Public Policy and Governance

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About the research group

The contemporary challenges faced by governments are characterised by complexity and uncertainty. Yet it is imperative for governments to carefully evaluate a range of potential scenarios and promptly respond to them in an effective way. The public sector must proactively anticipate future developments, and consistently find, evaluate, and adopt innovative solutions to capitalise on forthcoming prospects, all while mitigating risks by enhancing the resilience of their public systems.

The research group on Public Policy and Governance (PPG) advances theoretical and empirical cutting-edge research in administrative sciences. We provide innovative perspectives and develop tools for leaders, managers, and decision-makers to enhance policy-making and governance in complex environments.

The versatile expertise of our group members combines managerial, regulatory, and spatial aspects of public policy and governance in our three focus areas:

  • Governance of complex systems
  • Public sector reforms and innovations
  • Co-creation of knowledge and societal value

Research in these interdisciplinary areas draws from the expertise of our discipline-based teams in public management, public law, regional studies and social and health management.

The focus areas are visible in internationally ambitious research initiatives, strong national brand in complexity research, and active high-quality publishing and versatile externally funded project portfolio.

We pursue strong research-based societal impact by working actively with our key stakeholders sharing our core values for innovative and sustainable public sector renewal, both in academia and in partner organisations locally, nationally and globally. 

Connected to continuous stakeholder interaction, we maintain active research-teaching nexus, through which we contribute to our education programmes (Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral programmes) in Administrative Sciences. The research group produces 4–6 new PhDs annually. 

Latest updates

Research projects

Publications

Publication year Publication Authors
2025 Citizen agency in value co-creation processes – a literature review Kurkela, Kaisa; Maijala, Salla; Tuurnas, Sanna; Jalonen, Harri
2025 Resilience Through Collaboration? Emerging Tensions and Paradoxes in Crisis Management Autioniemi, Jari; Jalonen, Harri
2025 Studying the moments of encounter and (im)mobilities in artists’ creative processes Wingström, Roosa; Hautala, Johanna; Huopalainen, Astrid
2025 Developing the Innovation Capabilities of SMEs: The Role of Intermediary Firms in Knowledge Ecosystems Shahzad, Khuram; Hafeez, Shahid; Heimo, Teppo; Mäenpää, Antti; Mubarak, Muhammad Faraz; Evans, Richard
2025 Beyond Simplification in Public Sector Accountability: Contradictions Between Principal‐Agent and Complexity Theories Rajala, Tomi; Jalonen, Harri
2025 Hyvinvoinnin solmukohdat: miten edistää nuorten hyvinvointia ja kestävää työelämää [Politiikkasuositus] Rossi, Paula; Husso, Kyösti; Toikkanen, Jaana
2025 Werte im öffentlichen Dienst und Integrität Demmke, Christoph
2025 Navigating digital encounters: insights from frontline professionals on public service delivery Kirjavainen, Hanna; Jalonen, Harri
2025 Searching for Nordic features: institutional logics of participatory budgeting in local government Sinervo, Lotta-Maria; Kurkela, Kaisa; Lehtonen, Pauliina
2025 What about us? Functional integration of local government services as part of social and health care reform in Finland Nordin, Patrik; Johanson, Jan-Erik

Research group leaders

Research group members

Regional Studies

Public Management

Public Law

Social and Health Management

Miia Toikka

Doctoral Researcher
University of Vaasa > School of Management > Social and Health Management
Sähköposti
miia.toikka [at] uwasa.fi
Puhelin
Kuva
Petri Uusikylä

Petri Uusikylä

Research Director
University of Vaasa > School of Management > Social and Health Management
Sähköposti
petri.uusikyla [at] uwasa.fi
Kuva
Pirkko Vartiainen

Pirkko Vartiainen

Professori Emerita
University of Vaasa > School of Management > Social and Health Management
Sähköposti
pirkko.vartiainen [at] uwasa.fi
Puhelin

Doctoral students

Blogs by researchers and research projects