Erja Kettunen-Matilainen
D.Sc. (Econ. & Bus.Adm.)
erja.kettunen-matilainen@utu.fi +358 40 577 1537 Rehtorinpellonkatu 3 Turku ORCID identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2670-2388 |
EU-Asia trade; Trade policy; Sustainable development; Asian business environments; International trade; Free trade agreements; Responsible society; Southeast Asia; Japan; China; Indonesia; ASEAN; Regional economic integration
PALMOIL project (2023-2027), GLO-RES project (2025-2026)
Research project Good and bad palm oil: Food security, paradigm shift and stakeholder negotiations in Indonesia and the EU (PALMOIL) 2023-2027 (PI), Kone Foundation
Research project Strengthening societal resilience and security of supply in global stakeholder collaboration (GLO-RES) 2025-2026 (PI), Foundation for Economic Education
Research visits and prior positions: Visiting Researcher, Center for Asian Studies / European Institute for Japanese Studies (EIJS), Stockholm School of Economics, Jan-Feb 2025; Guest Researcher, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS), University of Copenhagen, April 2023; Visiting Scholar, Ca'Foscari University of Venice, Oct 2022; Affiliated Researcher, TSE 2019-2021; Associate Professor, University of Gothenburg 2019; Senior Research Fellow, CCR 2017-2018; Research Manager, Aalto University School of Business 2006-2018; Visiting researcher, Economic Geography, University of Gothenburg 2011; Researcher, Helsinki School of Economics 2005-2006. Research visits: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies; Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Singapore. Academic fieldwork in Japan, S.Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Malaysia, Singapore.
Title of Docent, University of Turku, Economic Geography.
Dr.Sc.(Econ.); Lic.Sc.(Econ.); M.Sc.(Econ.), Helsinki School of Economics, Economic Geography.
Academic activities:
Steering Committee Member, International Geographical Union (IGU) Commission on the Dynamics of Economic Spaces (CDES), 2025-2028
Board member, Geographical Society of Finland, 2023 -
Deputy NNC Representative for Aalto University at Nordic NIAS Council, Nordic Association of Asian Studies (NIAS), 2008-2017
Board member, Representative of Aalto University, Finnish University Network for Asian Studies 2010-2016
Board member, Doctoral Programme of Contemporary Asian Studies, former Finnish Graduate School of Contemporary Asian Studies 2005-2013
Member of Doctoral Committees, Examiner of Doctoral theses, Examiner of Licentiate theses; Sweden and Finland, 2005 -
Board member, Nordic Association for Southeast Asian Studies 1995-2004
Conference co-organizer: ICAS panel 2024 Surabaya, Finland-Korea symposium 2023 Helsinki, Sustainable Science Days panels 2022 and 2023 Helsinki, Finnish Geography Days sessions 2023 Joensuu and 2021 Oulu, Understanding Korea symposium 2018 Helsinki, Nordic-China business symposia at Fudan University 2007 and 2011 Shanghai, Nordic NIAS Council (NNC) Asia conference 2012 Helsinki
Book editor, Southeast Asia: Economy, Environment and Society [in Finnish], Gaudeamus 2019
Societal activities:
President, Finland-Republic of Korea Association 2023-, Vice President 2018-2022, Board member 2017-
Member, Representative of Aalto University, Finland-ASEAN Trade Association 2008-2016
Member, Finland - Hong Kong Trade Association, 2006 -
Chairman of the Board, Finland-Malaysia Association 2001-2006, Board member 1997-2010
Societal resilience; Good and bad palm oil; Sustainable food trade: the case of Finnish export to China (intl collaboration); Employment, diversity and inclusion in Japan and Finland (intl coll); European Green deal and Circular economy; Finland-China rail transports (intl coll); EU-South Korea relations (intl coll); The EU’s Free Trade Agreements in Asia and responsible business (intl coll); Innovation Districts in Emerging and Advanced Economies (IDeaS); China’s Belt and Road Initiative and trade governance; The participation of Finns in 18th Century Swedish East India Company; Edited book Southeast Asia – Economy, Environment and Society [in Finnish].
MJO4 Vastuullisen liiketoiminnan eettiset kysymykset (Ethical questions of responsible business; in Finnish) (coordinator and teacher)
TM1 Yritys- ja markkinointimaantiede (Geography of firms and marketing; in Finnish) (teacher)
TM37 Kansainvälisen kaupan maantiede (Geography of international trade; in Finnish) (responsible teacher)
TMS31/KVS33 Global trade networks and trade policies in Asia (responsible teacher)
TMJ Economic geography doctoral seminars (teacher)
Previous: Organizer and lecturer of several Master's and Bachelor's level courses at University of Gothenburg 2019; Finnish University Network for Asian Studies 2007-2018; Community of European Management Schools CEMS 2007-2008; Helsinki School of Economics 1995-2008. Organizer of a Nordic PhD course on Asia 2012. Topics: Business in East and Southeast Asia; Economic geography of Asia; Economic integration in the EU; Economic geography of EU; Trade and and Asia.
Supervised ca. 20 M.Sc. theses in Finland and Sweden.
Co-supervisor of Doctoral theses: Kari Mäkeläinen, TSE, Heinz Munzinger, Tampere University.
Visiting lecturer in Finland, Sweden, Japan.
- Nordic Asia Podcast: Finnish Maritime Interaction with China in the 18th Century (2022) Kettunen-Matilainen Erja, Pitkänen Ari-Joonas
(I1 Audiovisual publication) - The New Silk Road, EU-China Connectivity and Global Logistics Crisis: Nordic Perspective to the Eurasian Land Bridge Rail Routes (2022) Asia-Europe Industrial Connectivity in Times of Crisis Kettunen Erja, Alvstam Claes G.
(A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book) - China’s New Silk Road in a Nordic perspective: The origins and development of the Finland-China rail routes (2021) Crafting a Global Future Kettunen Erja, Alvstam Claes
(Other publication) - China’s New Trade Governance in Asia-Pacific
(Conference abstract) (2021) Kettunen Erja, Alvstam Claes
(Other publication) - Finnish architects and urban planners in Asia and Africa (2021)
- UTU GSNETWORK Blog
(E1 Popularised article) - Hyvä oppikirja ja yleisteos Itä-Aasiasta kiinnostuneille (2021)
- Terra: Maantieteellinen Aikakauskirja
(B1 Non-refereed article in a scientific journal) - Innovation districts in Bangkok: The ‘landing’ of an urban planning concept in an emerging economy mega-city
(Conference presentation) (2021) Kettunen-Matilainen Erja
(Other publication) - Kiskot vievät Kiinaan, Koreaan ja Japaniin (2021)
- Kauppapolitiikka
(D1 Article in a professional journal) - The EU-Japan EPA and the question of formal and informal trade barriers for European businesses in Japan
(Conference abstract) (2021) Kettunen Erja, Alvstam Claes
(Other publication) - Towards the European aim of sustainable industry: Multi-stakeholder bargaining for circular economy
(Conference abstract) (2021) Abstract book of The Annual Meeting of Finnish Geographers 2021 Kettunen Erja
(Other publication) - Cadet Israel Reinius and Finland's first China-dissertation in 1749 (2020) Erja Kettunen-Matilainen
(Other publication) - China’s New Silk Road in a Nordic perspective: The origins and development of the Finland-China rail routes (2020) Connectivity, Industry and Technological Change: Europe and Asia in a Global Context Kettunen Erja, Alvstam Claes
(Other publication) - Employment and Human Resource Development of Disabled Workers in Japan and Finland: A Comparative Study from the Perspective of Diversity and Inclusion (2020) Connectivity, Industry and Technological Change: Europe and Asia in a Global Context Futagami Shiho , Kettunen Erja
(Other publication) - Innovation Districts in Bangkok: The concept and its implementation
(Conference abstract) (2020) Kettunen Erja
(Other publication) - Mapping out EU-South Korea relations: key member states' perspectives (2020) Mapping Out EU-South Korea Relations: Key Member States’ Perspectives (Volume II) Jordan Baev, Sunkung Choi, Lucia Husenicova, Erja Kettunen-Matilainen, Alica Kizekova, Elina Sinkkonen, Peter Ward, Andreea Zaharia
(D4 Published development or research report or study ) - Negotiating sustainable development (2020)
- UTU GSNETWORK Blog
(E1 Popularised article) - Sustainable development and Free Trade Agreements (2020)
- Baltic Rim Economies
(D1 Article in a professional journal) - The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement as a Norm Model for Sustainable Development Issues in the Future EU FTAs in Asia (2020) Sustainable Development and Energy Transition in Europe and Asia Erja Kettunen, Claes G. Alvstam
(A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book) - The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement: Multilateralizing Regionalism? (2020) The changing global environment in Asia and human resource management strategies Kettunen Erja
(A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book) - 女性の雇用・人材開発に関する日欧比較:産学におけるダイバーシティ&インクルージョンの視点からの分析
[A Comparison on Employment and Human Resource Development of Female Professionals between Japan and Europe: An Analysis from the Perspective of Diversity and Inclusion in Industry and Academia] [In Japanese] (2020) 雇用・人材開発の日欧比較:ダイバーシティ&インクルージョンの視点からの分析 [A Comparison on Employment and Human Resource Development between Japan and Europe: An Analysis from the Perspective of Diversity and Inclusion] [In Japanese] Shiho Futagami, Erja Kettunen
[ 二神枝保、エルヤ・ケットュネン ]
(B2 Non-refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book)