Research Council of Finland awards strategic funding for public mental health research
The Strategic Research Council (SRC), an independent body operating within the Research Council of Finland, has awarded a total of €24 million in funding for research exploring ongoing changes in the Arctic region and public mental health in Finnish society.
The funded consortia will undertake long-term interdisciplinary research to address societal challenges.
Researchers at Tampere University received funding for four projects under the MIND programme, which focuses on building and promoting good mental health in Finnish society. Funding was awarded to four consortia under the programme, including two coordinated by Tampere University.
The consortia represent 11 academic disciplines and involve 13 organisations. The second SRC programme funded in this call, the Changing Arctic Region (ARCTIC), examines the ongoing transformation of the Arctic region resulting from climate change, geopolitical tensions and economic interests.
New projects at Tampere University funded by the Strategic Research Council
Professor of Psychiatry Samuli Saarni leads the consortium Digital Technologies for Mental Health Improvement (DIGIMENT). DIGIMENT develops and evaluates digital solutions that support mental health, enable the early identification of support needs and improve access to effective care. The solutions will be co-created and tested in real-world settings in collaboration with service users, professionals and policy-makers. More information is available in the funding decision.
Professor of Psychology Kati Heinonen-Tuomaala participates in the consortium Planetary Mind: Environmental Agency as a Source of Mental Well-being (PlanetM). This project investigates how environmental agency, defined as the ability to make sustainable choices in everyday life, influences mental health across different age groups. The consortium is led by the University of Jyväskylä. More information is available in the funding decision.
Senior Research Fellow in Social and Health Policy Lauri Kokkinen leads the consortium Fractures in Happy Land: Tackling Social Mechanisms Behind Public Mental Health Challenges in Finland (HAPPY LAND). The project examines how social comparison, social contagion, social insecurity and social infrastructure shape public mental health. This is important to improve our understanding of rising mental health challenges in Finland, a country that has consistently ranked as the world’s happiest country. More information is available in the funding decision.
Professor of Gerontology Jenni Kulmala participates in the consortium Resilience in ageing: Identifying mechanisms and co-creating scalable solutions for better mental health (RES-AGE). The consortium is led by Åbo Akademi University. RES-AGE explores ways to strengthen resilience and promote good mental health throughout the ageing process. The project examines social, health-related, psychological and biological factors that support resilience, with particular attention to loneliness, stress and health in later life. More information is available in the funding decision.
