Our role:

• Serving as a centre of expertise and information for international development programmes and projects in social security and health care, thus promoting international co-operation and also the related decision-making within Finland
  
• Taking an active part in social security and health care development efforts in transition economies, developing countries and Finland's neighbouring areas.
  
• Planning, implementing and evaluating development projects and related international co-operation, and participating in extensive development programmes
  
• Monitoring and evaluating international developments in the field
  
• Supporting system reforms in particular and facilitating and improving training within the field
  
• Fostering development of relevant expertise in Finland and strengthening expert networks internationally
  
• Producing, acquiring and communicating international and Finnish information and expertise within the field.

International Affairs Unit has the following operational objectives:

• Promoting people's health, social wellbeing, security and equity
• Engaging in long-term co-operation with foreign contacts and across borders
• Influencing method and content in international co-operation
• Ensuring quality assurance and quality improvement in respect to expertise and collaboration
• Maintaining operational effectiveness and profitability; though the main focus is not, however, on generating profit but on outcomes and quality.