The Africa-EU relations, migration, development and integration (AEMDI) project, aims to bring into conversation leading academics, policy makers, political observers and practitioners from civil society to explore and examine intra-Africa migration on one hand and EU-Africa relationships vis-à-vis migration on the other hand. Efforts to integrate Africa, through the RECs, should, then, be informed by lessons and parallels drawn from across Africa, and chiefly, the integration experience of the EU—particularly the Schengen Area—in moving from free movement of labour (only) to EU citizenship, as enshrined in Article 20 (1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Its main activities of AEMDI will include two international workshops and one international conference. One workshop will be hosted by the University of Eastern Finland and another by the Centre for the Study of Governance Innovation (GovInn) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. The main output of AEMDI activities will be a scientific edited volume, based on deliberations in and papers from the workshops. The main outcome of AEMDI is the promotion of the Jean Monnet Programme and adoption of best practices from the EU`s successes in regional integration, in Africa. The impacts of AEMDI will include increased networking and expertise between/of academics, policy makers, professionals and relevant stakeholders in Africa and the EU. AEMDI responds to the need to promote development and well-being in Africa through, among other things, learned experiences from observed successes in EU integration.
Ágnes Németh ([email protected])
Currently, she is managing two European projects: “CASPER: Citizen Activation in Shrinking rural areas for Place-based policies to Enhance Resilience” (Interreg Europe, 2023-2027) and “SERIGO: Social Economy for Resilience, Inclusion and Good Life in Rural areas” (Horizon Europe, 2024-2027).
She is involved in the research project “ESSPIN: Economic, Social and SPatial INequalities in Europe in the Era of Global Mega-trends” (Horizon Europe, 2022-2025).
Her doctoral thesis dealt with issues of regional policy, relational-governance and mega-events planning. She has been involved in European research projects (European Science Foundation, FP7) in border studies focusing on cross-border cooperation processes and the social (de)construction of borders. In her post-doctoral research, she studies foreigners’ socio-economic engagement in different Finnish urban environments with the aim of producing knowledge on the local particularities and challenges of integration processes. She was managing the international project “ECoC-SME: Actions for inducing SME growth and innovation via the ECoC event and legacy” (Interreg Europe, 2019-2021).
Anndra Parviainen ([email protected])
Researcher in various research groups like cancer research (INEXCA), quinoa food innovation research (Clinical Research Nurse in Disruptive Green Project) and recently in COVID research group (Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme Covid-19 Response Umbrella Project). Issues related to precision medicine, personalized care, and the integration of genomics in nursing education are my main areas of interest and are also related to my dissertation.
Anu Sepp ([email protected])
Anu Sepp’s research interests are music education, curriculum research, teacher education, teacher’s pedagogical thinking, music education integration
Development project for EMI (English as a Medium of Instruction) teaching and the integration of international and Finnish study programs
Diana Schenkwein ([email protected])
Designer gene transfer tools (vectors) are key in treating different inherited or acquired diseases safely with gene therapy. With the help of multilevel-optimized vectors based on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 (HIV-1) and CRISPR/Cas, we pursue to develop an effective and safe gene therapy treatment to familial hypercholesterolemia and severe heart failure, both important diseases in Finland but also leading causes of deaths worldwide. Our research also includes the creation of safe and optimally efficient CAR T cells for cell therapy of cancer, studying the role of nucleoli in health and disease, characterizing genome-wide effects of transgene integration, and assessing the safety of gene transfer. We have shown that the natural tendency of lentivirus vectors (LVs) to integrate in a nearly random manner can be modified so that they are less likely to destroy important cellular genes or cause other unwanted side-effects. The modified vectors can also be harnessed for the delivery of desired proteins into target cells. Our approaches to improve the safety and efficiency of gene therapy treatments include multi-level targeting of LVs to the cells and tissues most relevant to achieve a curative outcome and through minimizing the risks for undesired side effects, including insertional mutagenesis and immunogenicity.
I am part of the The GeneCellNano consortium funded by the Academy of Finland’s Flagship Programme.
I am part of the The GeneCellNano consortium funded by the Academy of Finland’s Flagship Programme.
Erkko Sointu ([email protected])
Dr. Erkko Sointu (PhD, special education) works as a professor in the special education scientific discipline at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF). His research interests encompass the development of teaching methods and support for learning across various educational levels, including higher education. He also focuses on behavioral and emotional functioning, emphasizing strengths, as well as learning analytics and dispositional learning analytics in both teaching and research. Additionally, he explores the integration of technology in education. Erkko’s responsibilities include research, teaching, supervising, and facilitating research initiatives. He is an active researcher and advisory board member of the UEF Learning, Everyday Life, and Work in a Digitalized Society (DIGS) research community. Erkko participates in extensive national and international research networks and organizations, such as EDUsummIT. He is also a trained teacher with experience of both comprehensive and higher education. Erkko holds title of docent of quantitative research methods in educational sciences to University of Lapland, Finland
Essi Rovamo ([email protected])
I am a project researcher in the “Promoting Evidence-based Practice in Social Work (NÄPSÄ)” project devoted to enhancing how social workers use evidence-based practices to help those in need. This project is funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health with a state grant for university-level research in social work. NÄPSÄ research project executes three work packages:
- We investigate evidence-based practice’s perceptions and knowledge base by performing scoping reviews and interviewing social work managers.
- We evaluate the learning and implementation of evidence-based practice in social work students.
- We will carry out and evaluate an education pilot for social workers.
For anyone interested in the intersection of research and practice, I invite you to explore more about NÄPSÄ on our UEFConnect page.
In addition to this project, I am writing my doctoral thesis on the Doctoral Programme of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies. My research focuses on understanding the social risks of psychiatric patients. My data consists of 200 patient medical records from 2010 to 2019. By employing qualitative and quantitative methods, I aim to uncover how various social conditions contribute to mental health issues and influence the well-being of these patients.
Throughout my career, I have been involved in several developmental projects in gerontological and health social work. I have broad expertise in structural social work, learning practices, and project work. For example, I have developed gerontological social work to meet the Social Welfare Act (2014/1301) obligations for clients with complex needs. I was also part of the pioneering pilot program for the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model, a groundbreaking approach that rehabilitates people with severe mental health problems to work life. In addition, I have been a coordinator of TYÖOTE-model, a collaboration between occupational health care and public health care. My expertise centers around themes of social and healthcare integration, effectiveness, and sustainability—topics that are crucial as we strive to enhance the well-being of vulnerable people.
Fisheries and the protection of the Saimaa ringed seal – needs and challenges of integration (KASSY)
Integrating interests of fisheries and the protection of Saimaa ringed seal has been challenging. The project studies the tensions between protecting the Saimaa ringed seal and interests related to fishing and fisheries in lake Saimaa.
The study has two goals. First, to examine existing patterns of interaction, negotiation, and ways of collaboration along with challenges in integration between interest groups. Second, to identify practical development needs to support conflict resolution and to introduce new integrative and collaborative approaches to relevant future strategies and policies. The research results will be relevant not only concerning the Saimaa ringed seal and fisheries but also in similar conflicts over other protected species.