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.
Eerika Albrecht (eerika.albrecht@uef.fi)
I am a postdoctoral researcher with environmental policy and law background. My research focuses on adaptive water governance, river basin management and hydropower. Previously I have studied peatland governance, transboundary water governance and youth participation in legislative drafting. My research interest cover topics from how law and politics are intertwined for example in legislative drafting or how public and private stakeholders of natural resource governance interact with each other to solve pressing environmental problems.
Keywords: Environmental social sciences, environmental policy and law, legislative studies, natural resource governance, argument analysis, discourse analysis
Eeva Aromaa (eeva.aromaa@uef.fi)
I work as a Post Doctoral Researcher in the Neuro impact and innovation research team. My research interests cover topics such as social processes of research collaboration with private and public sector stakeholders, co-research and patients’ experiental knowledge. My teaching experience focuses on qualitative research methods, innovation culture and innovation management research courses. Before entering the UEF, I worked as a researcher at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and in the international HRD in the steel industry.
FORBIO
FORBIO will provide for decision making smart means, solutions and tools.
The project aims at providing the preconditions for the sustainable increase of climate-neutrality and resource-efficiency of forest bioeconomy. The key actors in forest bioeconomy and ministries are stakeholders of the project.
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Maria Recio Piva (eugenia.recio@uef.fi)
Combining academic expertise with hands-on experience in the field, I am a highly specialized professional in international environmental law, climate change law, forest loss prevention (REDD+), and environmental law in Latin America and the Caribbean. Over the past decade, my career has been dedicated to academia, where I have engaged in rigorous research and teaching with UEF. I have organized training programs for diplomats and government officers in a joint programme with UNEP, taught courses on international environmental law topics at the Master’s level. Prior to my academic pursuits, I played a pivotal role in environmental initiatives, reporting on environmental negotiations for 15 years, providing invaluable insights into ongoing multilateral and regional environmental processes. Furthermore, for the past two decades, I have cultivated practical experience in assessing environmental law in diverse Latin American and Caribbean countries, offering guidance to national governments, indigenous communities, local stakeholders, and regional institutions. This unique blend of on-the-ground experience and theoretical knowledge in the field of international environmental law significantly enriches my academic research.
MATILDE – Migration Impact Assessment to Enhance Integration and Local Development in European Rural and Mountain Areas
The EU-funded MATILDE project is based on the hypothesis that non-EU immigrants represent a challenge for rural and mountain areas in Europe. However, these third-country nationals (TCNs) could contribute to the local economic and social development. In addition, TCNs affect the relationship between urban areas and rural and mountain zones. As a result, the project will estimate the dimensions of the economic and social impacts of TCNs on European, national and local levels. The project intends to engage local stakeholders and elaborate proposals concerning the redistribution of resources in the EU rural and mountain areas as well as recommendations concerning government policies. The project will offer policymakers and stakeholders a better understanding of the migrant integration process.
Philip Chambers (philip.chambers@uef.fi)
Philip is a doctoral researcher at the University of Eastern Finland’s School of Forest Sciences and a member of the Gamification Group at Tampere University.
His research focuses on understanding how gamification can be used in decision-making in forestry planning and policy contexts. He is interested in seeing if games and playful elements, as well as technology such as drones and VR, can be utilised to better engage stakeholders in participatory processes and support multi-criteria decision-making.
Piritta Parkkari (piritta.parkkari@uef.fi)
As an Impact Manager in the Neuro-Innovation PhD Programme, my job is to make sure the programme reaches it impact goals. I support our PhD researchers and act as a connector between the project, PhD researchers, supervisors, partners and other stakeholders.
As a researcher in the High-skilled internationals: bottom-up insights into policy innovation for work and entrepreneurship in Finland (HIWE) research project, I do research on how highly skilled internationals experience working and living in Finland.
As an Innovation Specialist in the UEF Brain Research Unit 2.0 project, my task is developing and piloting a new model for patient and public involvement (PPI) for UEF’s Brain Research Unit.
I am part of the Innovation Management (INNO) research group and NOVA Neuro-Impact and Innovation research team.
Sari-Johanna Karhapää (sari-johanna.karhapaa@uef.fi)
I am a researcher and teacher in Service Management (master’s program) and international retail (bachelor’s program).
I am a researcher in the Intellectual Capital Management research group and UEFDigs Research Community.
In my dissertation I explored trust development in an organizational merger context.
My research interests relate to trust, management, leadership, organizational change, and managing stakeholders, especially customer relations in international retail. I apply mainly qualitative research methods and process approach. I am interested in quality management and co-research methods.
SavingScapes
The main aim of the project is to enhance landscape awareness and collaborative governance of cultural and natural landscapes through innovative learning interventions in higher education. The partners of the consortium are willing to tackle the question, how actors and stakeholders can collaborate into the governance of a landscape. Special concern will be attended for empowering methods to carry out collaborative planning and for improving the communication flow between local and regional authorities, environmental planners and managers, NGOs and citizens.
The project is developing and enhancing partnerships and innovation between HE institutions, organizations on the field of landscape planning and management, environmental NGOs and citizens. The activities of the project will take place in four countries in Europe (Italy, Spain, Netherlands and Finland). Partners are going to cooperate closely with each other and with regional and international networks and other stakeholders.