The NAI Programme and Research Council has the task of advising. Each Nordic country has two members on this Council – one from the research community and one from the foreign office and/or aid administration. Uppsala university library also has one member due to its close collaboration with the Institute.

Members of the Programme and Research Council

Chair of the Council
Therése Sjömander Magnusson, Opens in new window. Director

Representatives from Finland

Maria Kurikkala, Team Leader for Africa Policy, Unit for the Horn of Africa and Eastern Africa, Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Substitute: Pekka Seppälä, Senior Adviser, Department for Development Policy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Academic representative: Tiina Kontinen, Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä

Substitute: Irmeli Mustalahti, Professor of Natural Resources Governance, Department of Geographical and Historical Studies, University of Eastern Finland

Representatives from Iceland

Ásdís Bjarnadóttir, Adviser, Department of Bilateral Development Cooperation, Ministry for Foreign Affairs 

Substitute: Erla Hlín Hjálmarsdóttir, Director of Internal Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Academic representative: Geir Gunnlaugsson, Professor, MD, Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics, University of Iceland

Substitute: Jón Geir Pétursson, Associate Professor, Environment and Natural Resources University of Iceland

Representative from Norway

Academic representative: Ian Bryceson, Professor Emeritus, Norwegian University of Life Sciences

Representatives from Sweden

Maria Gärtner Nord, Deputy Director, Africa Department, Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Karin Sverkén, Head of Unit Justice and Peace, Department for Africa, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)

Academic representative: Ilda Lindell, Assoc. Professor, Department for Human Geography, Stockholm University

Uppsala University library

Johanna Hansson, Deputy Library Director, Uppsala University

Staff representatives

Mia Hellström, Communications Officer

Diana Højlund Madsen Opens in new window., Senior Researcher

Secretary of the Council

Kahina Chache Opens in new window., Executive assistant