Jyväskylä is the leading city for sport and health research and education in Finland

The academic history of Jyväskylä, a city in Central Finland, dates back to the 19th century with the beginning of teacher education. Since then Jyväskylä has been especially known for sport and health education and research. The Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä is internationally highly ranked for its education and research and it is the only faculty of sport and health sciences in Finland. JAMK, Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences, offers expert services and educational solutions in the fields of sport management, sport physiotherapy, rehabilitation and winter sport management.

“The offering and academic spirit of Jyväskylä is unique and based on top expertise in the field of sport and health education. The Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä is ranked among the top 100 institutions within sport-related subjects in the QS World University Ranking”, says the Director of Education, Culture and Sports, Eino Leisimo, of the City of Jyväskylä.

Home for Olympic gold medalists and top-level training facilities

Jyväskylä, which is home for Olympic level training and research, boasts several Olympic athletes and gold medal winners in winter sports such as ski jump, cross country skiing and freestyle skiing. KIHU, the Research Institute for Olympic Sports, operates in Jyväskylä and most of the professional athletic coaches are trained there.

Jyväskylä is one of the fastest growing Finnish cities with a unique ecosystem which is geared towards sports, health and human wellbeing. It is a vibrant and favorable city for international students who choose to study in the fields of sport and health as well as for researchers, companies and startups.

Jyväskylä has superb training facilities for top athletes and amateurs alike. 250 million euros are invested in creating an urban indoor and research sport facility called HIPPOS2020, which will be the biggest of its kind in the Nordic countries. The center combines exercise, sport, wellbeing, health promotion and research as well as technological product development in these fields.

“HIPPOS2020 creates excellent training base and supporting environment for athletes to reach the top”, says Dr Aki Salo, Director of Research Institute for Olympic Sports, which is located in the heart of Hippos. He continues: “Collaboration between us and the two universities together with the hospital and private companies provides unique opportunities not only for athletes, but for everyone interested in health and wellbeing.”

Ideal location for winter sports

The city lies by the lake Jyväsjärvi, with the city walking district, university campus and startup hubs nearby. The architecture is a unique combination of Alvar Aalto’s design and modern smart buildings. Lake Jyväsjärvi is popular for recreational activities and hosts outdoor gym areas along the 13-kilometer long cycling and walking route. In the winter time, people enjoy skating on the natural ice of the lake.

For winter sports, Jyväskylä is perfectly located in the lake district of Finland with excellent snow conditions during the winter months from December to March. Additionally, the city has excellent winter sports facilities.

Incubator for business start-ups and technology companies

Jyväskylä has enabled the birth of new business innovations and startups like, Firstbeat, Naava, Spinnova and RamonEdge. Also Polar has R&D operations located in Jyväskylä.

“Companies benefit from the well-educated workforce in the Jyväskylä growth area. Our citizens are hearty, healthy and have an active lifestyle. Every third citizen is a student or pupil, which means that there is plenty of fresh thinking in the city. Many sport and health technology startups consider Jyväskylä to be a vibrant business city with plenty of skilled workforce. HIPPOS2020 will increase the number of companies operating in the technological product development of sport and health fields”, says Anne Sandelin, the Director of Business Development and Employment Services of the City of Jyväskylä.

Jyväskylä participates World Winter Sports Expo, one of the biggest Winter Sports Expos in the world in Beijing, China 17 – 20 October, 2019 as part of Finland’s Pavilion. Read more.

Jyväskylä is the 5th biggest city area in Finland, located in the beautiful Lake District in Central Finland. It is a vibrant and youthful city, home to 142 000 people out of which every 3rd citizen is a Student or pupil.

The city is known for it's sport universities and it has long traditions in education. It is often referred to as the Capital of Sport in Finland.  In terms of business, Jyväskylä is one of the fastest growing cities in Finland. It is a a human and future oriented city, known for wise use of resources, digitalisation and highly educated citizens. Jyväskylä is a city on the move.