Children and education
I am convinced that in order to cope in the competitive world of tomorrow we have to see over our educational system. Globalization and digitalization demand new skills – we need to build social net works, relate critically to sources, we have to think cross scientifically and be able to apply what we learn. Our school system needs to emphasize the importance of good learning results already in primary school and we should focus more on motivating and supporting those students who run a risk of dropping out.
Entrepreneurship
The economic reality in Finland and in Europe demand new and visionary economical policies where support is given to enterprises, commercializing of innovations and a dynamic work market. We need new types of creativity and suppleness in today’s economists, employers – and employees.
Environment and Construction
Nature is “sacred” and every move must be carefully contemplated. Ecology and sustainability must be central in every decision that concerns our environment, be it construction or the guidelines for our energy policy. Our biggest ecological challenge is the Baltic Sea. Our aim has to be a clean and healthy sea. This is a long term goal that cannot be achieved at once, we have to accept that it will take decades for the results to emerge.
We need functioning traffic grids for new urban areas to emerge and for enterprises to thrive. In Southern Finland this means the railroads have to function. A functioning and well planned traffic system is the basis for an ecologically and efficiently structured society. We have to take this seriously and include both inhabitants and enterprises in this process.
Schools with mold problems, day care centers ready for demolition, health centers that hava to be evacuated because the roofs leak. These are headlines we see all too often. We are considered good at designing housing areas and buildings, but much too often things go wrong. We need to to improve on the construction process.