The admission results (application round from 1 Dec 2023 to 3 Jan 2024) have been sent to the applicants to the e-mail address given on their application form. The results can also be found in the My Studyinfo -service.
Dear new students,
It is an immense pleasure to wish you all welcome in the Master's Programme in Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European Studies coordinated by the Aleksanteri Institute. You are the seventh batch of scholars to join our young programme, and while we were excited to launch the programme in 2018, the experience has shown that it only gets better year to year! The first MARS students graduated in spring 2020.
We have now implemented our wider focus for a year and collected important experience and feedback from our students. Our students have had a key role in helping us develop the programme which is a continuous process. We keep an eye out for the changes in the global environment and reform the contents of our courses and the selection of our study methods accordingly. We want our graduates to be equipped with a strong and relevant up-to-date skill set as they launch into their future careers, be it in international organisations such as the UN, in business life or in Academia.
As a relatively small programme, we are able to provide individual support, active tutoring and face-to-face conversation about your needs and aims. I sincerely encourage you to take advantage of this. Let's make the coming two years an inspiring and meaningful experience for us all!
Due to the war in Ukraine, scholarly information is more important than ever. Our researchers follow the war, investigate its implications and search for reasons behind these developments. You can learn about the newest findings both in lectures and by following our researchers’ academic publishing, social media channels and media coverage.
In spite of the extraordinary times, I hope you are able to feel excited about your future studies and that I can welcome you to our campuses in August!
Sari Autio-Sarasmo
Director of the Master's Programme in Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European Studies, University of Helsinki
As a MAREEES student, you are automatically part of the Aleksanteri Institute's research community as well. We are one of the largest academic centres in Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies, and a home of dozens of international researchers from a wide range of disciplines.
In addition to the multidisciplinary approach, our special strength lies in the close connection of research and teaching. The courses offered in MAREEES are taught by genuine experts in their fields and are based on the latest research findings. Your teacher is not just your teacher — they might also be the keynote speaker in a major conference or the specialist you see in the evening news. Oftentimes, students have opportunities to collaborate with research groups at the institute through projects or traineeships. By taking initiative and being proactive with the research projects aligned with your interests, you may have the chance to engage in real research work.
During the academic year, researchers organize many seminars, open lectures, and book publishing events. They also host receptions for international diplomats, journalists, and visiting scholars. You are warmly welcome to participate in all Aleksanteri Institute's events!
The programme also collaborates closely with our PhD networks such as the Doctoral Programme in Political, Societal and Regional Changes (PSRC). You'll have many chances of meeting up with the doctoral students and learning from their experiences.
A good way of getting to know our people and their research is to attend some of the dozens of seminars and other events organised annually by the Aleksanteri Institute either online or on-site. Keep an eye on what's going on by checking the Aleksanteri website or by following us on Facebook & X.
You are always warmly welcome to participate, and your questions and insights are greatly valued.
The academic world is built of networks: from scholars collaborating in individual research projects, to institutions committing to long-term joint structures. Mostly it's something in between.
Networks and networking make up the core of the Aleksanteri Institute as well. While studying in MAREEES, you will have a great opportunity to get to know them and make use of them in planning your future career. Be active and ask your supervisor or tutor to introduce you to the people and groups you find interesting.
The international networks are often informal or they might be hard to find. Once a year, however, they materialise over a three day conference. The Annual Aleksanteri Conference in late October is an event that brings hundreds of scholars of Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies to Helsinki to discuss their research in panels and roundtables. In 2024, the theme of the conference is Resisting Authoritarianism in Eurasia: Civil Society and New Solidarities.
In the conference, there are plenty of opportunities to get to know people and their work at the conference over a cup of coffee, glass of wine and some snacks. As a MAREEES student, you are warmly welcome to attend those socialising events.
To participate in an academic conference, you normally go through a process of submitting a proposal and an abstract of your work to the conference organisers who carefully select the best proposals to be invited to present at the event. However, as a MAREEES student, you can cut the line and present your work at the conference poster session as part of your MA thesis process. The poster sessions have proved to be a success, where the students get feedback and tips from senior scholars. You will get content to your CV and memorable experience.
There are many student organisations at the University of Helsinki, that are worth checking, but our very own Sasha is our favourite, of course. They are a multilingual bunch that organises parties, discussion events and unique excursions.
MAREEES is not the only study programme coordinated by the Aleksanteri Institute. Getting to know fellow students from other study programmes can really help you get the most out of your time in Helsinki!
Would you like to know what your predecessors think about the programme?
Chat with our Students:
The teaching officially starts on 2 September 2024, but you should participate in the orientation activities for the new students already before classes begin (Orientation week 27 - 30 August). These are arranged both by the Student Services of the University of Helsinki and by the MAREEES programme.
You will be assigned to a tutor group led by a senior student, or student tutor, and learn more about studying in our programme. During the orientation, you'll also get support with administrative matters and get to visit the university campuses and facilities. This will make it easier for you to start your studies and find your place in Helsinki.
The detailed information and schedule concerning your orientation and tutoring will be published in the Instructions for students in the summer. Make sure the MAREEES programme is selected on the dropdown menu to access the correct information.
The international students in the Master's Programme in Russian, Eurasian, and Eastern European Studiess (MAREEES) can apply to the UNITalent Programme. It is designed to support international students in building professional networks in Finland and to gain insight into field specific working life. Students take part by attending monthly group meetings with hosting organisation for a period of three months. During the programme, the University Career Services also provides training in career management skills.
If you have questions related to the admissions and accepting your study place, please contact the Admission Services.
If you have questions about the content of the MAREEES programme, please contact Director of the Programme Sari Autio-Sarasmo.