Workshop Speakers, Moderators & Facilitators
Here you can learn more about the speakers, moderators, and facilitators leading this year’s workshops. Each contributor brings valuable expertise and diverse perspectives enriching the hands‑on workshop format and ensuring dynamic, insight‑driven discussions.
Anne Øien
Anne Øien is a Senior Adviser in Emergency Preparedness and Personnel Security at UiT The Arctic University of Norway, where she works at the institutional level with crisis management, risk assessment, and personnel security.
Arnar Gíslason
Arnar Gíslason is Team Manager and Equality Officer at the University of Iceland, based in the Division of Human Resources. He has been involved in equality work at the university since 2007.
He has also contributed internationally through work with perpetrators of domestic violence in the UK, with DViP and London Probation, and on gender mainstreaming with UN Women in Palestine.
His focus areas include gender equality, diversity, gender-based violence, men and masculinities, and inclusive institutional practices.
Arnar has a BA in Psychology from the University of Iceland, and an MA in Gender Studies from the University of Sussex. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Gender Studies at the University of Iceland, where his research explores men’s participation in gender equality work, male privilege, and the institutionalisation of gender equality. He also teaches at the university on a sessional basis.
He previously led the men‘s group of the Feminist Association of Iceland and currently serves on the board of NFMM/NORMAS – the Nordic Association for Research on Men and Masculinities.
Àsthildur Gunnarsdòttir
Àsthildur Gunnarsdòttir is Director of Communications and Marketing at Reykjavik University. She is experienced in brand management, social media, content marketing, project management, sales, business development, strategy, writing, public relations, and website administration.
She brings more than 10 years of experience in marketing across organisations of varying sizes and sectors, including 8 years in leadership roles. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and an Executive MBA from Reykjavík University.
Cristina Trenta
Professor Dr. Dr. Cristina Trenta has been a Visiting Professor of Public Law at Halmstad University, Sweden, since 1 October 2024, and a Professor of Public Law at Linnaeus University, Sweden, since 1 September 2023. She became the first full professor of law at Linnaeus University upon the establishment of the Law Department. Her academic responsibilities include playing a pivotal role in establishing and developing the legal research environment and the Law Programme (Juristprogrammet) at Linnaeus University. At Halmstad University, she focuses on the legal implications of artificial intelligence and serves as the principal supervisor for a PhD student working in this field.
In 2021, she was appointed as a member of the Expert Group for the EU Observatory on the Online Platform Economy by the European Commission, working on EU digital transformation and the Digital Single Market.
In 2025, she joined the group of experts appointed by the European Commission to contribute to a study commissioned by the Directorate-General for Communication Networks, Content and Technologies (DG CNECT) on next-generation digital technologies and their role in future strategies and capabilities for Europe. In the same year, she was appointed as an affiliate researcher at the AI-Econ Lab, at Örebro University, an international and multidisciplinary center focusing on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the nature of work. Since 2016, she has been repeatedly appointed as an expert by the European Commission to the VAT Expert Group.
Cristina has solid expertise in European tax law and its interaction with public law, gender equality, and EU law. She also works in IT law and on the technological aspects of digital content distribution via the internet. She has substantial experience in tax law, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and sustainable development within legal research and discourse, with a particular focus on the intersection of tax law, gender equality, and human rights.
Gunhild Sundal
Gunhild Sundal is Senior Architect at the Estate and Facilities Management Division at The University of Bergen (UiB), and the project manager for the campus development project Realfaghøyden. She holds a Master of Architecture from NTNU and has extensive experience from both the private sector and the university sector, in roles ranging from practicing architect to project manager.
At the University of Bergen, she has primarily worked as a project manager for early‑phase development projects and user engagement processes. In the Nygårdsgaten 5 project, she was part of UiB Service Development, a program established to strengthen efforts toward developing a cohesive administration and to prepare the central administration for relocation to a new building.
Joanna Marcinkowska
Joanna Marcinkowska is Project Manager for Inclusion at the University of Iceland, where she manages the Inclusion in the Icelandic University Community project. Her work focuses on strengthening inclusion, participation, and equitable access within higher education.
She has nearly a decade of experience in interculturalism, inclusion and migrant affairs, working across grassroots support, public administration and policy development. Her previous positions include Expert in Interculturalism and Inclusion at the City of Reykjavik’s Human Rights and Democracy Office as well as Project Manager at the Ministry of Social Affairs, where she contributed to initiatives supporting immigrants and improving access to services.
She holds a postgraduate diploma in Applied Gender Studies from the University of Iceland, as well as further qualifications in project management, mediation, Icelandic and marketing and management.
Lykke Thostrup
Lykke Thostrup is a Communications Officer and head of Upper Secondary Schools Visits Services at University of Copenhagen (UCPH). She is Group Leader of the NUAS Communication Group.
She has been working with early interest creation among upper secondary school pupils and recruitment of students throughout her career, first at The Royal Danish Agricultural and Veterinary University, then the Faculty of Science at UCPH, and now incorporating all subject areas at UCPH.
Marko Lukic
Marko Lukic is a medical doctor from the University of Belgrade, Serbia, and holds a PhD in epidemiology from UiT The Arctic University of Norway. He is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (Result) at UiT.
Since November 2023, he has also been the leader of UiT’s AI team. He has contributed to more than 150 activities related to AI in higher education in Norway and internationally, and has helped develop guidelines on AI use and AI policy at UiT.
Markus Laitinen
Markus Laitinen is currently the inaugural Research Security Officer at the University of Helsinki, with responsibilities in policy development, as well as systematisation of risk assessment and management across the institution.
He has developed an online tool for risk assessment for all types of international collaboration and oversees related compliance structures. He is an advocate of responsible internationalisation and balancing internationalisation with security concerns.
Mette Gøtterup-Tang
Mette Gøtterup-Tang is a Team Coordinator at CBS Student Guidance, where, in addition to guiding students, she leads initiatives focused on student life, wellbeing, DEI, and AI. She has extensive experience as a study coach for master’s students and has worked both closely with students and on cross-institutional wellbeing projects at Copenhagen Business School.
Mette is a member of the NUAS Study and Career Counselling Group. She holds an MSc in Economics and Business Administration (Strategy, Organisation and Leadership).
She is a trained breathwork instructor and body therapist, with academic training in anatomy, psychology, physiology, and pathology, and is in addition a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) instructor.
Nina Schjoldager
Nina Schjoldager is the Vice Director of Research Services at Aalborg University. She leads a team of around 65 specialists dedicated to supporting research through fundraising, mission support, project management, PhD administration, contracts, and compliance.
She has played a key role in strengthening research infrastructure and innovation. Nina is passionate about creating secure and efficient frameworks for international collaboration, including implementing risk assessments, raising awareness and balancing freedom, ethical issues, and compliance.
Odd Vegard Kandal-Wright
Odd Vegard Kandal-Wright is a Section Manager at the Section for Research Communication and Public Affairs at the University of Bergen. He works across both strategic and operational tasks, supporting academic environments and university leadership, and contributing to institutional development.
Odd has worked as a communication specialist for the past ten years. Prior to that, he spent several years as a journalist at the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.
PET - Danish Security and Intelligence Service (DSIS)
Centre for Analysis and Outreach (CAO) is part of the DSIS’ counter-intelligence efforts. CAO conducts strategic analysis and threat assessment aimed at government agencies and civil society actors. CAO works closely with the Danish research and innovation sectors to protect critical technologies and counter illegal and unwanted knowledge transfer.
Satu Kankaala
Satu Kankaala is passionate about creating outstanding sustainable campus experiences. To her, sustainable campus means finding a balance between financial, social, cultural, and environmental priorities.
As Head of Business Development and Sustainability with Aalto Campus & Real Estate – a university unit responsible for maintaining, developing, and improving the campus of Aalto University – she is currently focusing on the Campus Vision 2050 update process. She is genuinely looking for solutions on how spaces and places could be utilized to their full potential and still attract people to meet and greet and, hence, increase the sense of belonging.
She is an experienced professional in corporate real estate, campus development, business and service development, and leadership.
Susanna Ahteensuu
Susanna Ahteensuu is a Development Specialist (Guidance), a career counsellor and an in-house coach at University of Turku. She is part of the NUAS Study and Career Counselling Group.
She has been working with the development of the guidance practices, services and strategy at the university level. She was part of a group that developed ethical guidelines for guidance in universities in Finland.
Tuomo Uusitalo
Tuomo Uusitalo is a Sustainability Specialist at Aalto Campus & Real Estate, a university unit responsible for maintaining, developing, and improving the campus of Aalto University. In addition to sustainability matters of the built environment, he currently works primarily with workplace development and digitalization in real estate.
Recently, a major workplace alteration for the joint administration staff of the Aalto university was carried out with the aim of increasing collaboration and serendipitous encounters. He will share further insigths into this proces during the workshop.