The projects funded by the Research Council of Finland carry out long-term, interdisciplinary research aimed at solving societal changes.
The Strategic Research Council, which operates under the Research Council of Finland, has granted a total of 24 million euros for research that will explore changes in the Arctic region and mental health in Finnish society.
Funding went to eight consortia, four of which include researchers from the University of Helsinki. The six-year programmes are now getting under way and will run until autumn 2032.
Understanding the many layers of change in the Arctic
The Changing Arctic Region (ARCTIC) programme examines the ongoing, multi-layered changes in the Arctic region that result from climate change, geopolitical tensions and economic interests. The research projects will engage in close dialogue and cooperation with regional actors such as local and Indigenous communities. The University of Helsinki is involved in two of the programme's consortia.
The project treats Arctic security as something that takes shape at the meeting point of the state, public institutions, civil society, and local and Indigenous communities. It responds to a global polycrisis that in the Arctic shows up as rapid climate change, intensifying military competition and shifting levels of trust.
The project draws together sociology, international relations, geoinformatics, social work and Sámi studies. It produces knowledge for use by its partners and supports the development of Finland's comprehensive security model in a way that treats local communities and nature as concrete contributors to security. The principal investigator at the University of Helsinki is (Faculty of Social Sciences).
The project puts (sub)arctic residents at the centre of the story, treating them as key witnesses to the change taking place around them.
The project brings together a range of perspectives on the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss, pressures on land and natural resources, the impact of tourism, and mounting geopolitical and security concerns.
It develops and pilots new ways of strengthening the agency of Arctic residents and Indigenous peoples in responding to change, and of making local voices heard in public debate and decision-making. Its multidisciplinary approach combines art, data, dialogue and media. The principal investigator at the University of Helsinki is (Faculty of Science).
Building and promoting mental health
The Public Mental Health (MIND) programme focuses on building and promoting good mental health in Finnish society. The University of Helsinki is involved in two of the programme's consortia.
The project examines how environmental agency - the ability to make sustainable choices in everyday life - affects mental health across different age groups. It aims to establish what role environmental agency plays in mental well-being, to generate new knowledge on how it functions as a psychosocial resource for individuals and communities and how it shapes participation and well-being, and to develop and test scalable, participatory and digitally supported ways of strengthening both environmental agency and mental health in daily life. The principal investigator at the University of Helsinki is (Faculty of Medicine).
Digitalisation and artificial intelligence are rapidly changing how people learn, act and get support. The project develops and studies digital solutions that support mental health, identify the need for help at an early stage, and offer effective, easily accessible care. It draws on platforms already in wide use across Finland and combines brain-imaging and biobank data to help identify the long-term course of mental health and the risk factors.
The resulting solutions are developed and tested in real-world settings together with users and professionals. The principal investigator at the University of Helsinki is (Faculty of Medicine).
