Teija Tiilikainen, Doctor of Political Science, has been appointed Director of the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE) for a five-year term from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2029.
The appointment was made by Hybrid CoE’s Steering Board at their meeting on 8 November 2024.
Dr Tiilikainen has led the Centre since 2019. Prior to her appointment to this position, she was Director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) from 2010 to 2019. Previously, Dr Tiilikainen also served as Director of the Network of European Studies at the University of Helsinki (2003–2009) and as Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland from 2007 to 2008.
“I am extremely pleased to have the opportunity to continue working for such an important and policy-relevant organization as Hybrid CoE. I am also grateful for the continued trust that the Centre’s Participating States have shown in me through this appointment. Together with the Centre’s professional staff, we will intensify our efforts to protect Euro-Atlantic states and societies from the ever-increasing hybrid threats,” Dr Tiilikainen said.
“I am very pleased that Dr Teija Tiilikainen was chosen for the position. During her previous term as Director, she has demonstrated leadership and management qualities to a high degree, particularly evident in the further development of Hybrid CoE from a startup into a professional, permanent expert institution within the EU-NATO security architecture,” said Jarmo Lindberg, Chair of the Steering Board of Hybrid CoE.
“Dr Tiilikainen possesses remarkable knowledge of current security policy processes and a comprehensive understanding of hybrid threats. Her extensive international network – encompassing leaders, universities, think tanks, and other Centres of Excellence – has helped to enhance Hybrid CoE’s importance, as reflected in the recent achievement of universal participation in the Centre by all EU and NATO members,” Jarmo Lindberg added.
Hybrid CoE’s mission is to strengthen its Participating States’ security by providing expertise and training for countering hybrid threats, and by enhancing EU-NATO cooperation in this respect. The Centre is an autonomous hub for practitioners and experts, located in Helsinki, Finland. As of June 2024, the Centre’s 36 Participating States encompass all EU member states and NATO Allies.
