Expert in hybrid threats and security policy Hanna Smith appointed as Professor of Practice at the University of Vaasa

According to Professor of Practice Hanna Smith, strengthening resilience and being better prepared is becoming increasingly important in today’s rapidly changing world. Resilience means the ability to operate in changing circumstances, to face disruptions and crises, to recover from them and adapt.

– There is a reason why resilience has become such a topical issue. It is not just a trendy term. Our security environment has changed so much that we must rethink preparedness and resilience from a new perspective – nationally, internationally, and also regionally, says Smith.

Smith highlights that one of the biggest challenges is the fast-moving, overwhelming flow of information, which makes it harder to build an accurate situational awareness and anticipate developments. There is also a great deal of intentional disinformation in today’s security environment.

– So much is happening all the time and the flow of information is relentless. The danger is that we end up reacting too quickly to small streams, when in fact we should wait and see whether they turn into a larger river or not. We need to build a really clear situational awareness to build anticipatory   preparedness with help of foresight for example, instead of being confused by information flood and making wrong decisions. It is essential to identify the causal links and understand what is really going on, Smith stresses.

Smith’s work as Professor of Practice is linked to the university’s new Preparedness and Resilience Research Platform

Smith started as Professor of Practice in May and works in the School of Management at the University of Vaasa. Her work is particularly linked to the university’s new Preparedness and Resilience Research Platform. Launched at the beginning of the year, the multidisciplinary platform brings together researchers from different fields across the university, strengthening research especially in societal and economic resilience, comprehensive security, and preparedness. The aim is to increase understanding and produce research-based knowledge to support decision-making.

– I believe I can bring to the university an international perspective on how to look strategically ahead and how to challenge our own thinking so that we can prepare better. This is also the foundation for ensuring that society and its operations are truly resilient, Smith explains.

As Professor of Practice, Smith can contribute in many ways – for example, as an expert in research projects, as a supervisor for doctoral students, by conducting her own research, by supporting research funding applications, and possibly by writing blogs.

Expert in hybrid threats, Russia, and security policy

At the University of Vaasa, Professors of Practice are expected to hold a doctoral degree or to have exceptionally significant experience and expertise gained outside academia, such as in leadership positions in private or public sector organisations. Professorships of Practice are fixed-term positions and are filled by invitation.

Hanna Smith holds a Doctor of Social Sciences degree from the University of Helsinki, specialising ininternational relations, and a master’s degree from University College London. She has also studied Russian language, international relations, and Eastern European studies at the universities of Stockholm and Uppsala.

Smith is particularly known as an expert and sought-after commentator on hybrid threats, Russia, geopolitics, and international relations. Before her current role at the OSCE, she worked from 2017 to 2022 as Director of Research and Analysis at the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE), where she was involved in launching the centre’s activities. Prior to that, she worked at the University of Helsinki’s Aleksanteri Institute.

Image