Laurea's Partners engage with the hybrid influence theme

Laurea's Leppävaara campus hosted a breakfast event on hybrid influence, inviting its key partners from the security sector and alumni who graduated from related programs. Speaking about national-level hybrid influence was a member of the defense committee, Chairman of Laurea's board, and Member of Parliament, Jarno Limnéll. Offering insights from an international corporate perspective on hybrid influence was Jere Peltonen, Nokia's Head of Crisis Management, Geopolitical Risk & Executive Protection, and a Laurea alumni. Isto Mattila, the director, shed light on Laurea's research and RDI projects in the field of hybrid influence preparedness and mitigation.

"In hybrid influence, we are dealing with the battleground of human minds. Information influence targets emotions. If certain information strongly affects emotions, it is worth considering its authenticity. It is essential to take care of our mental well-being by occasionally disconnecting from the digital world and news updates, and instead, perhaps going outside for a walk. We are currently facing risks and uncertainties, but we will get through this. Let's stay vigilant, take care of each other, and not lose hope. We will be fine," advised Dr. Jarno Limnéll, a doctor of military sciences.

Isto Mattila highlighted Laurea's international RDI work in security research and emphasized the importance of collaboration with companies in project work. The research conducted at the university aims to find answers to hybrid influence, and the knowledge gained is also integrated into teaching.

Isto Mattila

"Laurea is the number one in security research among Finnish universities of applied sciences. Specific projects in this area include the EU-Hybnet research project led by Laurea, which aims to protect the EU against hybrid threats. The AI-ARC project, on the other hand, enhances border and outer border security and supports cooperation in monitoring outer borders in the Northern Baltic Sea and the Northern High Seas. The recent VIGIMARE project aims to strengthen underwater infrastructure against threats."

Nokia's Jere Peltonen discussed the exposure of global companies to hybrid influence risks and called for companies to understand the long-term and multidimensional nature of hybrid influence.

Jere Peltonen

"Methods of influence targeting global companies include cyber-attacks, social media influence, psychological influence, political and geopolitical influence, supply chain disruption, illegal intelligence, information influence, and terrorism. From a management and governance perspective, it's important to recognize becoming a target of influence, along with its implications and scenarios over a sufficiently long timeframe."

Laurea's mission to create sustainable development in collaboration with the working life is tangibly realized through partnership activities. Partnerships are vital for students' learning journey in the working life competence path and for expanding RDI activities.