Masterclass 2026

The first FLOU Masterclass on Transport Systems took place in Helsinki on 2–4 September 2026. Explore the programme content and the guest speakers who joined us and stay tuned for the next cohort.

Content

A decisive upgrade in systems intelligence and strategic execution

Day 1

Introduction to systems

Day 1 establishes the foundations: how transport systems actually behave, and the economic forces that shape every decision around them.

Morning

The physics of movement

Why transport systems surprise us. Induced demand, Braess's paradox, user equilibrium and the counterintuitive dynamics that make transport planning both hard — and fascinating. How network effects, congestion and modal choice interact in ways that defy intuition and confound standard models.

Afternoon

The economics of mobility

The full cost of transport: — what drivers, operators and cities actually pay, and what they do not. Externalities, pricing logic, land value capture and the shift from infrastructure-led investment to data-led capacity building. Why the car often looks cheaper than it actually is, and what a rational pricing system would look like.

Futures and scenarios

How to make investment decisions that hold up as technologies and political contexts shift. Scenario planning, risk and resilience frameworks, and how to translate automation, data and emerging mobility models into investment-ready strategic options.

Dinner

Networking dinner

Day 2

Impacts and investments

Day 2 turns insight into action: how to evaluate, justify and execute decisions that deliver measurable impact across financial, environmental and social dimensions.

Morning

Sustainability and equity

Climate, sustainability and equity as strategic drivers instead of — not compliance constraints. The carbon handprint approach, distributional impact assessment, and how to evaluate transport investments against the full range of societal outcomes they produce.

Afternoon

Investment logic

Why good analysis does not automatically lead to good decisions — and what to do about it. Cost-benefit frameworks, their limits, residual value, and how to make the financial and societal case for investments that standard appraisal tends to undervalue.

Afternoon field visit

On-site field visit

Day 3

Policy-making in action

Day 3 moves from system to strategy: the policy mechanisms, political dynamics and futures tools used to steer transport under uncertainty.

Morning

Policy as a system intervention

How regulation, pricing and governance actually shape behaviour in transport markets and public systems. The difference between policy that works on paper and policy that works in practice — and why that gap is often larger than expected.

Afternoon

Politics and decision-making

The political economy of transport. Why technically sound proposals stall, how decisions actually get made, and what the evidence says about the gap between analysis and action. Stakeholders, coalitions, timing and the skills that transport professionals are rarely taught but always need.

From insight to action

Translate the programme's work into a personal action plan. What changes in your organisation, your portfolio and your decisions next week.

Ending ceremony

Personal reflection and certificates of completion

Full schedule shared upon registration.

Guest speakers

Who will you be learning from

A curated line-up of practitioners and thinkers shaping how transport systems evolve.

Taina Haapamäki
Managing Director at FLOU
Taina Haapamäki is the Founder and Managing Director of FLOU. Driven by a desire to apply the latest research in practice, she founded the company ten years ago. Today, she leads FLOU’s work on impact-driven transport decision-making.
Pärtel-Peeter Pere
Former Deputy Mayor of Tallinn
Pärtel-Peeter Pere is an Estonian Urban Strategist, Climate Politician and Former Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment at the City of Tallinn, where he led efforts on sustainable mobility, tram network development and climate-resilient city planning.
Anni Sinnemäki
Former Deputy Mayor of Helsinki
Anni Sinnemäki is an experienced political decision-maker. A background as a Member of Parliament, a minister, a party leader, and a long-serving city councillor have provided a unique perspective on the political atmosphere and how to navigate informed decision-making within it. Sinnemäki has paid particular attention to traffic safety, climate goals, and reconciling the city’s growth with environmental and nature conservation objectives.
Touko Väänänen
Senior Consultant at FLOU
Touko Väänänen is a longstanding member of the FLOU team with years of experience in transportation systems. He has helped in improving the state of the art of transportation impact assessment in Finland by, for example, uncovering the agglomeration effects of transportation in Finland. Touko is finishing his PhD at Aalto University on the effects of transportation infrastructure improvements.
Anton Hagen
Transport Specialist
Anton Hagen is a Ukrainian transport planner based in Lviv, Ukraine, focused mostly on urban mobility and railways. Since the full scale invasion of Russia, Anton participated in the preparation of RDNA reports and operations under the RELINC investment project. Since 2025, he is actively involved in the technical assistance on railway reform in Ukraine.
Lauri Kangas
Senior Transport Expert at the City of Helsinki
Lauri Kangas is a senior transport expert at the City of Helsinki, where he manages cooperation and budgeting with the city-owned transport company Metropolitan Area Transport and the regional public transport authority HSL. He has spent his career at the intersection of transport system planning and project delivery, with experience ranging from feasibility studies and investment appraisals to technical design of tramway infrastructure.
Sampo Hietanen
Group CEO of SWAVIA
Sampo Hietanen is a leading mobility strategist, entrepreneur, and thought leader currently serving as CEO of SWAVIA. Through his leadership and advisory work across the mobility sector, he helps companies, cities, and public sector organizations navigate the future of transportation and accelerate the transition to more sustainable, user-centric mobility systems.
Niko-Matti Ronikonmäki
Director of Unit at Ministry of Transport and Communications in Finland
Niko-Matti Ronikonmäki is a seasoned economist and transport policy expert with a long track record in economic impact assessment and transport pricing. In his role as Director at the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications, he has helped drive strategic policy development and delivered lasting impact across the transport sector.