Recent developments in higher education and health care policies in Finland have motivated the staff of Degree Programme in Osteopathy to develop new means and concepts into curriculum. In essence, there is a need to create new osteopathic services, and new ways to co-operate with allied professionals, as well as with patients. Since the need is the same for all heath care (and other) professionals the Innovation studies provided by Metropolia have focused on these areas.
The Innovation studies is a project based learning process where students work with worklife to create new services, solutions and products according to a challenge given by the local companies, entrepreneurs or associations. The study unit consists of a real project conducted in a multidisciplinary team, where the process of innovation is as important as the concrete results.
Osteopathy students in the third year of study participate in the Innovation studies and project. Different possible projects are presented, and students apply to them individually. There is also room for completely new projects arising from the students own interests. This spring, osteopathy students are involved in the following projects: hybrid campus (future learning environment); raising awareness of musculoskeletal health amongst school children and their parents in cooperation with the Finnish Bone and Joint Association; entrepreneurship amongst health care professionals; amongst others.
International weeks organized by OsEAN members or in conjunction with Open Forums, could arrange common innovative workshops, envisioning the future of the osteopathic community.

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Sandra Rinne, MSc Osteopathy, Head of Osteopathy at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, graduated from the Helsinki University of Applied Sciences in 2004, worked in Nova Scotia, Canada 2007 - 2009. She has been part of the OsEAN board since 2010.