Speakers 2026
Plenary speakers of the year are Susie Sykes, Peter Groenewegen, Heidi Vanjusov and Kimmo Elo
Susie Sykes
Professor
London South Bank University (UK)
Susie Sykes is Professor of Public Health and Health Promotion at London South Bank University and Director of the Health and Wellbeing Research Centre. She leads PHIRST South Bank, an NIHR-funded Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Team that evaluates locally led public health interventions across the UK to understand what works in improving population health and reducing inequalities. Her research focuses on critical health literacy, health equity, and the role of social and structural determinants in shaping health outcomes. She has contributed widely to scholarship examining how communities and organisations can support people to critically engage with health information and participate in decisions that affect their health. Professor Sykes’ work combines conceptual development with applied public health evaluation, with a particular interest in how research can inform policy and practice in complex and uncertain contexts. She is Vice Chair of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) Global Working Group on Health Literacy and contributes to multiple international collaborations advancing research and practice on health literacy and health equity.
Peter Groenewegen
Professor Emeritus
Utrecht University (NL)
Peter Groenewegen is a sociologist. He is senior researcher ‘Health systems and governance’ and former director of the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research Nivel. He was endowed professor at Utrecht University in the departments of sociology and human geography. His main research interests include international comparative studies of health systems, health policy and health care organisation. His publications can be found at NIVEL website (link below).
Heidi Vanjusov
University Lecturer
University of Eastern Finland
OTT Heidi Vanjusov toimii sosiaalioikeuden yliopistonlehtorina ja Hyvinvointioikeuden keskuksen johtajana Itä-Suomen yliopiston oikeustieteiden laitoksella. Hän opettaa laaja-alaisesti sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon juridiikkaa myös oman yliopiston ulkopuolella. Tutkijana Vanjusov on keskittynyt erityisesti sosiaali- ja terveyspalveluiden yhdenvertaiseen saavutettavuuteen, jota voidaan pitää vaikuttavuuden ehtona. Palvelut eivät voi olla vaikuttavia, jos ne eivät ole kaikkien saavutettavissa. Hänen tutkimusintressinsä liittyvät erityisesti haavoittuvassa asemassa oleviin sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon asiakkaiden oikeuksiinsa pääsyyn. Tällä hetkellä tutkimuskohteena on sosiaalioikeudellinen tarvearviointi ja päätöksenteko osaamisen ja asiantuntijuuden näkökulmasta.