Turku provided excellent settings for the WORK2023 conference

WORK2023 is a conference that brings together researchers in multidisciplinary workplace studies. Held every two years, the conference serves as a platform for sharing knowledge, the latest research findings, and trends, as well as for international networking among researchers. The combination of Turku University's academic quality and the well-functioning event services in Turku is a winning combination.

The theme of the 2023 conference was the role of technology in the changing workplace, particularly in professional work. The conference attracted top-notch international speakers from various countries and universities, including Berlin, San Francisco, and Harvard University.

Professor Anne Kovalainen, the main organizer of the conference, is delighted that the event has attracted participants from all around the world. She emphasizes the conference's appeal, which is rooted in academic excellence.

"The Work Science Center TCLS at the University of Turku is a small but well-connected unit that explores, among other things, the significance of technology and platforms in society. Platformization is a new phenomenon studied worldwide. This is a global community that discusses the same questions in the same language and brings together researchers in the field," says Kovalainen.

WORK2023, Anne Kovalainen

Ideal event city

Turku is an ideal-sized event city: it has good transportation connections, and moving within the city is easy. The university campus is located near the city center and the Aura River, with less than a 10-minute walk to conference venues, such as Café Pegasus in connection with the Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova museum, where a hospitality reception was held in collaboration with the city of Turku, and the Grädda restaurant, where conference participants gathered for dinner.

Participants appreciate not only the event itself but also Turku's beauty and diverse restaurant services. In the current global situation, safety is also emphasized. Finland is considered a safe country, and well-implemented safety arrangements in the Turku event ensure the smooth running of the conference.

"The city simply works from the participants' perspective. They find it especially pleasant that they can move from one place to another on foot. Small factors together make it so that a small city on a global scale can serve as an excellent conference venue," summarizes Kovalainen.

Starting with good planning and experienced event organizers

The execution of all events and conferences requires a long planning period and a significant amount of background work, but fortunately, Turku has plenty of experience with various events. The technical infrastructure is ready, and everything runs smoothly when local professionals are involved in the organization.

"In practical implementation, everything starts with good planning and scheduling. Fortunately, the work is not done alone; excellent local partners are involved. We have always collaborated with Aboa Congress and Event Services, among others, and the technical side is handled through the video production company RajuLive. Also, the city's Visit Turku organization has been a longstanding and reliable partner for us," says Marja Rautajoki, the coordinator of WORK2023.

Info box:

• What: WORK2023
• When: August 23-25, 2023
• Event Format: Hybrid
• Multidisciplinary conference with 18 working groups on the university campus.
• 200 participants, with 75% attending in person.
• Organized by TCLS since 2013, held every two years.