Dr. Pilvi Torsti

STATE SECRETARY PILVI TORSTI

Dr. Pilvi Torsti is State Secretary  at the Ministery of Economic Affairs and Employment. Prior to this position she served as an MP of the national parliament in Finland being a member of parliamentary committees on education and future. Torsti has also been an elected member of the City Council of the capital city of Finland, Helsinki since 2012. During 2012-2017 she served as a member of the Board of Directors of the city.

Before joining parliament Dr. Torsti founded and served as the CEO of a start-up company, Helsinki International Schools (HEI Schools). HEI Schools offer a global preschool concept based on Finnish educational expertise and a Nordic approach to design in architecture, interior and learning materials. University of Helsinki is HEI Schools’ founding partner.

2013-2015 Dr. Torsti was appointed as the State Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Culture, and 2011-2013 she served as the Special Advisor to Finland's Minister of Employment. Before her political career Torsti has overseen pioneering research projects at the University of Helsinki and holds the title of Adjunct Professor. She was one of the founders of an international educational initiative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which resulted in the establishment of the first multi-national high school in Bosnia, the United World College of Mostar (UWCiM) in 2006. Torsti has published books and articles covering research, politics and education and holds number of positions of trust. She is UWC graduate (1995) and Eisenhower Fellow (2013) and married with three children.