The Research Council of Finland has awarded 2.5 million euros in funding for Alexander Diener’s professorship and the establishment of a new research group.
The University of Eastern Finland is strengthening its border studies through a significant international appointment: Alexander Diener, currently Professor of Geography at the University of Kansas, will take up a permanent professorship at the University of Eastern Finland in May 2026. He will establish his own border studies research group at the Karelian Institute.
The Research Council of Finland (RCF) has granted 2.5 million euros in PROFI9 funding to support the establishment of Diener’s professorship and research group at the University of Eastern Finland. The RCF has allocated a total of 27.5 million euros for the recruitment of top-level researchers from outside Finland.
At the University of Eastern Finland, Diener’s appointment will strengthen international networks within border studies as well as the university’s profile area dedicated to Borders, Mobilities and Cultural Encounters. The professorship will focus on key factors affecting the status and significance of borders, such as migration, security, geopolitical developments and the resulting regional changes.
“I have followed the work of scholars at the Karelian Institute for years and am delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to the intellectual community thriving at the University of Eastern Finland. I look forward to working within a community of scholars that share interests, diverse perspectives, and unique skill sets that will enable cultivation of new knowledge and understanding of borders for the betterment of the world,” says Professor Diener.
Professor Diener will lead research across geography, international relations and cultural studies, exploring how borders affect people and societies. The professorship is also expected to contribute to societal impact, particularly in policy preparation concerning the EU’s neighbourhood relations and the political and administrative challenges posed by borders.
Specialised expertise in Russian and East European studies
Alexander Diener specialises in Russian, East European, Eurasian and East Asian studies, as well as in migration and environmental issues.
Throughout his career, Diener has worked at the nexus of political, social, economic and cultural geography, engaging topics such as place attachment, geopolitics and borders, identity and migration, citizenship and mobility.
“I characterise myself as a broadly trained human geographer with theoretical interests spanning the social sciences and humanities. At its core, my work explores the relationship between identity and place as foundational to the human condition,” Diener writes on his website, describing his research interests.
Addressing pressing geopolitical issues
Through Diener’s appointment, the University of Eastern Finland aims to strengthen its role as a driver of innovative research initiatives and as a source of new perspectives into border studies. Border-related phenomena are becoming increasingly complex due to factors such as geopolitical tensions, climate change, technological developments, and global mobility.
“This recruitment strengthens our ability to produce solutions to global instability. Multidisciplinary research into borders creates solutions to global processes such as migration and security-related challenges,” Vice Rector Jussi Pihlajamäki notes.
Diener will also bring new expertise in East Asian studies, enhancing the University of Eastern Finland’s expertise in, and understanding of, global geopolitics, including the evolving role of the United States and its relations with Europe, security frameworks and transregional interdependencies.
For further information, please contact:
Vice Rector Jussi Pihlajamäki, University of Eastern Finland, [email protected], +358 50 344 0187
Professor Jussi P. Laine, Karelian Institute, University of Eastern Finland, [email protected], +358 50 433 8252
