The new three-year research programme period of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs has begun on 1 January 2026, also marking the start of FIIA’s 65th anniversary year.
The four research programmes of the previous programme period will continue their work, with some changes in their names and some new thematic emphases. The programmes are:
- Finland and Northern European Security
- European Union and Strategic Competition
- Russia, Eastern Europe and Eurasia
- Global Security and Governance
Each research programme is led by a programme director responsible for planning and coordinating research activities. The programme directors from the previous programme period will continue in their roles. The Programme Director of the Finland and Northern European Security research programme is Dr. Harri Mikkola, and the Programme Director of the European Union and Strategic Competition research programme is Dr. Juha Jokela. The Russia, Eastern Europe and Eurasia research programme is led by Dr. Arkady Moshes, while the Global Security and Governance research programme is led by Dr. Katja Creutz.
In addition to research programmes, FIIA hosts research centres that focus on specific themes. The research centres from the past programme period will continue their activities. The Centre for Climate Politics and Security (CLIPS) is led by Research Professor Antto Vihma, the Centre on Global Orders and China (CORD) by Research Professor Mikael Mattlin, and the Centre on U.S. Politics and Power (CUSPP) by Leading Researcher Ville Sinkkonen. All current research centres work in conjunction with the Global Security and Governance research programme. FIIA remains open to the possibility of establishing new centres in the future.
Research at FIIA is also informed by a cross-cutting theme of strategic foresight. Rather than trying to predict events or a single future, it supports the systematic examination of several plausible pathways by identifying key drivers, major uncertainties, and weak signals of change with a view of spurring action towards creating a desirable future.
As part of the new programme period, two new researchers will join FIIA. Senior Research Fellow Heidi Huuhtanen has joined the European Union and Strategic Competition research programme, and Postdoctoral Fellow Veera Laine will join the Russia, Eastern Europe and Eurasia research programme in summer 2027.
The compositions of the research programmes of the programme period 2026–28 will be as follows:
Finland and Northern European Security
Harri Mikkola, Programme Director
Matti Pesu, Senior Research Fellow
Jyri Lavikainen, Research Fellow
Sinikukka Saari, Leading Researcher
Iro Särkkä, Senior Research Fellow
Joel Linnainmäki, Research Fellow
European Union and Strategic Competition
Juha Jokela, Programme Director
Toni Alaranta, Senior Research Fellow
Saila Heinikoski, Senior Research Fellow
Niklas Helwig, Leading Researcher
Heidi Huuhtanen, Senior Research Fellow
Tuomas Iso-Markku, Senior Research Fellow
Tyyne Karjalainen, Research Fellow
Katariina Mustasilta, Senior Research Fellow
Federica Prandin, Research Fellow
Sanna Salo, Senior Research Fellow
Marco Siddi, Leading Researcher
Teemu Tammikko, Senior Research Fellow
Russia, Eastern Europe and Eurasia
Arkady Moshes, Programme Director
Veera Laine, Postdoctoral Fellow
Jussi Lassila, Senior Research Fellow
Ryhor Nizhnikau, Senior Research Fellow
Kristiina Silvan, Postdoctoral Fellow
Margarita Zavadskaya, Senior Research Fellow
Global Security and Governance
Katja Creutz, Programme Director
Eoin McNamara, Postdoctoral fellow
Olli Ruohomäki, Visiting Senior Fellow
Ville Sinkkonen, Leading Researcher
Maria Lindén, Research Fellow
Charly Salonius-Pasternak, Leading Researcher
Mikael Wigell, Visiting Senior Fellow
Markus Holmgren, Research Fellow
Antto Vihma, Research Professor
Emma Hakala, Leading Researcher
Karoliina Hurri, Postdoctoral Fellow
Helmi Räisänen, Postdoctoral Fellow
Mikael Mattlin, Research Professor
Bart Gaens, Senior Research Fellow
Jyrki Kallio, Senior Research Fellow
Elina Sinkkonen, Senior Research Fellow