New research project maps the vital functions of Finnish society

The project, running until June 2026, focuses on updating and strengthening the understanding of the functions in society that are essential for it to operate – even under challenging conditions such as geopolitical conflicts, climate crises, and cyber threats.

“Current security strategies and operational models are based on definitions of societal critical functions that are over 20 years old. Society has changed significantly during this time. Digitalisation, energy issues, and multifaceted security threats influence how we must think about national security and resilience,” says Christian Fjäder, professor of practice at Hanken.

Together with researchers at VTT, Fjäder will analyse future trends and develop new models for leading and coordinating societal security in a more systematic and proactive way.

“In addition to various threats, other societal changes – such as an ageing population, urbanisation, and migration – also affect how our services function and how well society can cope with crises. This means we need to rethink what is important to protect and how we go about it,” Fjäder explains.

The project is funded by the Finnish Government’s VN Tutkiva research programme, with Hanken’s share amounting to approximately €100,000.