A new three-year research programme period will begin in January 2014. While the programme structure will remain intact, stronger emphasis will be placed on the Nordic countries, the Arctic region, cyber issues and Russian internal dynamics.
Programme period 2014-2016
Research at FIIA will be organised into three research programmes during the next programme period.
The European Union Research Programme will conduct research on key developments in the EU and the Union’s external relations, political system and economy. In addition, the potential for Nordic cooperation and the similarities and differences of the policies of the Nordic countries will be studied as part of the EU’s external relations.
The EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood and Russia Research Programme will cover regional dynamics in the post-Soviet space including relations with the EU. The main focus, however, will be on Russian foreign and security policy and her international position. In addition, the internal political development and the distinctive traits of its political system will be scrutinised as factors influencing Russian foreign policy.
The Global Security Research Programme will conduct research on changing trends in global security policy with implications to the security environment of the European Union and Finland. Issues relating to great power relations and prospects for global governance, global environmental security and the various dimensions of European security policy, including cyber issues, will form a central component of the programme. The politics of the Arctic region will constitute a shared theme for all three research programmes.
Staff news
Programme Director of the Global Security Research Programme Mika Aaltola spent the autumn as a Visiting Researcher at Johns Hopkins University as a part of the exchange programme related to FIIA’s Center for US Politics and Power. He has now returned and resumed his tasks at FIIA.
Elina Sinkkonen and Katja Creutz will join the Global Security programme in January. Sinkkonen’s research focuses on China and Creutz’s on international law and human rights.
Niklas Helwig will join the European Union research programme in January. His research focuses on the EU’s External Action Service.
In February, Fullbright scholar Matthew Hoddie from Towson University, US, will join FIIA. He studies democracy in post-civil war states.