Säädellympi

Säädellympi is a Finnish term used to describe a structured competition and learning format focused on regulatory design and policy evaluation. The word combines säädely (regulation) and olympi (olympiad), signaling a contest that emphasizes practical analysis of regulatory proposals rather than purely theoretical work. In practice, säädellympi refers to events where teams develop regulatory packages to address a hypothetical policy problem and are judged by experts.

The main goal of säädellympi is to improve understanding of regulatory trade-offs, promote evidence-based policymaking, and provide a comparative platform for approaches across sectors such as finance, energy, and telecommunications. Typical formats involve multi-day teamwork, case briefs, and formal presentations. Teams submit a regulatory package including objectives, design mechanics, enforcement and compliance considerations, cost estimates, impact assessment, and risk mitigation. A judging panel evaluates proposals on criteria such as efficiency, equity, feasibility, transparency, adaptability, and potential for public acceptance.

Originating in Finnish universities in the late 2010s, säädellympi spread through Nordic higher education and public administration networks as a hands-on method for teaching regulatory thinking. Variants exist, including Säädellympi Junior for high school participants and professional editions that invite mid-career regulators to test ideas in a simulated environment. The format is praised for building collaborative skills and policy literacy, while critiques point to the simplifications inherent in hypothetical cases and the need to connect simulations to real-world constraints.