International Affairs Team
Tasks of the team
Twinning and TAIEX cooperation and Institutional Cooperation Instrument (ICI)
Competence
Staff
Contact information
Tasks of the team
Finland has a good international reputation in social and health sector, and Finnish know-how is appreciated abroad. The goal of our team is to promote implementation of THL strategy, international cooperation and export of Finnish public sector know-how.
The expert and research work at THL is of high quality, and we actively strive to make the institute's expertise even better known. After all, THL's vision is to be the most impactful public health institute in the world.
We take part in THL’s international cooperation and act as an expert in international affairs. We also plan and implement health and social sector development programmes. So far, we’ve been involved in more than 250 projects and assignments in more than 55 countries.
In addition, one of our key tasks is to support the ministries in international cooperation in the field. We also coordinate and organize international visits to our institute.
Twinning and TAIEX cooperation and Institutional Cooperation Instrument (ICI)
THL is a mandated body for the implementation of EU twinning projects on behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health of Finland. Therefore, THL can contribute in its sector to the development of governance and legislation in countries supported by the EU.
This development work is being carried out through the European Commission's Twinning program and TAIEX cooperation. Twinning projects support the development of governance and legislation in countries covered by the EU's neighborhood and enlargement policies, as well as in EU’s international partnership countries. TAIEX, on the other hand, is an EU-funded short-term technical assistance program coordinated by the European Commission.
THL also works with the public sector in developing countries. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland funds this cooperation between central government bodies through the so-called Institutional Cooperation Instrument (ICI).
The International Affairs team serves as contact point and centre of excellence in implementing Twinning and TAIEX cooperation and ICI at THL.
Competence
The International Affairs Team has a long and extensive experience in health and social sector international cooperation. Its core competencies include for example
- global health and social policies, development policies and sustainable development
- participatory identification, planning, implementation, evaluation, leading and managing international development projects
- know-how on international financing mechanisms and financiers
- development of public administration
- country experience and cultural and linguistic skills, for instance several African countries, Asia and Russia.
Examples of previous and current projects and cooperation
- Georgia: Support in Implementation of Health Impact Assessment Practice in Georgia (EU Twinning project)
- Ukraine: Support to Ukraine for Developing a Modern Public Health System
- SHARP Joint Action: Joint Action on Strengthened International Health Regulations and Preparedness in the EU
- Barents Region: Support of the Working Group on Health and Related Social Issues of Barents Euro-Arctic Council (WGHS) and coordination of the Programme on HIV- and tuberculosis in the Barents Region
- Barents region: Strengthening cooperation in the support to well-being of children and youth in the Barents region (IBA project funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland)
- Coordination of the expert group of the Northern Dimension Partnership in Public Health and Social Wellbeing (HIV, tuberculosis and peripheral infections)
- Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia ja Lithuania: World’s smoothest cross-border mobility and daily life through digitalization (project of the Nordic Council of Ministers launched during the presidency of Finland)
- Zambia: Institutional Partnership Project between the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA), Zambia and THL – in collaboration with the ILO (SPIREWORK)
Staff
Paula Tanhuanpää | expertise
Head of International Affairs Team
Maarit Ala-Mononen
Coordinator for International Visits
Outi Karvonen | expertise
Development Manager
Minna Partanen | expertise
Development Manager
Juha Rumpunen | expertise
Development Manager
Raija Sillanpää | expertise
Project Coordinator
Minna Sinkkonen | expertise
Development Manager
Dmitry Titkov | expertise
Project Manager
Johanna Toivonen | expertise
Project Coordinator
Sirje Vaittinen | expertise
Project Coordinator
Contact information
Paula Tanhuanpää
Head of International Affairs Team
Tel. 029 524 8183
e-mail: [email protected]
Postal address:
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
International Affairs Team
PL 30
00271 Helsinki, Finland
international(at)thl.fi
