About CEMAT

Our academic and applied research go hand in hand. We report our research for companies and other stakeholders regularly in seminars, roundtable events and theme reports.  In academic publishing, we aim to correspond to top-level international publications. Our research is funded both by national organizations (Academy of Finland, Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation TEKES, foundations and ministries) and by international programs (as part of larger EU research projects).

Networks

CEMAT is the lead coordinator of the Northern Dimension Institute, which is an open university network currently comprising roughly 30 member universities and research institutes. Northern Dimension Institute (NDI) is an academic partner in the Northern Dimension structures. It was established in 2009.

NDI builds a bridge between the academia, public sector and business actors. In this role, NDI aims to ensure that the decision-makers have the necessary information and fulfils the information gaps when needed. To reach this aim, NDI generates information as well as disseminates and promotes information and expertise related to the Northern Dimension among the decision-makers and the civil society. NDI pools expertise primarily in the four priority sectors of the Northern Dimension Policy (i.e. transport and logistics, culture, public health and social well-being, and environment) as well as business and economy. NDI utilizes various concrete tools and activities to fulfil its role as a bridge-builder.

The NDI is coordinated in Finnish-Russian cooperation by Aalto University/CEMAT (Finland) as the lead coordinator, assisted by the Northern (Arctic) Federal University (Russia) and St Petersburg State University of Economics (Russia).

CEMAT also works closely with business associations and industry organizations (Confederation of Finnish Industries EK, Finpro, chambers of commerce), as well as research institutes and universities in Finland and target areas. Our partners in Russia include the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Northern (Arctic) Federal University, St. Petersburg State University of Economics. Our partners in China include the Fudan University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. We work actively in the councils of Nordic research networks on Asia (including the Nordic NIAS Council and the Nordic Centre at the Fudan University).

In the Aalto University, our network has also expanded to cover target areas’ leading universities in the technical and artistic fields (such as the National Research University, St. Petersburg State University of Information Technologies, Mechanics and Optics; and the St. Petersburg State University of Film and Television).

Societal influence

CEMAT researchers are active in forums for social influence, such as in the working groups of Finnish parliament committees and the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK). CEMAT is in charge of the chairmanship of the Working Group for Social Sciences under the Finnish-Russian Commission for Scientific and Technological Cooperation. We have also been founding members in establishing nationwide university networks and doctoral and master's level schools in Russian and Asian studies, and we are active in their management boards.