Young scientists and green solutions: summer at Seminaarinmäki Campus 

A Campus transformed by curiosity 

Throughout June, the Seminaarinmäki Campus haswelcomed young minds as part of JYUNIORIT, the Jyväskylä Children and Youth University. Open to budding scientists aged 7 to 18, the nearly 30 summer camps were quickly fully booked—a testament to growing interest in science and sustainability among younger generations. 

Camp activities extended beyond traditional classrooms, with visits to the Lähde University Building, the Tietoniekka summer exhibition “Nature as a Friend” (open until 29 August), and the Soihtu Natural History Museum and Exhibition Centre. Soihtu also hosted free hands-on workshops during the urban children’s festival Lystikylä (6–8 June), transforming the city into a playground for learning. 

Nature as a teacher: sustainability in practice 

In line with World Environment Day (5 June), the campus took the opportunity to highlight its efforts in biodiversity and sustainability through a series of tangible actions: 

🌼 Selective lawn mowing pilot zones were introduced to support pollinators. 

🪵 Rotten wood gardens and bug hotels now offer safe habitats for insects. 

🌱 Free summer cultivation boxes continue to be a hit among students and staff. 

🪴 Guided and self-guided botanical tours remain as popular as ever. 

Visitors can explore the campus flora—approximately 570 plant species—through info signs, walking paths, and resources available on the Botanical Garden website. 

Seminaarinmäki Joins the VALUE Project for greener cities 

The University of Jyväskylä’s Botanical Garden is also part of the national VALUE Project, coordinated by the Green Building Council Finland. The initiative, run in collaboration with the City of Jyväskylä, focuses on assessing and strengthening green urban spaces to support climate adaptation. 

At the Seminaarinmäki Campus, the project includes mapping the current green infrastructure, measuring biodiversity, and developing tools to evaluate ecosystem services. These actions not only enhance the site’s environmental resilience but also reaffirm the importance of heritage campuses in Europe’s climate-conscious urban planning.