Open Research Position: Shape Finland's Story on International Talent
Finland is at a turning point. International talent is essential to its industrial future — yet attitudes, policies, and everyday experiences still push skilled people away. This research project will produce the evidence that changes that conversation, at the level of companies, policymakers, and the public.
THE CONTEXT
Our Attitude Change Collective and the Immigration is National Interest campaign have already shifted the needle — engaging business leaders, media, and politicians in the conversation about why welcoming international talent is a strategic imperative for Finland.
Now we're going further. Funded by TT-Säätiö, we're commissioning a rigorous, nationally representative research study that will become the empirical backbone of Finland's debate on international talent retention — and generate concrete, actionable recommendations for industry and government.
WHAT YOU'LL RESEARCH
Drawing on guidance from researchers active in this field, the study should address four under-explored dimensions of international talent experience in Finland:
- Family integration: Spouses, children, and the whole household
- Workplace culture: Diversity management and inclusion in organisations
- Social integration: Leisure, hobbies, and neighbourhood connections
- Diaspora communities: The role of country-of-origin networks
You'll design and run a nationwide survey targeting international talent across different sectors and regions, segmented by time in Finland, career level, family status, and background.
Depending on your methodology, you could complement this with focus groups, thematic interviews, and statistical analysis, producing a report with clear policy and business recommendations.
PROJECT TASKS- Research design & target group definition: Finalise segmentation, design survey instrument, confirm distribution channels
- Nationwide survey fieldwork: Deploy survey through unions, employer networks, social media, and corporate partners
- Qualitative deep-dives: Organise focus groups with employees and specialists, based on regional and sectoral breakdowns
- Analysis & report writing: Statistical analysis, qualitative synthesis, report writing with recommendations
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
You're a master's student with sharp analytical instincts, genuine curiosity about society, and the drive to make research matter beyond academia.- ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
- RESEARCH SKILLS
- COMMUNICATION
- MINDSET
- INTEREST IN THE TOPIC
- BONUS
Personal or professional experience with international communities in Finland.
WHAT WE OFFER- A fully funded thesis project with real-world scope, data, and reach — not a desk exercise
- €6,500 compensation for the full project, funded by TT-Säätiö
- Direct access to extensive network: international talent communities, corporates, NGOs, media, and policymakers
- Your research disseminated to parliament, the business community, and national media — with your name on it
- Co-authorship of a report freely available and actively promoted through a national campaign
- A front-row seat at the panel discussion and press launch — presenting findings alongside decision-makers
WHY THIS MATTERS
Finland needs tens of thousands of new workers per year to sustain its economy. International talent is not optional — it is structural. Yet Finnish workplaces, housing markets, and social environments still too often signal: you don't fully belong here.
This research won't just document that problem. It will quantify it, segment it, and — most importantly — translate it into solutions that companies and policymakers can actually act on. The findings will feed directly into the ongoing Immigration is National Interest campaign and beyond.
APPLICATION
Send us a short note telling us why you're the right researcher for this project along with your academic CV. Applications open 13 May and close 31 May 2026 — but we begin conversations on a rolling basis, so earlier is better.