I am a Professor in Social and Public Policy at the Department of Social Sciences. I am also the deputy director of the UEF’s Borders, Mobilities and Cultural Encounters (BOMOCULT) Research Community.
My research is oriented towards international migration, ethnic relations, bordering processes, diversity, embodiment, as well as participatory and creative methods. Over the years, I have studied topics, such as integration, racism and anti-racism, media use, everyday security, Russian nationality politics and international migration into rural areas.
The central theme of my research is the politicisation of migration issues and understanding how societal changes impact people’s everyday lives. Most recently, I have shifted my research focus towards the issues of security and conflicts. My teaching mainly relates to the above-mentioned themes. I supervise PhD researchers and MA thesis.
I am a qualified body-oriented work supervisor (työnohjaaja STOry), and I gladly support colleagues and students with issues related to well-being at work.
For those interested in doctoral studies under my supervision: If you are interested in applying for a doctoral researcher position in Social and Public Policy at UEF and would like me to supervise your work, please first familiarise yourself with the application guidelines for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies Doctoral Programme, available on the UEF website. I receive dozens of enquiries of this kind every week and am only able to respond to a limited number of them. If you are seriously considering applying under my supervision, please send me a research proposal prepared in accordance with the application guidelines and without the use of artificial intelligence. I want to learn about you, your research idea and abilities as a researcher, not read generic texts produced by AI. Please also read carefully the section on funding for doctoral studies. It explains that the right to pursue doctoral studies does not include funding, and that funding must be sought separately.
coordination of research support services in library, operational management of open science services, teaching of postgraduate courses, information specialist in mathematics
Trang Nguyen is a project assistant at the Karelian Institute.
She works primarily under the Interreg Europe project “Actions for inducing SME growth and innovation via the ECoC event and legacy” (ECoC-SME), supporting the whole project partnership in realising more effective communication and dissemination of the project’s achievements.
Ms. Nguyen holds a BBA in International Business.
I work at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) / Centre for Continuous Learning as a Specialist in Continuous Learning and a Teaching Finnish as a Second Language (S2). My responsibilities include the planning and implementation of various projects and training programs, as well as project management. I am a qualified Teacher of Finnish Language and Literature by education.
My core expertise lies in work-oriented S2 training, particularly in designing and delivering Finnish language programs for the healthcare sector. I began my university career at the Continuing Education Centre of the University of Joensuu, where I served for several years as the lead instructor for immigrant integration training and initial assessments. I have over 20 years of experience in diverse and inspiring roles related to supporting immigrant integration.
I have served as an expert member in various working groups focused on immigration, such as developing the national training model for doctors who have completed their degrees outside the EU/EEA. Since 2017, I have been training international doctors according to this model. I was also involved in developing a model for work-oriented language coaching (INTOA project, 2012–2014) and have worked as a language coach in various workplaces.
In 2023, I was part of a pilot project for the North Karelia ELY Centre, planning and implementing social orientation periods for immigrants in their native languages. Currently, I serve as the Language Specialist for the MedMentor project (2026–2028), which focuses on developing internships and guidance for international doctors.
I provide support for researchers in the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology in research funding proposal development, especially with Horizon Europe proposals. My tasks are for example:
- Finding suitable research funding opportunities
- Clarifying the terms and requirements of funders
- Assisting with and commenting on the preparation of research funding applications
- Communicating and providing training related to research funding
Recent recearch projects are A Multidisciplinary network for the Development of Universities and Working life in Support of Children’s well-being 2021-2023, Continuing Education for Social and Health care Professionals – the Road Map for Life Long Learning 2019 – 2021 More information: https://blogi.savonia.fi/sotetie/.
In my doctoral research, I study a self-care preparedness index and its associations with the health-related quality of life, health, and depressive symptoms in primary health care patients (Participatory Patient Care Planning in Primary Care 4PHC trial) and the effects of motivational self-care promotion on depressive symptoms in type 2 diabetes. In the DEPKuopio study, we will examine the effects of multicomponent motivational lifestyle intervention as a supportive treatment for depression in primary health care.
I work as a university lecturer in Faculty of Science and Forestry. My teaching is based on learner focused blended-learning (flipped classroom) and work-related methods (laboratory and project skills). My aim is to train the students to be able to use a large variety of teaching methods in their teaching careers and work related methods for students working in bio labs.
I have worked in four University supported teaching development projects and one continuous learning project. Year 2018 got the Good Teacher Award from the Biology Student Union and Excellent Teacher in Practice award from the University of Eastern Finland for developing innovative online-teaching.
