The science event introduces visitors to researchers’ work through workshops, laboratories and activity points. The campuses will also play host to social media sensation Openaali and Ursa’s planetarium.
- Languages and cultures
- Health and well-being
- Technology and innovations
- Economy and society
- Environment and natural resources
Researchers’ Night, a science event for the whole family, invites visitors to make discoveries, experiment and explore fascinating scientific phenomena at the University of Eastern Finland’s Joensuu and Kuopio campuses on Friday, 25 September 2026, from 16.00 to 20.00.
Free of charge, the event offers a rich programme and inspiring experiences for people of all ages on both campuses, including science workshops, laboratory tours, research presentations and short science sessions. You can find the full Researchers’ Night programme online. Please note that changes to the programme are possible.
On the Joensuu Campus, the science event will take place in the Aurora, Educa and Futura buildings. In addition, an architecture walk will be held in Joensuu city centre, starting at 18.00 from outside the city theatre. In Kuopio, the main venue for the science event is the Snellmania building, with additional locations across the campus area.
Researchers’ Night is a long-standing European science event that celebrates the achievements of science and research. This year, the event, themed around knowledge and discovery, will be held in a total of seven university cities in Finland.
From fairy-tale characters and the Karelian language to nature and robotics in Joensuu
At Researchers’ Night in Joensuu, workshops designed for the whole family invite visitors to try out crafts, build mobile phone stands, explore the Karelian language, design a happy forest environment and discover the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and robotics.
Visitors will also have an opportunity to visit a sensory laboratory and an escape room laboratory designed for learning and research. In some workshops, visitors can also take part in research and contribute to science themselves.
The science sessions will feature short talks on Saimaa ringed seal research, motivation for learning and legal guardianship. Please note that the science sessions will mainly be in Finnish.
The evening will culminate in an interview and meet-and-greet session with social media sensation Openaali.
Science from the cellular level to the far reaches of space in Kuopio
At the science workshops on the Kuopio Campus, visitors can explore topics such as the building blocks of life and brain research, soil and atmospheric phenomena, the mysteries of colour and invisible objects.
Inside Ursa’s planetarium, visitors can delve into constellations, planets and other celestial objects during live-guided sessions. Visitors will also have the chance to meet Alice, Savonia’s robotic dog!
In Kuopio, the laboratory tours will reveal the secrets of the human body, sleep, hearing, the circular economy, berry production and batteries. For adults, the science sessions will provide information on topics such as adequate protein intake, the treatment of respiratory infections in children and what old age may look like in the future. Please note that the science sessions will mainly be in Finnish.
