The University of Eastern Finland is involved in two research consortia focusing on the changing Arctic region and public mental health.
The Strategic Research Council (SRC), an independent body established within the Research Council of Finland (RCF), has granted the University of Eastern Finland a total of 1.8 million euros for research that will explore changes in the Arctic region and mental health in Finnish society.
The eight funded research consortia will carry out long-term interdisciplinary research to solve these societal challenges. The six-year SRC programmes, which are now getting under way, will continue until the autumn of 2032.
The SRC programme The Changing Arctic Region (ARCTIC) examines the ongoing, multi-layered changes in the Arctic region that result from climate change, geopolitical tensions and economic interests. The four consortia selected for the programme will study the effects of changes in the Arctic region on, for example, Arctic security and the environment, community livelihoods, natural resources and their use, as well as culture and tourism.
Professor Rauno Sairinen of the University of Eastern Finland leads the consortium 'Sustainability, Agency and Urgency of Mining transitions in the Arctic'. Professor Seita Vesa is a partner in the consortium. The university's total funding is 961,863 euros. The consortium evaluates the multidimensional landscape of Arctic mining in Finland by advancing understanding of its geological, geopolitical, environmental, social and economic drivers and impacts. It examines how the interplay of urgency and multi-actor agency shapes sustainable development as well as legal and governance trajectories in the Arctic. In addition to the University of Eastern Finland, the consortium includes Demos Helsinki, the University of Jyväskylä, the Geological Survey of Finland and the Finnish Environment Institute.
The SRC programme Public Mental Health (MIND) focuses on building and promoting good mental health in Finnish society. Four consortia were selected to the programme. They will explore, for example, the links between societal mechanisms and mental health challenges, the effects of environmental agency on mental health and ways to strengthen mental health and resilience among older people. In addition, the MIND consortia will study and develop digital solutions that support mental health and provide effective and accessible support and care.
Research Director Tiia Ngandu and Professor Elisa Tiilikainen from the University of Eastern Finland are partners of the consortium 'Resilience in ageing: Identifying mechanisms and co-creating scalable solutions for better mental health', led by Åbo Akademi University. The University of Eastern Finland’s total funding is 797,565 euros.
The consortium seeks evidence-based and cost-effective solutions for promoting resilience and good mental health throughout ageing processes. It examines social, health-related, psychological, and biological factors that support resilience, with particular attention to loneliness, stress, and health in later life. Selected components of the programme address inequalities related to language, culture, and regional contexts.
Source: The Strategic Research Council