University of Oulu receives 13.3 million euros for research profiling – topics include security, health, and biodiversity
The Research Council's profiling funding was granted for the eighth time, and eight universities received funding. The funding received by the University of Oulu was the third largest after the University of Helsinki and Aalto University.
The funded themes at the University of Oulu are:
SafeEarth – Natural and Humanmade Risks and Societies’ Responses integrates the University of Oulu’s specialised research areas in space security, cybersecurity, and human security into a comprehensive and relevant security theme amid ongoing global geopolitical tensions. This theme is led by Eija Tanskanen, Director of the Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory.
Safire – Safeguarding Biodiversity through Interdisciplinary Research on Habitat Restoration aims to enhance the effectiveness of habitat restoration for biodiversity and climate change mitigation efforts, particularly in Arctic environments and communities. It leverages the University of Oulu’s expertise in ecological and social science environmental research, incorporating innovative statistical models, citizen science and digital twins. Stefan Prost, Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) of Ecology and Genetics, leads this theme.
Health-Dimensions – Multidimensional Big Data and Life-Course Health: From Molecules to Society investigates the underlying causes of diseases and multimorbidity throughout life using extensive health-related data facilitated by the University of Oulu’s significant infrastructural assets. This theme is co-led by Eero Kajantie, Professor of Lifecourse Medicine, and Sylvain Sebert, Professor of Lifecourse Epidemiology.
The applications were assessed by an international panel, which also interviewed the applicants.
The themes have many connections to the University of Oulu's previous top research themes. For example, Safire further strengthens the capacities built in the university's Biodiverse Anthropocenes and Resilience themes as well as in the Digital Waters flagship. The research on nature restoration now combines not only ecology and social sciences and the humanities but also a technological perspective. Health-Dimensions, on the other hand, collaborates with previous themes such as Fibrobesity and Digital Health.
The most clearly new initiative is SafeEarth. "The theme's approach is globally exceptional as it combines cybersecurity, space research, and human security. The research program collaborates with organizations such as NATO, NASA, the Finnish Meteorological Institute, and the National Defence University in Finland," says Taina Pihlajaniemi, Vice Rector for Research at the University of Oulu.
The themes that received funding will be allocated matching funds from the University of Oulu, as has been done in previous profiling fundings. With the matching funds, the total amounts to approximately 18.6 million euros.
The profiling funding granted by the Research Council of Finland aims to strengthen universities' research capabilities and support and accelerate the profiling of universities in accordance with their strategies.
Research Council of Finland press release 10 Jan 2025: Research Council of Finland decides on profiling funding for Finnish universities