The Finland-Institut was founded by the Foundation for the Finnland-Institut and opened in 1994. The Foundation's Board is the Institute's operational and institutional link to Finland. The members of the Foundation's Board of Trustees serve in an advisory capacity to the Finnland-Institut, as does the Advisory Board, which consists of representatives from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Foundation for the Finnland-Institut
The purpose of the Foundation for the Finnland-Institut, located in Helsinki, is to foster and promote cultural, academic and economic relations between Finland and the German-speaking countries. To achieve this objective, the Foundation maintains the Finnland-Institut, secures the finances required for its activities, and expands the cooperation network.
Strategy 2023–2026 (in German)
Eija Salmi studied art history and German philology at the University of Helsinki before starting employment at the Kone Corporation, where she worked for several years. In 1990, she took over as head of the Department for International Affairs at what is known today as Aalto University in Helsinki, School of Art and Design. She currently serves as Secretary-General of the Cumulus International Association of Universities and Colleges in Art, Design and Media.
Kimmo Grönlund works as a professor of political science at the Swedish-speaking university Åbo Akademi in Turku. His research interests include deliberative democracy, democratic innovations, citizens' council democracy, public opinion and electoral research.
Board Members
Eva Biaudet, Dr. Jan Feller, Tanja Huutonen, Marjo Mäenpää
Authorised Representative of the Foundation
Aino Haanrinne
asiamies@finstitut.de, Tel. +358 40 822 8485
Advisory Board of the Finnland-Institut
The Advisory Board serves in an advisory capacity to the Finnland-Institut. Members represent academia as well as the cultural and economic sectors of Finland.
Birgit Jank completed her doctorate and post-doctoral habilitation in music education at the Humboldt Universität Berlin. In addition, she completed her vocal studies at the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin. She has held professorships at the University of Potsdam, Berlin University of the Arts, Universität Hamburg and at the Alice-Salomon-Hochschule Berlin in education, social work and music education. The co-founder and shareholder of the Clara Hoffbauer Hochschule Potsdam, which combines the fields of social work with areas of aesthetics in dual study programmes, is also vice president of the Landesmusikrat Brandenburg (Brandenburg State Music Council).
Klaus von Lepel studied law, politics, history and Finno-Ugrik studies in Göttingen, Helsinki, Freiburg and London; he later became a solicitor. He worked for the government of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg until 2001 and in 2007, joined the Hamburg Behörde für Wissenschaft und Forschung. Klaus von Lepel is also active in the Baltic Science Network, one of the leading science policy networks in the Baltic Sea region. He is also involved in the Forum Northern European Politics (FOR:N), the Finnish-German Trade Guild Hamburg (FDHG) and the Innovation Centre Hamburg-Bahrenfeld.
Advisory Board Members
Karl-Friedrich von Knorre, Mari Koskela, Timo Miettinen, Dr. Christine Nippe, Prof. Dr. Marko Pantermöller, Sebastian Pflum, Dr. Angela Plöger, Marianne Sinemus-Ammermann, Carmen Steimann Sager, Prof. Dr. Ralph Tuchtenhagen, Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Weise, Dr. Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung
Board of Trustees for the Finnland-Institut
The function of the Board of Trustees is to advise the Finnland-Institut. Members represent academia as well as the cultural and economic sectors of Finland.
Esa Hämäläinen is the Head of Administration, member of the group management and the Head Secretary of the Board at the University of Helsinki. He has previously worked as the Head of Administration at the Theatre Academy, Head of Unit at the University of Helsinki and as an expert at the School of Arts (now Aalto-University).
Board of Trustees Members
Ilkka Ahtiainen, Pia Bärlund, Anna Baijars, Alexander Bargum, Frank Brümmel, Joachim Bussian, Kimmo Elo, Annette Forsén, Seppo Haario, Hanna-Leena Hemming, Kari Hietanen, Pirjo Hirvonen, Tiina Kinnunen, Erkki Korhonen, Christian Krötzl, Asko Lehmuskallio, Markus Lehtinen, Luise Liefländer-Leskinen, Salla Luomanmäki, Heikki Masalin, Arja Miller, Tiina Rajamäki, Lea Ryynänen-Karjalainen, Katariina Siltavuori, Samuel Wolf Sorainen, Tiia Strandén, Annika Tudeer, Liisa Tiittula