Visit of Professor Natalia Vershinina to the University of Turku

In May 2025, the HI-GEE project team was delighted to host Professor Natalia Vershinina, the project’s external advisor, during her visit to the University of Turku.

Throughout her stay, Professor Vershinina engaged with the HI-GEE research team in productive discussions around the project’s strategic direction and key research challenges. Particular attention was given to refining the focus of interview questions for migrant entrepreneurs living in Finland. These discussions provided valuable insights and strengthened the project’s analytical framework. Professor Vershinina also shared her extensive experience in academic publishing, offering guidance on how to effectively communicate research findings on migrant entrepreneurship. She provided practical advice from her perspective as an active editor in several leading academic journals.

As part of her visit, the Entrepreneurship Unit at the University of Turku,  organized a research seminar on the theme of migrant entrepreneurship in Finland. The event brought together researchers from the University of Turku, Åbo Akademi University, and Aalto University, as well as Professor Emerita Edwina Pio, currently a Visiting Professor at the University of Turku.

At the seminar, Professor Vershinina presented her co-authored paper with Professor Ulla Hytti, titled “Beyond Survival: A Critical Reappraisal of Immigrant Entrepreneurship.” The presentation sparked a lively discussion on the need to move beyond narrow narratives of migrant entrepreneurship toward more nuanced understandings of migrant entrepreneurial experiences. Nasim Aryannejad, a doctoral researcher of the Entrepreneurship unit, presented her ongoing research on the role of religious beliefs in shaping the entrepreneurial practices and lived experiences of immigrant women entrepreneurs in Finland.

This visit marked a significant moment in the project’s development, deepening scholarly exchange and expanding networks around migrant entrepreneurship research.

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Professor Natalia Vershinina is a leading international scholar in the field of migrant entrepreneurship. She is based at Audencia Business School in Nantes, France, where she serves as Professor of Entrepreneurship and Head of Research in the Department of Entrepreneurship, Strategy & Innovation. Her research focuses on the intersections of migration with gender, ethnicity, class, and family business. Professor Vershinina holds editorial roles in the International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, Journal of Business Research, Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, and also serves as joint Editor-in-Chief of Gender, Work & Organization.