My dissertation aims to increase understanding of student engagement and school burnout in upper secondary education, as well as of the role of individual strengths, support, and learning difficulties in students’ well-being. Hopefully this project offers new insights into how to develop the context of upper secondary education to match study demands to student resources, and how to ensure that young people are motivated and engaged in school.
Elina Väisänen ([email protected])
Finacial services offers guidance and support in financial issues to the units in the faculties.
Emilia Kansanen ([email protected])
- Strategic leadership and development of research funding services at the University of Eastern Finland; Head of the Research Services team
- Development of support services and processes for the research funding application phase
- Support for ongoing research projects and provision of project management services
- Development of strategic support instruments for research funding
- National and international collaboration with research funders and networks
Erik Hansen ([email protected])
Prof. Dr. Erik G. Hansen is a Visiting Professor of Innovation Management at the Business School of University of Eastern Finland (UEF) and contributes to the Research Centre for Sustainable Circular Economy (CECE). He is also a Full Professor and Head of the Institute of Integrated Quality Design (IQD) at Johannes Kepler University (JKU) Linz, Austria and Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM), Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany and Cambridge University, Institute for Manufacturing (IfM). His research focuses on managing circular, greentech, and sustainability-oriented innovations at the level of products, product-service systems, and business models, including the supporting role of standards and digitalisation.
Erkko Sointu ([email protected])
Dr. Erkko Sointu (PhD, Special Education) is a professor of special education at the University of Eastern Finland (UEF). His research focuses on developing teaching methods and learning support across educational levels, including higher education. He also studies ways to support behavioral and emotional functioning, as well as learning analytics and extended learning analytics in both teaching and research contexts. Additionally, he explores educational technology perspectives. Dr. Sointu’s responsibilities include research, teaching, supervision, and promoting research collaboration. He is an active member of the UEF research community Learning, Everyday Life, and Work in a Digitalized Society (DIGS), where he also serves on the advisory board. He is the responsible leader and principal investigator of the Supporting Higher Education Students’ Learning (SupporUNi) consortium and leads the national initiative to develop university-level special education training, Special Education Together (Erkkaa1). He also participates in extensive international and national research networks and organizations, such as EDUsummIT. In addition to his academic roles, Dr. Sointu is a qualified teacher with experience in both comprehensive and higher education. He also holds the title of docent in Quantitative Research Methods in Educational Sciences at the 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.
My doctoral dissertation “Social risks among specialised psychiatric care patients: A mixed-methods registry-based study” investigates social risks documented in specialized psychiatric care according to register-based data. It aims to develop an understanding of social risks, how they influence psychiatric patients’ well-being, and the role health social work plays in managing them. The research material consists of register-based data from 191 psychiatric patients who received treatment at Helsinki University Hospital between 2009 and 2019. The research data were analysed using a mixed-methods approach.
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.
Esther Galbrun ([email protected])
I work on methods for exploratory analysis.
My goal is to develop tools and techniques for mining, visualization and interaction, in order to support data-centric research in various application domains.
Evaluation of Government Support Scheme for Grocery Shops
Fiia Söderholm ([email protected])
My research focuses on student well-being, its development from comprehensive school to upper secondary education, and its links to support and learning difficulties.
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.