The winners of the Brain Health School Challenge: Finland 2025 were announced at a celebratory event held at Helsinki City Hall, where the remarkable efforts of students from across the country were recognised. Organised by the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and the Finnish Neurological Society, the competition invited pupils from primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary schools to design ideas, strategies, or campaigns that inspire young people to take care of their brain health and actively promote it.
The challenge was launched by the EAN-led Brain Health Mission (BHM) in collaboration with the Finnish Neurological Society as part of a broader effort to raise awareness of the importance of brain health. With neurological disorders affecting more than one in three people worldwide, initiatives like this play a key role in reducing the burden of brain-related conditions.
The challenge was first introduced to students at the Educa fair earlier this year and was met with great enthusiasm. Business College Helsinki in particular embraced the initiative with outstanding commitment. Students campaigned in schools, produced content for social media, and helped build momentum throughout the spring.
During the award ceremony, Prof. Reetta Kälviäinen from the University of Eastern Finland commended the college’s dedication:
“The challenge seemed to spread like wildfire and become part of everything they did. You did a wonderful job, and I hope you continue to spread the inspiration”.
In recognition of this collective effort, a special certificate of recognition was presented to Senior Lecturer Tarja Airaksinen. Deputy Principal Heli Huotari also highlighted how closely the challenge aligned with the school’s values:
“We feel it’s vital to equip students for a good life. We want our students to feel that their skills matter — and that they can keep developing them”.
Speaking at the ceremony, student Marie Sakeus emphasised the personal relevance of the challenge:
“It was an honour to be part of this challenge. I hope we all continue to carry this theme forward in the future”.
Several student groups from Business College Helsinki were involved, including the first-year business studies groups, the second-year pop-up college group, and the media workshop. Students from the school’s international seminar team also played a key role.
Winners by Category (project titles):
- Primary School
- Nahkialan koulu – Brain Day
- Porolahden koulu – Aivon päivä
- Lower Secondary School
- Meilahden yläaste – Light up your brain
- Alavuuden yläkoulu – aivoterveys kuuluu kaikille
- Upper Secondary School
- Business College Helsinki – Podcast-jaksot
- Business College Helsinki – Varainkeruu
The full list of winning submissions can be found here:
School Challenge: Finland, Winners 2025 – ean.org
Read the original article (in Finnish) from Business College Helsinki:
Business Collegea hehkutettiin aivoterveystilaisuudessa – Uskomattoman hienoa innostumista
