King's College London

Students studying on the Foreign Policy Analysis module, run by the Department of European and International Studies, attended the embassy on 5 March to hear from working diplomatic and policy professionals.

The group heard from Anna Hakala, counsellor for foreign and security policy, and Taimi Vilkko, a special advisor for political affairs and public diplomacy, and there was also a chance for the group to put questions to their hosts.

The trip was organised by the seminar leader, Matti Spåra, a PhD researcher in international relations, and module convenor Dr Holger Stritzel, a senior lecturer in international relations at King’s.

Students Flore Aimard and Asees Sagoo, said: “The visit to the Finnish embassy was an enlightening experience, providing us with a valuable opportunity to engage directly with foreign policy practitioners, gain deeper insights into small states’ foreign policy in general and Finland’s diplomatic priorities in particular.

“The discussions allowed us to better understand the execution of foreign policy and how core concepts such as soft power, regionalism, strategic culture, and international institutions are integrated into the daily practices of diplomats.”