United States – Washington, D.C.
The Team Finland Knowledge specialist in Washington, D.C. follows US science and higher education policy, builds connections that serve the Finnish research community and acts as a link between research administrations and science funders. The United States is a science superpower and Finland's most important research partner in many fields. Both researcher mobility and exchange programmes have a long tradition dating back to the Fulbright exchanges launched in 1949.
Before taking up his post as Team Finland Knowledge specialist, Petri Koikkalainen was Professor of Political Science at the University of Lapland. He has held positions in national and international academic organisations and served as chair of the Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers. Koikkalainen has been a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley and at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence.
petri.koikkalainen(a)gov.fi
+1 (202) 428 5599
Petri Koikkalainen on LinkedIn
Website of the Embassy in Washington
A global leader in science and research
The Team Finland Knowledge specialist in Washington works to deepen the strong and long-standing cooperation between Finland and the United States in research and higher education. The United States is a superpower of science and a global leader in research, innovation and capital markets. Finnish researches' links with US institutions have significantly raised the international level and impact of Finnish science.
Finland and the United States have an intergovernmental science and technology agreement that enables bilateral and multilateral co-funded research programmes. The Research Council of Finland and Business Finland have extensive experience in managing these programmes effectively. The United States is consistently one of the most popular destinations for researcher and student exchanges, and Finland attracts strong interest in the United States. The Fulbright Finland Foundation alone has enabled the mobility of more than 6,300 scholarship students between the two countries.
US universities, public research institutes and federal research agencies, including the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health, provide research environments that are unique in their standards and resources. Working with them can help move research forward more quickly, bring results to market and turn them into practical solutions. As research driving new technologies advances rapidly, staying at the forefront requires close international cooperation.
There are high-quality universities and research institutes in many US states, with research staff and student communities from around the world. The scale, resources and infrastructure of US science enable effective and productive research, from which Finland could benefit even more. The Embassy of Finland in Washington and the Team Finland Knowledge specialist work actively with individual states, advancing basic research and also helping to bring research outcomes to market.
Stronger cooperation built on mutual benefit
Finland and the Finnish system of education, training and research enjoy a good reputation in the United States, and Finnish partners are held in high regard. Finland has strong and sometimes unique expertise across many fields of basic and applied research. This expertise can help international research consortia reach their scientific goals more quickly, more cost-effectively or with lower risk.
Finland's leading research areas and Centres of Excellence generally align well with United States research policy priorities. Finland's northern location, distinct language and culture and Nordic social model also attract interest. US researchers and universities are currently actively seeking new collaboration opportunities and partnerships.