Research fields

 

You can find information about the National Defence University’s research fields on this website. The military science research conducted in the university is divided into eight different areas: 
 
•    Operational Art and Tactics 
•    Military History 
•    Leadership 
•    Military Pedagogy 
•    Military Technology 
•    Military Economics 
•    Strategy 
•    Military Sociology 
•    Multidisciplinary Approach in Security Environment Research 
 

Operational Art and Tactics 

Operational Art and Tactics is an interdisciplinary field of military science that studies and develops capabilities for planning, conducting, and leading military operations and combat. Research in this area aims to explain and understand organizations, people, equipment, and operational principles, as well as their interactions within the defense system environment. 
 

Military History 

Research in military history produces insights that support the development of tactics, operational art, and leadership. Military history organizes the history of warfare using historical research methods. The National Defense university’s focus areas include the evolution of military art, post–World War II developments in warfare, and Finnish military history. 
 

Leadership 

Leadership research focuses on strategic leadership in various defense administration environments. Theoretical and empirical analyses are used to examine and understand the leadership environment of the defence administration and its changes. 
 

Military Pedagogy 

Military pedagogy, which belongs to the humanities, focuses on the functional capabilities of people and its enhancement from the perspectives of security, crisis management, and warfare. Its theoretical foundations are in education and sports sciences, but it also draws on knowledge and research methods from sociology, psychology, and other disciplines. 
 

Military Technology 

Military technology applies findings from technical, mathematical, and natural sciences to understand technical battlefield phenomena, equipment, and systems in terms of structure, operation, effects, and performance. Results from this field are applied, for example, to safeguarding critical societal functions and developing the Finnish Defense Forces’ capabilities. 

Military Economics 

Military economics research focuses on the Defence Forces’ processes for planning and building capabilities, including methods such as requirements management. It also encompasses research on military logistics and societal production and technological capacities that support national security. 
 

Strategy 

Strategy as a discipline studies how states or groups of states achieve their security objectives. At the NDU, research focuses on military strategy, i.e., how armed forces are used to achieve goals defined by political leadership. This research provides long-term assessments, analyses, and forecasts that support the development of the Defence Forces and Finland’s security policy decision-making. 
 

Military Sociology 

Military sociology studies armed forces at the levels of individuals, groups, and organizations, as well as their role in society. It applies social and behavioral science theories, research results, and methodologies. Key perspectives include interaction, social relationships, and the structures and dynamics of social activity. 
 

Multidisciplinary Approach in Security Environment Research 

In addition to the areas above, research is also conducted in fields such as military medicine and logistics. Clear boundaries between research areas are avoided, as many modern security challenges require multiple perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches.