Kati Mikkola appointed as Secretary General of the Finnish Literature Society

The Delegation of the Finnish Literature Society (SKS) has appointed Doctor of Philosophy Kati Mikkola as its new Secretary General. Mikkola will assume the position on 17 March 2025.

Since 2022, Kati Mikkola has served as Communications Director at the SKS. Prior to this, she worked as a Councellor of Education at the Finnish National Agency for Education, a researcher at the Universities of Helsinki and Turku, and as a teacher and textbook author. Mikkola holds the title of Docent in Folklore Studies at the University of Helsinki and earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Religious Studies from the University of Turku. Mikkola has extensive experience in multidisciplinary collaboration and has held various expert and advisory roles in the fields of science, culture, and education.

A total of 23 candidates applied for the Secretary General position by the deadline. The SKS Delegation, consisting of 21 representatives from SKS’s key research fields, including culture, literature, Finnish language, and history, made its decision to appoint Mikkola at a meeting on 11 November 2024, based on the SKS Board’s proposal.

“The role of Secretary General is crucial for the Society, both operationally and symbolically. The coming years will not be easy in this public funding environment, but we are now confident. The Society’s values – bildung, expertise, openness, and collaboration – are also embodied by the incoming Secretary General. -A historic step on the long road to equality has been taken: in the spring, the Society’s first female Secretary General will assume her role”, says Lotte Tarkka, Chair of the SKS Delegation.

“In selecting a candidate, the recruitment team emphasised the ability to lead multidisciplinary expertise within the Society’s research fields and readiness to ensure the Society’s financial sustainability. We also sought a candidate with the potential to serve as a credible advocate for Finnish culture and research in societal discussions, along with a forward-looking approach to leading a cultural organisation. By appointing Dr. Kati Mikkola as its Secretary General, the Finnish Literature Society has gained a visionary, versatile leader with extensive experience in stakeholder collaboration”, says Docent Kukku Melkas, Chair of the SKS Board.

“With excitement, I take on the duties of Secretary General. SKS is a unique centre of expertise in the humanities, preserving invaluable cultural heritage materials. I wish to foster SKS as a curious intellectual community and expert organisation that actively collaborates with others. In these times, I see SKS having a particularly significant role in promoting open science and the impact of research-based knowledge. I consider it important that SKS serves both the academic community and society at large in a versatile manner“, says Kati Mikkola.

The current Secretary General, Professor Tuomas M. S. Lehtonen, will continue in his role until 17 March 2025.

Founded in 1831, the Finnish Literature Society (SKS) is a learned society and cultural organisation dedicated to carrying out and supporting research and promotion of Finnish culture and cultural heritage. SKS is a research institute, publisher of scholarly literature in the field of humanities, archive of oral and written culture, and a specialised research library, and it promotes the translation and export of Finnish literature.

SKS has approximately 2,100 members and employs around 65 people. The Society is led by the Secretary General. The first Secretary in 1831 was Elias Lönnrot. Mikkola will become the 23rd individual to hold this position.