GETN in HEL | 16–17 November 2026
Welcome to Helsinki and GETN! An exclusive programme for our invited guests to connect, share and shape the future of EdTech testbeds together.
Welcome to Helsinki!
We are delighted to bring together the GETN community and international EdTech partners for two days of learning, exchange and collaboration in Helsinki. Together, we’ll explore how EdTech testbeds can support innovation and evidence building, share experiences from different countries, and discuss how we can strengthen collaboration across our growing international network.
This page brings together everything you need for your visit, from the programme and venues to practical tips for getting around and enjoying Helsinki. We look forward to welcoming you and creating new ideas, connections and opportunities together!
This event is by invitation only.
Monday 16 November – Program
14:00-16:00 Visit at UNICEF Learning Innovation Hub
UNICEF Learning Innovation Hub, Runeberginkatu 14-16
Coffee and light refreshments will be available during the afternoon.
19:00-21.30 Informal Dinner
Ravintola Aleksanderplats, Eteläesplanadi 22
Menu:
- Roasted Jerusalem artichoke with parmesan, pear, endive and pine nuts
- Charred Arctic char with buttered dill potato, peas, horseradish and sauce fleurette
- Cream cheese parfait with sea buckthorn and meringue
If you have any dietary requirements that you did not include in the registration form, please let Emilia Saarelainen (emilia.saarelainen@hel.fi) or Marjo Kenttälä (marjo.kenttala@hel.fi) know as soon as possible.
Tuesday 17 November – Program
Business Helsinki/Testbed Helsinki, Kansakoulukatu 3, 4th floor
There’s no need to check in downstairs, just take the elevator directly upstairs.
09:00-09:30 Morning Coffee and Networking
09:30-10:00 Introductions and Welcome to Testbed Helsinki
Alison Clark-Wilson, Anna Åkerfeldt, Marjo Kenttälä, Emilia Saarelainen, Luis Mondragon
10:00-10:30 Keynote: Current Developments from Finland. The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.
Tero Huttunen, Development manager at Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland
10:30-10.40 GETN Community Update
QUDEX Project, Donatella Solda
DEC-EMBED, Virginie Lauwers and Annelies Volkaert
Coffee Break
10:50-12:00 Working session: National EdTech Testbeds: Challenges and
approaches for selecting EdTechs (K12).
Alison Clark-Wilson and Anna Akerfeldt with contributions from Qatar, Netherlands, Belgium and England
12:00-13:00 Lunch
Buffet lunch and networking at Innovation Home (downstairs)
13:00-13:20 GETN Community Update
Building an EdTech Evidence Base – Logic Model Builder Tool Demo, Same Evans
European SALTO Digital Resource Centre | Finnish National Agency for Education Arja-Sisko Holappa, FNAE
13:20-15:00 Working session: Understanding Edtech Testbed Value Propositions for key Stakeholders.
Anna Akerfeldt
Coffee Break
15:00-15.10 GETN Community Update
Teacher-led Micro RCTs in Northern England, Wayne Harrison
15:15-15:30 Summary and Next Steps
Slush Side Event: InvestED
After the GETN programme, we’ll head to InvestED together. It’s approximately a 1,2 km walk from the GETN venue.
16:00–21:00 | InvestED: Build, Test and Invest
Agora, University of Helsinki Main Building, Fabianinkatu 33
Venues
- UNICEF Learning Innovation Hub, Runeberginkatu 14-16
- Ravintola Aleksanderplats, Eteläesplanadi 22
- Testbed Helsinki, Kansakoulukatu 3
- Agora, University of Helsinki main building, Fabianinkatu 33
Getting around
Helsinki Airport has a convenient train connection to the city centre, with a journey time of around 30 minutes. Follow the signs at the airport to the train station, located directly underneath the terminal. You will need an ABC ticket, which you can buy using the HSL app, contactless payment, or from a ticket machine at the airport train station. An adult ABC single ticket costs €4.80 when paying contactless.
Helsinki public transport day tickets for AB zones are an easy and convenient way to get around the city centre. You can easily buy single and day tickets using the HSL app or contactless payment.
Our GETN venues are within walking distance of each other, so you can easily get around on foot during the programme.
Recommended taxi operators: Taksi Helsinki, Menevä, Uber and Bolt.
Weather in Helsinki
Welcome to Helsinki in November! The weather can be cool and changeable, so dress warmly and bring a waterproof jacket, an umbrella and comfortable shoes.
And be prepared for the darkness. Compared with Finnish Lapland, though, we still have plenty of daylight in Helsinki, around 7.5 hours a day. Up north, the days are already much shorter.
So think of the November darkness as part of the Finnish experience and enjoy the city lights. Even the Christmas lights aren’t here to brighten things up just yet.
We recommend checking the latest weather forecast before travelling.
Things to do in Helsinki
The Visit Helsinki website offers a wide range of activities and attractions to explore during your stay in Helsinki.
We hope you’ll also find a little time to enjoy Helsinki while you’re here. Some of our favorite places are Oodi central library, Allas Sea Pool and Löyly for a taste of Helsinki’s seaside sauna culture (bring your swimsuit!), and the beautiful Temppeliaukio Church.
Slush Week in Helsinki
Slush is also taking place in Helsinki during the same week. If you have some extra time, it’s worth exploring the many Slush side events happening around the city. They offer great opportunities to discover Helsinki’s startup and innovation scene, meet new people and explore new ideas, and many of the side events are free to attend.
Explore Slush 2026 | Helsinki, Nov 18–19
Staying in Helsinki a little longer?
If you’re still in Helsinki on Thursday, 19 November, you might also be interested in:
UNICEF Global Learning Innovation Hub: EdTech for Good Breakfast
19 November, 8:30–10:15 | Ravintola Töölö, Helsinki
Join EdTech innovators, startups, investors, policymakers and education leaders for breakfast, networking and inspiring discussions on how EdTech and AI can support more inclusive, resilient and effective education.
Seats are limited. Register for the EdTech for Good Breakfast
Any questions? Please contact:
Immersive Learning Ecosystem
The event is part of the activities of the Immersive Learning Ecosystem IMMO project. IMMO provides companies with opportunities to test and develop educational technology solutions, particularly immersive services and products, in collaboration with end users and RDI organisations. The project is implemented by the City of Helsinki, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences and Laurea University of Applied Sciences, and is co-funded by the European Union.
