Psychology: SWOT analysis

Strengths

High-level research
International research
Quantitative productivity
Multidisciplinarity important in research projects (e.g. cognitive neuroscience, school and
learning research, collaboration with medicine)
A number of successful projects where solid basic research has generated significant applied
research and applications
National and international networks
Weaknesses
Psychology as a scientific discipline: blurred position due to structural changes in university
and research institute system
Lack/Discontinuation of Centres of Excellence, lack of Academy Professors and FiDiPro
Professors (Finland Distinguished Professor Programme)
Significance of psychology lost in multidisciplinary projects (e.g. in current practice, impossible
to catalogue multidisciplinary publications as psychology publications)
People selected for their scientific qualifications not provided with enough opportunity to do
research (lack of support staff, difficulties in equipment and method management, increasing
bureaucracy)
Professorial job descriptions increasingly unclear
Not enough international staff in Finland, partly due to a lack of flexible funding opportunities
International research visits (e.g. at the postdoctoral stage) undervalued
Opportunities
Creative combining of strengths and know-how both within the field and across disciplinary
boundaries
Collaborating, networking and finding partners in such a small country
Finnish psychological science held in high regard
New funding opportunities in Europe, provided they more strongly integrate themes of human
wellbeing
Introducing psychological knowledge in other disciplines and in new kinds of applied contexts
Expansion to nearby disciplines
Threats
Losing the benefits gained from the university network of psychology (Psykonet) in basic
education, researcher training and cooperation
Increasing competition and decreasing collaboration between universities: weakens disciplines
(such as psychology) that benefit from national cooperation
The identification of psychology as a scientific discipline at risk

 Fewer researchers employed in costlier and therefore fewer projects funded by the Academy
of Finland
Fading publication activity in discontinued Centres of Excellence
Lack of new Centres of Excellence and Academy Professors