Several Universities are participating in the Paras evaluation programme. The responsibilities are divided between the research modules as follows:
Research on municipal finances and local economy:
University of Tampere, Department of Economics and Accounting
Mr Jarmo Vakkuri, Professor.
Research on democracy and leadership:
Åbo Akademi University, Department of Politics and Administration
Ms Siv Sandberg, Researcher.
The Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, Research and Development Unit
Ms Marianne Pekola-Sjöblom, Head of Research.
Research on local government services:
- Social welfare and health services:
University of Eastern Finland, Department of Health and Social Management
Ms Vuokko Niiranen, Professor.
Mr Juha Kinnunen, Professor.
- Education services
The University of Jyväskylä, Finnish Institute for Educational Research
Mr Jouni Välijärvi, Professor.
Research on local government personnel:
University of Tampere, Work Research Centre
Mr Risto Nakari, Researcher.
Research on structural functionality of urban regions:
Aalto University, Department of Surveying and Planning
Mr Raine Mäntysalo, Professor.
Separate project on the linguistic implications of PARAS reform:
Swedish School of Social Science, University of Helsinki
Åbo Akademi University, Department of Politics and Administration
Mr Stefan Sjöblom, Professor.
Separate project of the planning stage of PARAS reform (ended 2009):
University of Lapland, Department of Social Studies
Mr Jari Stenvall, Professor.
Separate project on the gender impacts of PARAS reform:
Åbo Akademi University, Department of Politics and Administration
Ms Sari Pikkala, Researcher
Ms Sinikka Mikola, Senior Adviser