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Public Policy and Governance
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About the research group
Who We Are: The Public Policy and Governance (PPG) research group brings together over 60 researchers to advance cutting-edge theoretical and empirical research in the field of Administrative Sciences. The versatile expertise of our group members combines managerial, regulatory, and spatial aspects of public policy and governance in a unique setting. Our mission is to provide research-based insights and tools that support public institutions, managers, leaders and policymakers in navigating complex challenges and fostering effective public administration through anticipatory governance.
Our Research Themes: We focus on three interconnected areas that reflect our diverse expertise:
- Governance of Complex Systems: Investigating how public institutions respond to uncertainties, societal problems and operate within multi-level governance through legal and regulatory frameworks and democratic processes.
- Public Sector Transformation: Exploring how public management reforms, innovations, digitalization and organizational and regional changes contribute to sustainable development and enhance adaptive capacities in the public sector.
- Policies and Practices for Public Value: Examining how policies are designed, implemented, and evaluated to meet citizen needs and foster resilience, well-being and long-term societal impact.
These areas build on the research topics of our researchers in the fields of public management, public law, regional studies, and social and health management.
Our Impact: We advance leading governance research in close collaboration with our academic and societal stakeholders locally, nationally and internationally. We actively publish in high-quality journals and regularly contribute to our key academic communities such as the IRSPM, EGPA and Eu-SPRI, as well as editorial boards including Public Management Review.
We are deeply committed to creating societal impact through our research projects that drive innovative and sustainable societal transformation. Together with our collaborators such as the City of Vaasa, the Wellbeing Services County of Ostrobothnia, Finnish ministries and the European Commission, we co-create knowledge that informs policy and practice.
Research-based Education: We maintain a strong research-teaching nexus, contributing to Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral programs in Administrative Sciences. Our research group supports the career development of future scholars and practitioners, producing 4–6 new PhDs annually.
Latest updates
Research projects
| Project | Duration | Actors |
|---|---|---|
| Be a Sport! Enhancing Systems Change of the Finnish Sport Policy (BESS) | - | Public policy and governance |
| NATUREACH – Nature Reachable for all | - | InnoLab, Digital Economy, Public policy and governance, Marketing and Communication |
| MISS – Practising mission-oriented innovation policy | - | SC-Research, Technology and Innovations, InnoLab, Public policy and governance, Management |
| Tiedon jalostamisen maantieteet laajennetuissa ajoissa ja tiloissa (BETH) | - | Public policy and governance, Digital Economy, Management |
| VATACO - Governing Transition to a Circular City: Engaging public and private stakeholders in the circular economy | - | Digital Economy, Public policy and governance, Management, Resilience |
| Safeguarding Welfare in Times of Pandemics: Towards Collaborative Governance of Syndemics (WELGO) | - | Public policy and governance, Complexity research, Management, Resilience |
| A Roadmap OUT of mEdical deserts into supportive Health WorkForce initiatives and policies (ROUTE-HWF) | - | InnoLab, Public policy and governance |
| GRETA— Green Transformation! A Policy tool for Regional Smart Specialisation in the Baltic Sea Area | - | Public policy and governance, Management, Resilience |
| Palvelujen pirunpolskasta nuorten nuotteihin | - | Public policy and governance, Complexity research, Management |
| Information Resilience in a Wicked Environment (IRWIN) | - | Auditing and control in accounting, Public policy and governance, Complexity research, Accounting and Finance, Management, Resilience |
Publications
Research group leaders
Research group members
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Helka Kalliomäki
Professor
School of Management / Regional Studies
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Antti Mäenpää
Assistant Professor (tenure track)
School of Management / Regional Studies
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Ilkka Luoto
University Lecturer
School of Management / Regional Studies
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Christoph Demmke
Professor
School of Management / Public Management
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Esa Hyyryläinen
Professor
School of Management / Public Management
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Lotta-Maria Sinervo
Associate Professor (tenure track)
School of Management / Public Management
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Sorin Dan
Associate Professor (tenure track)
School of Management / Public Management
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Paula Rossi
Assistant Professor (tenure track)
School of Management / Public Management
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Kirsi Lehto
University Lecturer
School of Management / Public Management
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Niina Mäntylä
Professor
School of Management / Public Law
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Oyetade Oyewunmi
Associate Professor (tenure track)
School of Management / Public Law
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Jyri Paasonen
Associate Professor (tenure track)
School of Management / Public Law
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Laura Perttola
University Lecturer
School of Management / Public Law
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Kristian Siikavirta
University Lecturer
School of Management / Public Law
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Harri Jalonen
Professor
School of Management / Social and Health Management
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Anna Kork
Associate Professor (tenure track)
School of Management / Social and Health Management
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Juha Lindell
University Lecturer
School of Management / Social and Health Management
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Harri Raisio
University Lecturer
School of Management / Social and Health Management
Doctoral Researchers
- Anne Koski (anne.koski@student.uwasa.fi)
- Vanesa Numanovic (vanesa.numanovic@student.uwasa.fi)
- Elina Palovuori (elina.palovuori@student.uwasa.fi)
- Talvikki Ranta-Ylitalo (talvikki.ranta-ylitalo@student.uwasa.fi)
- Ville Karjalainen (ville.karjalainen@student.uwasa.fi)
- Evy Saputri (evy.saputri@student.uwasa.fi)
- Taina Schneider (taina.schneider@student.uwasa.fi)
- Anton Sigfrids (anton.sigfrids@student.uwasa.fi)
- Terhi Simonen-Jokinen (terhi.simonen-jokinen@student.uwasa.fi)
- Hanna Sykkö (hanna.sykko@student.uwasa.fi)
- Sonja Vieristö (sonja.vieristo@student.uwasa.fi)
- Ejike Okonkwo (ejike.okonkwo@student.uwasa.fi)
