Faculty of Social Sciences and its research

Faculty of Social Sciences - Our Research (PDF, 349 KB)

The Faculty of Social Sciences was founded on the historic day of 9 May 1945, the day that marked the end of the Second World War in Europe.

The Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Helsinki is the largest research unit of social sciences in the country. The purpose of the research conducted at the Faculty is to reinforce the status of the University of Helsinki as a top European university in social sciences, with a special focus on high-quality research and postgraduate education.

The strengths of the research conducted at the Faculty are its multidisciplinary nature as well as the wide and diverse international networks of its researchers. The Faculty supports the participation of its researchers and teachers in international research projects and at scientific conferences, as this provides them with access to prestigious publication outlets. Particular attention is paid to fostering the international potential of young researchers. The Faculty strives to make itself increasingly attractive as a research environment for top researchers from around the world as well as for talented postgraduate students.

The research policy of the faculty emphasises multidisciplinary research projects which take advantage of the cooperation between the Faculty’s academic specialties and networking with national and international top research. It is especially important to enable the kind of research which promotes the examination of the motivations and effects of the policies of public and private decision-makers both in Finland and abroad, particularly from the perspective of welfare and justice.

The Faculty fosters new scientific initiatives in its departments and research groups by improving support and funding for research. Top research, new academic ideas and innovations often emerge in areas between individual disciplines. This is why it is important to encourage different disciplines, academic communities and research traditions to engage in constructive dialogue on concepts, methodologies and theories. The Faculty’s new department structure offers improved opportunities for such interaction.

The Faculty is committed to

• building multidisciplinary research networks
• supporting the international publication of scientific articles
• broadening the funding base for research
• improving support for research
• developing a supervision and feedback system for doctoral education
• strengthening joint postgraduate studies at the Faculty

The Faculty of Social Sciences is comprised of two major departments, the Department of Social Research and the Department of Political and Economic Studies.