business. in the beginning there was vision; the proof of its effectiveness came later in the form of economic results. successful cooperation between designers and industry has made the Finns appreciate good design that makes things work and transforms our surroundings into pleasant, safe and inspirational spaces. in Finland, design implements equality in its purest form. it is a shared value with fruits that are available to everyone. All homes in Helsinki, from student flats to high-end apartments, house the works of the same masters who have become an essential part of the standard of living, an essential part of being Finnish. Our contribution to the international community is not based on size or quantity, but the sustainability of our ideas and the agility enabled by our scale. these factors have brought us sustainable and border-transcending connections which lead us to believe that the world will answer our call to open cooperation. EDuCAtiOn is tHE DrivinG FOrCE bEHinD intErACtiOn AnD CrEAtivity my city is almost right at the edge of the inhabitable world. in the winter it is cold and dark here. We speak a language understood only by a small number of people in the world. the only way to break through these obstacles is know-how and contribution, which in turn require good education. We have succeeded above all expectations. One school for everyone is an ideology that feeds creativity and ensures that everyone has an equal chance. in international comparisons, OECD Pisa studies have ranked the Finnish education system as the best in the world. the innovation of the model is evident in the school lunch provided for everyone, which has been inspired by the correlation between healthy nutrition and the ability to learn, as well as the communal experience of the shared meal. Education aims at learning throughout life. We see it as a prerequisite for success in the dynamic world with challenges and opportunities that keep on changing. in Finland, educational standards and planning are the responsibility of the state, whereas implementing education in practice is the responsibility of municipalities. it ensures that my Helsinki has the opportunity to offer its citizens a service based on local circumstances. Our educational model has become an international benchmark because, according to our principle of openness, it is our duty to share our valuable findings with the global community. this leads me to believe that in Helsinki, my children will get the best possible start for becoming useful and motivated members of the community. We will be pleased to present dozens of schools in the Helsinki area with the design and implementation to become first-rate learning environments. HELsinki OF univErsitiEs my Helsinki is the home of many universities. Of these, the university of Helsinki and the Helsinki university of technology are among the best universities in the world, according to the shanghai university comparison. in Western countries, universities are historically some of the oldest yet still-vibrant institutions. in my Helsinki, universities are ever-changing and developing actors. Open Helsinki — Embedding Design in Life World Design Capital 2012 Application