The University of Helsinki (UH) is Finland’s largest and oldest academic institution. University researchers have received more than 70 European Research Council grants, of which 40 are ongoing projects. UH coordinates seven of the 12 Centres of Excellence selected by the Academy of Finland in 2018-25. The latest extensive assessment of research quality in UH in 2019 is rated as top-level research by panels of independent international experts. In the 2017-20 strategy, UH is addressing four major challenges: the digital world, ageing and health, globalisation, sustainable development. The Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry of the University of Helsinki will coordinate the MATS – Making Agricultural Trade Sustainable project. All team members in MATS are members of the Helsinki Sustainability Science Institute. UH will bring specific expertise on agricultural markets, agricultural trade, agri-food global value chain and supply chain, sustainable development, African agriculture, and biodiversity.