The day opened with a warm welcome from GTK’s Director in Availability of Raw Materials, Hannu Lahtinen, who gave an overview of GTK’s impressive international projects and global collaborations. It set the tone perfectly: EGT-TWINN is part of something bigger — not only national and regional progress, but also the shared European and global effort supported by Horizon Europe.
And, most importantly, the atmosphere in the room was as friendly as ever. Over the past three years, these project partners have become more than colleagues. They’ve become friends.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
The annual meeting was a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come. The conclusion? The project has been more than nicely on track.
From critical raw materials and geothermal energy to training courses, secondments, and conferences, every partner — GTK, BGS, GEUS, EGT, and the University of Oulu — has delivered ... and not just delivered, but delivered exceptionally. Presentations covered the full range of Work Packages 1-5: from EU project engagement at GTK, to fieldwork and training courses led by BGS, geothermal initiatives at GEUS, and communication and dissemination highlights from EGT.
It wasn’t just about ticking boxes. It was about knowledge shared, skills transferred, and confidence built. EGT-TWINN has shown that when you choose the right partners, progress follows naturally.
Communication as a Joint Effort
One of the stories we are most proud of is communication. Unlike many Horizon Europe projects, we didn’t have a professional communications team in the background. Instead, one of our “own” stepped up to take on the challenge.
At first, it felt daunting. But thanks to patient, supportive, and enthusiastic partners, communication became a real success story. Together, we’ve built a strong digital presence:
– Thousands of visitors to the project homepage
– Growing audiences on LinkedIn and beyond
– Regular newsletters and blog posts (like this one!)
– Project representation at dozens of international events
It has been proven that you don’t always need a glossy PR machine behind you. What you need are partners who support and encourage, and a willingness to experiment. In the end, this has been one of the most rewarding parts of EGT-TWINN.
Friends as Well as Colleagues
It’s easy to focus on the science, the numbers, the deliverables. But another kind of progress is just as important: friendship.
Every time the EGT-TWINN group meets, the atmosphere is relaxed, supportive, and full of energy. We work hard, but we also genuinely enjoy each other’s company. Over dinners, coffee breaks, and museum visits, trust and friendship have grown.
One highlight of the Helsinki meeting was our group photo in GTK’s Geological Museum — a hidden gem on the first floor of the GTK office. If you ever find yourself in Espoo, it’s definitely worth a visit (and it’s free!).
The Road Ahead
Of course, the story isn’t finished yet. There’s still plenty of work ahead in the coming months: reports, secondments, and wrapping up activities.
But we’re also looking forward to something special: the final EGT-TWINN meeting in Tallinn in the second week of December 2025. This will not only be a chance to reflect and celebrate together, but also to invite external stakeholders to join the conversation.
Until then, we keep going strong. EGT-TWINN has already proven that the right partners, under the right framework, can achieve much more than they imagined. And as we head towards the finish line, we are proud of what we’ve built — together.