COSM 1 – Culture, Organisation and Sustainability is a Master’s level 5 ECTS course. The aim of the course is to provide the conditions, content and inspiration to enable participants to gain an international and cross-sectoral perspective on the core theme. It’s a safe space to question the answers and offer solutions to the role of creative sector organisations and cultural professionals in balancing their ecosystems.
Content
- The panoramic view (macro level) on culture, arts and sustainability values.
- Cultural (eco)systems: policies, strategies, EU programmes and city actors. Creative partnerships for sustainability and innovation. Fair cultural cooperation – international and intercultural perspective.
- CCS (Cultural and Creative Sectors) organisations and sustainability values. Existential Sustainability and the role of the leader.
- Organisational cultures oriented towards sustainability values in workplaces focused on the arts, cultural heritage and creative practice. Organisational symbolism, artefacts, rituals, narrations, and the power of storytelling.
- Sustainability and planning. The time dimension of work of cultural managers.
- Intergenerational aspect of sustainability – cultural management applications.
Evaluation
1-5 Finnish grading scale; assignment formats: groupwork, readings & discussion sessions, short essay, individual application plan of the course content.
The course aim is to activate at least few different streams of students/participant activity regarding culture & sustainability values: interaction, cooperation, reflection, written argumentation and dialogue in conversation. That is why we propose a combination of 3 complementary final assignments (A + B + C = 5 ECTS).
A. Micro project based on the course content (detecting sustainability oriented problem / deficit in arts management / cultural production practice and providing solution proposal) in students’/participants’ quartets – summarised in the final 10-15 minutes presentation. [ECTS: 2; Grading scale: 1-5]
B. Final individual conversation with the teacher based on the course content. This is delivered as 10 minutes final conversation of individual student/participant with the course teacher as students’/participant’s answers to 3 questions: 1) student’s/participant’s reflection on the one of four course seminars meetings contents (selected by the student in advance); 2) student’s/participant’s short reflection on the academic text or video material of her/his choice – freely selected by student from the materials given with the course (on the hoodle platform); 3) student’s/participant’s reflection of the prospects of the course content in her/his future practice, it’s impact on student’s/participant’s future career; [ECTS: 1; Grading scale: passed/failed]
C. Written 3-5 p. course topic related short essay (based on literature or case study description, [there is a preference for topics related to the thematic area that is closest to participant’s current interest, experience, field, place of belonging [professionally / locally / nationally], or a specific direction participant turn to when applying the course’ content] delivered by individual student/participant [ECTS: 2; Grading scale: 1-5]
Attention! the only number of ECTS delivered in this course is 5 [or 0] (there are no partial numbers available)
Additional information
NB! Humak’s Open UAS studies are only available for students who have Finnish personal identity code.
The online course requires the student to have access to a computer and the internet, as well as the use of study programs such as Hoodle and Zoom / Teams.
How to Register for Open UAS Studies
- Familiarise yourself with Open UAS registration instructions and cancellation terms. Read the descriptions and possible prerequisites of the courses you are interested in.
- Humak’s Open UAS studies are only available for students who have Finnish personal identity code.
- Register to the web store, choose a discount if applicable.
- Purchase courses from the web store during the registration period.
- Provide your personal information and a discount certificate if you have one via the personal information form. You can also find the form from the web store after your purchase. NB! Registration cannot be processed without the personal information form.
- Registrations are processed within 10 working days.
- You’ve secured your place to study! (If previous studies are a prerequisite for the studies, the place will be confirmed when the fulfillment of the requirements has been checked.)
- Once your registration has been processed, you will get instructions via email on how to activate your Humak credentials and how to log in to the Hoodle learning environment. Course specific instructions can be found on Hoodle when the course begins.
- You must use your Humak email in your studies.
| Studies |
Open University of Applied Sciences – Master´s level
NB! Humak’s Open UAS studies are only available for students who have Finnish personal identity code. |
| Method of instruction |
Hybrid course |
| Language of instruction |
English |
| Study period |
11.09.2025-31.12.2025 |
| Schedule and teaching methods |
This Master’s level (EQF 7) course equals 5 ECTS (1 ECTS credit point equals about 27 study hours, 5 ECTS=135 hours).
Grading scale: The course is assessed on a scale of 1–5.
As a blended learning process, the course comprises of 4 sessions.
Session 1
– The panoramic view (macro level) on culture, arts and sustainability values.
– Cultural (eco)systems: policies, strategies, EU programmes and city actors. Creative partnerships for sustainability and innovation. Fair cultural cooperation – international and intercultural perspective.
Session 2
– CCS (Cultural and Creative Sectors) organisations and sustainability values. Existential Sustainability and the role of the leader.
Sesion 3
– Organisational cultures oriented towards sustainability values in workplaces focused on the arts, cultural heritage and creative practice. Organisational symbolism, artefacts, rituals, narrations, and the power of storytelling.
Session 4
– Sustainability and planning. The time dimension of work of cultural managers.
– Intergenerational aspect of sustainability – cultural management applications.
The access to the interactive Hoodle platform with the content to be studied by participants. The platform gives access to literature files, video materials, and digital sources.
Sessions no. 1, 3 and 4 will have a dual option (classroom and online), while session 2 will be online only (zoom). For those who are in the Helsinki area or want to join us live – we are organising this in the new classroom facilities of the Humak Headquarters building in the Haaga district of Helsinki – Ilkantie 4. If our meeting place in Helsinki is not close to your location, don’t worry if you can’t join us in person. The live presence is only an option and not a necessity. Everything will be available as an online broadcast / zoom session that will allow you to take an active role.
Webinars:
- 11.09.2025 13.00-17.00 UTC+3: Ilkantie 4, 00400 Helsinki: classroom HEL B1.09 and and Online Zoom
- 25.09.2025 13.00-17.00 UTC+3: Online Zoom
- 09.10.2025 13.00-17.00 UTC+3: Ilkantie 4, 00400 Helsinki: classroom HEL B1.107 and and Online Zoom
- 28.10.2025 13.00-17.00 UTC+2: Ilkantie 4, 00400 Helsinki: classroom HEL C1.20 and and Online Zoom
|
| Registration period |
01.05.2025 at 8.00 – 28.08.2025 at 23.59.00 (UTC+3) |
| Contact person |
Marcin Poprawski (firstname.lastname@humak.fi) |
| General information |
Contact Open UAS student administration for matters regarding registration, payment, certificates:
avoinamk@humak.fi
tel. +358 29 451 9230 |
The course will be carried out if we get at least 10 enrolled students.
The aim of the course is to provide the conditions, content and inspiration to enable participants to gain an international and cross-sectoral perspective on the core theme. It’s a safe space to question the answers and offer solutions to the role of creative sector organisations and cultural professionals in balancing their ecosystems.
After the course the student is able to:
- activate different streams of their activity in relation to culture and sustainability values: interaction, collaboration, reflection, written argumentation and dialogue in conversation
- understand the range of sustainability challenges for cultural and creative organisations
COSM 1 and COSM 2
COSM is the educational module of two courses (2 x 5 ECTS) focused on cultural management and organisational change regarding wide range of sustainability values. The idea behind the COSM is exploring and sharing the way we undo the unsustainable in cultural management, with all the respect to the creative processes, projects and realities that used to be and in fact continuously are unsustainable in its core.
The aim of the course COSM 2 Creative Professionals and Sustainability is to provide the conditions, content and inspiration to enable participants to recognise, adapt and strengthen their individual role as cultural and creative sector (CCS) professionals in supporting all kinds of attempts to make our life on earth more sustainable, ethical, responsible or balanced – in environmental, social, economic and cultural terms. The study period of the COSM 2 is 05.02.2026-01.04.2026. The registration period starts 1 August 2025 at 12 pm (UTC+3).
COSM is the unique chance to:
1) get the international, cross-sectorial, and cross-disciplinary perspective on the sustainability values oriented cultural management and to rediscover it’s meaning in collaborative spirit
2) join the team of people exploring sustainability-oriented solutions with experts, cultural managers, and cultural producers in their organizational and entrepreneurial contexts, developing sustainability management rooted in the core of humanities and arts as academic, applied disciplines of science and practice
3) use safe space for questioning the answers regarding cultural organizations and cultural professionals’ role in balancing their ecosystems, redefining their way of narrating what they (un)do, with what tools or methods, and how they are impacting their local communities
4) be the part of regular webinars and discussions with international & regional experts and practitioners focused on culture & sustainability, to strengthen sustainability values-oriented practices of leaders and employees of culture, art & heritage organisations’, as well as culture & arts entrepreneurs and NGO’s members
5) take part in the courses’ activities and assignments that are facilitating several dimensions of your potential: interaction, cooperation, reflection, written argumentation and dialogue in conversation, all aiming to have effective role of cultural managers in supporting all types of attempts to make our cultural ecosystems and our life more sustainable, ethical, responsible, or balanced – in environmental, social, and economic sense.
Experiences and testimonials of participants:
I have been before in couple of sustainability development courses, but absolutely this gave me more knowledge of cultural and social aspects of sustainability. International experts of sustainability development from all over the world were a wonderful way to lead deep into sustainability subjects. The course gives a confident feeling of study with expertise and passion. The best in COSM 1 course were the inspirational speakers, their experience, and thoughts. There came up a pile of good books about sustainability and research materials to read. I got a lot of to think about the role of cultural work in sustainability. Tuula Hänninen
COSM course was one of the best I have participated. I learned and found some ways where and how I would like to develop my own possible career in the cultural sector. Course structure was efficient and comfortably inclusive. I really enjoyed it. I understood that my idea of sustainability might be in the heart of being a human and this course strengthened the concept about it. I know how to put what is learned into practice. Everyone, who intend to be in the managing position in the field of culture and art, should participate in this course. Sofia Palmio
The course provided a clear, in-depth, and demanding introduction to the sustainability theme. The subject was dealt extensively, that is, we went as far as the deepest waters. The speakers were well chosen and well prepared. There were interesting discussions. The assignments covered the academic part as well as one’s own creative work. I got a very clear picture of sustainability and its challenges not only in cultural production. I recommend prospective students to choose this course. Salla Raunio
This course was just what I hoped but did not expect. All my expectations were filled. The best of this course was all inspiring visitors. I felt so privilege to hear leading experts of sustainability development from over the world. The way the course was facilitated is very encouraging, polite, and inspirational. The courses support each other well and are connected. anon.
The lecture of Birgitta was the concrete that I needed! I had found the base to build on. I stopped to struggle, I turned back and grasped to my simple thoughts of what is sustainability. There it was, everything depends on how we treat and tolerate each other, how we listen, and do we hear at all? It is about our everyday life! How we live our lives and how willing we are to make the necessary changes? We as artists, managers, producers are in the key role in influencing the change inside of every individual. In my profession I can be the prime operator to change. By creating new stories to tell, new narratives, by developing new forms of interaction and new horizons to reach, I can direct all these individual minds towards a common goal and give the silent and forgotten voices a tone. Mayreth Wolff
I would like to point out that COSM 1 has indeed led me to seeing sustainable development in a different way, we should acknowledge sustainability is a concept of community-based thinking. Environmental, Social and Economic issues can be addressed and integrated in multiple ways and indeed we should keep this process open and exploratory. Lena Hüttl
COSM 1 biggest learning was to focus on good management and leadership that improves our wellbeing and functioning at work. Jiri Ahonen
I have been thinking a lot about a sustainability viewpoint in everyday life and especially in cultural productions while studying cultural management for three years now. Gladly for me we’ve got a new lecture and started this COSM. I got exited, because I would really like to be a wise producer when it comes to sustainable development. I do not want to produce anything which is unnecessarily heavy for the environment or to the organization I am working at. I appreciate the values, great work atmosphere and clear aims. And that is why I am glad I took this course; I learned a lot about the sustainability in organizations and in different kind of fields in cultural sector. I think that there were a lot of great material in the course contents! Sustainable leadership is something which I am going to carry on as a term on my future work paths. Tessa Ylinen
I really liked this course and webinars and all guest lecturers, speeches, interactions, and exercises. It was inspirational to hear guest lecturers’ examples and knowledge about these matters. Same was to see all the tandem videos. I really like watching them and wanted to give at least a comment for every tandem. All webinars and materials and answers to our questions were great. This course was full of knowledge, and I will use information with my future projects, with my own manager duties, I will put my efforts to do it with sustainability! Leena Vanhamäki
All in all, COSM taught me a lot of different sustainability valued aspects of thinking. Hopefully these thoughts will help me to be a better – and more sustainable cultural manager. Jussi Artiola
I think that this course was a great wholeness. There was a lot of (useful) information. I learned a lot and it was great to have such a versatile group of students. I think that there was a good number of assignments and the quality of those were suitable. anon.
