State Secretary Risto Artjoki receives Strategic Research Council’s proposal on research themes for 2026
The Strategic Research Council (SRC) has decided the strategic research themes it proposes to the Finnish Government for 2026. Mikael Fogelholm, Chair of the SRC, submitted the proposal to State Secretary Risto Artjoki on 18 June 2025 at the Government Palace.
The Strategic Research Council (SRC) proposes that the Finnish Government adopt two themes for the six-year strategic research programmes to be launched in 2026:
- The changing Arctic region
- Public mental health.
The proposed cross-cutting priority for the themes is Finland as a global pioneer.
State Secretary Risto Artjoki praised the openness of the theme preparations and the close interaction with knowledge users during the process.
“The themes presented are good and timely. Strategic research provides a good knowledge base to support policymaking, in addition to other science advice,” Artjoki said.
According to Professor Mikael Fogelholm, who began his term as SRC chair at the beginning of the year, the proposal contains two significant and different themes.
“Both themes offer researchers the freedom to assess what research would be important to solve these societal challenges,” Fogelholm said.
Proposal focuses on changes in the Arctic and promotion of mental health
Research under the first theme will examine the ongoing, multi-layered changes in the Arctic region that result from climate change, geopolitical tensions and economic interests. From Finland’s perspective, it is essential to understand how these fundamental changes will affect the people, livelihoods, nature and security of the region.
Research under the second theme will focus on building and promoting good mental health in Finnish society. The aim is to develop a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary understanding of the cause-and-effect relationships in mental health, particularly from the perspective of improved wellbeing. The theme seeks innovative solutions in which Finland can take a pioneering role in promoting good mental health.
Finland can be a pioneer in research-based solutions
The SRC proposes ‘Finland as a global pioneer’ as a cross-cutting priority for the two programmes launching in 2026. It is essential that the research aims to find new, scalable solutions and practices that contribute to building internationally influential expertise, skills and competence.
Strategic research focuses on complex societal challenges
Strategic research contributes to reforming and developing Finnish society in the long term, and supports evidence-informed decision-making in line with society’s changing information needs. Solving complex societal challenges requires collaboration. A key feature of strategic research is close interaction between researchers, policymakers and other societal actors. The Strategic Research Council is an independent body established within the Research Council of Finland.
Each strategic research programme focuses on a specific theme. In preparing the theme proposal to be submitted annually to the Finnish Government, the SRC identifies societal challenges that are important for Finland's future and that require new research data produced across disciplinary boundaries.
From proposal to decision and funding calls
The Government will discuss the SRC’s theme proposal and decide the final theme, after which the SRC will be responsible for launching the research programmes and opening the funding calls. The calls will open in autumn. It is then up to researchers to assess together with knowledge users how best to respond to the challenge presented by the theme by means of multidisciplinary research, and to create new solutions tailored to Finnish society.
More information:
Theme proposal: Strategic Research Council, Mikael Fogelholm, Chair, tel. +358 50 318 0302, firstname.lastname(at)helsinki.fi; Research Council of Finland, Pilvi Toppinen, Secretary General, Strategic Research Council, tel. +358 295 335 064, firstname.lastname(at)aka.fi
Government decision preparations: Prime Minister’s Office, Sari Löytökorpi, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 295 160 187, firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi