She joined the OECD Programme on International Management in Higher Education (IMHE) in 2005 to coordinate and manage the first round of OECD Reviews of Higher Education in Regional Development which took place in 2005-2007 and embraced 14 regions in 12 countries. She is leading the second round of reviews in 2008-10 which is reaching out to 14 regions and city-regions in G8 countries and emerging economies. She is the co-author and editor of the OECD publication “Higher Education and Regions - Globally Competitive, Locally Engaged” (OECD, 2007). Before joining the OECD, Puukka had experience in higher education and regional development in Finland as a national and local government adviser, programme manager, practitioner and evaluator.