The Finland-Washington Research Exchange project (FinWA) fosters collaboration between researchers in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, the Department of Scandinavian Studies and Finnish institutions of higher education to cultivate foundational collaboration in international studies and the social sciences.

High-level collaboration begins and continues through face-to-face intellectual exchange. To support such exchange, FinWA supports faculty grants for visits by Finnish scholars to the University of Washington and for UW scholars to travel to Finland. Shared areas of interest may include human security studies, climate change and international relations, Arctic studies, race, gender, sexuality and the welfare state, trans-indigenous studies, and security studies. Visitors will present research, engage in discussion with counterparts, and may plan future collaboration.

The rationale for this strategic exchange is a 2022 Memorandum of Understanding signed by Finland and Washington State. A successful, sustainable relationship requires growing mutual understanding. FinWA contributes to such understanding through foundational intellectual work. Institutes of higher education produce knowledge that identifies commonalities, spotlights differences, and creates avenues of convergence.

 

Andrew Nestingen

Chair of the UW Department of Scandinavian Studies