principal Scientist, Natural Resources Institute Finland

• Anton Tkachenko, Head of the Department of Economics, PhD, Senior Researcher, National Scientific Center “Institute of Agriculture of NAAS” (Ukraine)

  
  

SESSION CHAIR

• Dr Antti Kotimaa, Coordinator of Climate Engine

  
  

LOGISTICS

• Date and time: Tuesday, 14 April 2026, 14:00–15:00 (EET)

• Online Session link