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Northern Dimensions of European Union Actorness

This research deals with the EU’s role as a global actor by focusing on one of the a highly sensitive area: relations with Russia. Despite the apparent frustration of EU neighbourhood policy ambitions due to Russian interventions, particularly in regard to Ukraine, lessons need to be learned from this experience. There will be little alternative to interest-based but mutually constructed regional cooperation and the EU still offers the most attractive alternative.

Outi Soininen (outi.soininen@uef.fi)

I work in the Performance Management and Quality team of the Development Services. My work includes development and maintenance of the Project Management System and UEF Connect, as well as providing guidance and instructions together with other experts. I also develop and maintain forms produced for UEF’s internal use in cooperation with other teams in Development Services.

 

Sanna Iskanius (sanna.iskanius@uef.fi)

Contact me to get support in your company growth, performance improvement, and modernization.
I am a Deputy Director at the Centre for Continuous Learning, UEF. I am in charge of business cooperation, project activities, in-service training and international affairs of the Centre for Continuous Learning.
I have been actively involved in continuous learning and development activities at the University of Eastern Finland and the nationwide network UCEF (University Continuing Education Network in Finland).
My passion is continuous learning, development, and bringing opportunities and abilities together.

Tiina Ynnilä (tiina.ynnila@uef.fi)

By education I am an ethnologist MA. My tasks focus on planning, implementation, and management of various projects and business products related to continuous learning. My special expertise is sustainable development and international cooperation, before I used to work especially with Russian partners.

My current projects:
Biodiversity now 30.6.2022-31.12.2024
Boosting Regulation and Sustainability Competence for Health and Wellness Sector 1.4.2023-31.3.2025
Education and Nature-Based Solutions: enable society to bend the curve for biodiversity 1.1.-2024-31.12.2026

My previous projects at University of Eastern Finland:
Sustainability communication network 1.6.-31.12.2023
Karelian Wellness 1.1.2020-31.5.2022
New Cultural Horizons 1.1.2020-30.9.2022

Tomi Mäki-Opas (tomi.maki-opas@uef.fi)

I work as a professor of social policy and I have a title of docent in health policy. I am particularly interested in the effectiveness of social policy, social and health services and the promotion of wellbeing, especially from the perspective wellbeing and societal equity.

I lead the “Effectiveness in social and health services” research community and the operation and development of the “House of Effectiveness” network. In addition, I work in close cooperation with the Northern Savo welfare region, where the special theme of the cooperation is wellbeing services research and effectiveness.

I teach at all levels of the subjects related to the mentioned themes, effectiveness research methods, designs, and supervise dissertations related to the topics.

Tomi Tuovinen (tomi.tuovinen@uef.fi)

I work in Business Center North Savo -activities as a representative of UEF dealing with various services related to entrepreneurship and commercialization of innovation.

In a nutshell, I help students and researchers in commercialization of their business ideas. I also aim to develop the local startup culture.

Activities include e.g., running the 1st stage of the 3-stage accelerator programme called “Havuja#!@%&!”, promoting our commercialization services among students of the University, and miscellaneous cooperation with companies and other stakeholders.

In addition, I am involved in YUFE (Young Universities for the Future of Europe) -activities in Inno4YUFE and YUFERING -projects.

Veera Pekkarinen (veerajulia.pekkarinen@uef.fi)

Veera Pekkarinen is a doctoral researcher in climate law at the UEF Law School. Her research focuses on global legal and regulatory framework for methane, which is a short-lived climate pollutant and the second most important contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide. The research focuses particularly on examining opportunities to strengthen action on methane in developing countries and special attention is also given to informal initiatives targeting methane. Her research is a part of the European Research Council funded project “ClimaSlow: Slowing Down Climate Change: Combining Climate Law and Climate Science to Identify the Best Options to Reduce Emissions of Short-lived Climate Pollutants in Developing Countries”. Her other research interests include climate change loss and damage.

Pekkarinen also coordinates the UEF—UN Environment Course on MEAs, which is a high-profile two-week Course focusing on international environmental law-making and diplomacy. The Course is intended for experienced government officials engaged in international environmental negotiations and it is organized annually in cooperation with the UEF and United Nations Environment Programme.