UK Ambassador to Finland Visited the University of Turku
The new Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Finland, Tom Dodd, visited the University of Turku on Wednesday, 24 January. According to Mr Dodd, Brexit is a phase in the British history that defines the entire nation, and separation from the EU will happen next spring as planned. Mr Dodd wishes that the relations between the UK and the EU will remain good.
During the guest lecture organised by Contemporary History, Mr Dodd discussed his background and told that due to his Danish roots, he is very familiar with Nordic matters and speaks fluent Danish. The lecture also included Mr Dodd's reasons for why the EU should collaborate extensively with the UK in spite of the approaching Brexit.
– Our interests are on collaboration. We are part of Europe and we are faced with the same challenges as the rest of Europe, said Mr Dodd.
One of our shared challenges is safety. Before his nomination as the Ambassador to Finland, Mr Dodd worked as the Head of Counter Terrorism Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom.
– The same security threats concern us as much as the rest of Europe. We use more money on security than other European countries and we are the most significant military operator in the area. Therefore, co-operation in this sector is for the benefit of everyone.
According to Mr Dodd, it also extremely important for the European economic region that London remains as its financial centre.
– If we do not have access to the EU’s internal market, it will have a negative impact on the entire European Union. In reality, London is the financial capital of Europe, and investment activity would suffer if the financial centre of London became completely detached from Europe. This also applies to Finland and, for example, Finnish forest industry, warned Mr Dodd during the lecture.
There was also active discussion about the impact of Brexit on academia at the end of the brief lecture. A member of the audience posed a question on how Brexit will affect foreigners studying or conducting research in the UK. Dodd assured that academic mobility will be ensured in the future as well.
– In addition, for all those who have come to study or conduct research in the UK before Brexit enters into force, the promised benefits will be guaranteed also after Brexit.
Heikki Kettunen
Translation: Saara Yli-Kauhaluoma