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Interreg Aurora offers applicants the opportunity to receive online consultations to confirm their project applications. Consultations are available for the following project ideas: Specific objective 1.2: Improving the competitiveness of SMEs. Specific objective 2.2: Nature conservation and biodiversity, only for applications focusing on air quality or noise reduction. Specific objective 2.3: Sustainable mobility. On Sámi Area side, all specific objectives are open. To request consultations, please send a short description of your project idea to interregaurora@lansstyrelsen.se Consultations are available until 30 September 2025, excluding the holiday season 1.7.-10.8.2025 Additional information: https://www.interregaurora.eu/news/new-online-consultations-offered-for-interreg-aurora-applicants/

Both rounds, the 7th round for development projects and the 5th round for small projects, will open from 8 September to 6 October 2025. All of the program's priorities are open. In this round of small projects, it is possible to apply for cooperation projects in cooperation with the Northern Periphery and Arctic programme. More information on the application round pages. Before the application round opens, we will receive project idea forms for development projects, the basis for which can be found on our website. The project idea form allows the applicant to receive feedback before submitting the actual project application. The project idea form must be submitted before the start of the application round. Sending a project idea form is not mandatory, but we warmly recommend it. More detailed information on the open application rounds: https://www.interregaurora.eu/projects/calls-for-applications/ https://www.interregaurora.eu/support/project-idea-template interregaurora@lansstyrelsen.se More information: niko.auer@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi

The Interreg Aurora Selection Committee decided on the projects to be financed in Umeå from 17 to 18 June 2025. There were 32 applications for the Interreg Aurora programme and 4 applications for Sámi Area programme. The Interreg Aurora programme received 16 applications and Sámi Area programme received 3 applications.   Further information: niko.auer@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi

We are proud of our country. The exhibitions and artefacts of the Museum of Northern Ostrobothnia maintain the material heritage, history and culture of the region. Oulu will be the European Capital of Culture next year. This important event has been prepared together in cooperation with 39 municipalities across the regional borders. It is a collective effort of the whole region. History and culture do not know the municipal boundaries, but in the case of the Museum of Northern Ostrobothnia it seems to be different. The reason for the name change has been that it has been difficult for tourists and international museum colleagues and partners to understand the name of the museum in English. It is about maintaining the cultural identity of the region. It's not usually based on what people from other parts of the world don't know about us yet. The mission of the museum and the Capital of Culture year is to open and tell it. Responsibilities of the Museum of Northern Ostrobothnia…

The economic review of the cooperative bank's regions highlights positive fstakeholders for the future of Northern Ostrobothnia. They are already known, but have been overlooked. Now, in connection in cooperation with the preparation of the regional programme, it is a good time to raise the regional profile and be genuinely satisfied in cooperation with the successes. At least the following can be extracted from the recently published economic review. In Northern Ostrobothnia, the number of unemployed people per job vacancy is the third lowest in the whole country. The situation is the same in the whole of Northern Finland, which indicates a more positive economic development than in the rest of the country. On a long-term average, Northern Ostrobothnia is at the top of the country in terms of green transition investments, as well as in terms of population-related RDI investments. The Cooperative Bank's economic review predicts that GDP growth in Northern Ostrobothnia will be the second fastest. The region's positive future is covered by the continuous increase in the number of employees. Employment …

In March, a discussion on regional development between the state and the counties was held in Helsinki, in which all the counties of Finland participated. I myself participated in the thematic event on regional resilience and mental resilience. The form of these statutory events has varied over the years. This year I remembered in particular that it was a high-quality and thought-provoking seminar on topical themes rather than a traditional negotiation on regional development. The nature and effectiveness of events change easily when their structure is changed. In my opinion, the regional development discussions should in future be organised as bilateral, regional events. However, I feel that I gained significant added value in the regional programme work in Northern Ostrobothnia from my participation and contributions. Trust is central to the development of the county The development of the county is based on trust, which is created by good cooperation and close partnerships. I strongly believe that in addition to …

The Cultural Bank of Finland is a nationwide online service that brings together art and culture professionals and the services they provide. In the autumn of 2025, the service will also expand to Northern Ostrobothnia, and all art and culture stakeholders in the region will be welcome to join in. The service originated in Pirkanmaa and has been widely praised throughout Finland. "The Pirkanmaa Cultural Bank has been admired and such a service has been actively requested for Northern Ostrobothnia as well. Now it is a pleasure to announce that this will happen just before the opening of the European Capital of Culture year," says Auli Suorsa, Senior Specialist at the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region. In Northern Ostrobothnia, the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region and the City of Oulu are jointly responsible for the regional maintenance, communication and financing of the Cultural Bank. The Cultural Bank is an investment by organisations in Oulu 2026, the year of the Capital of Culture, and the development of the creative industries. Cultural Bank…

This year, the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region is awarding the award for the seventh time. This time the theme is young people, the future and hope. “Young people are the future of the region. Taking care of their well-being should be everyone's concern. The Regional Assembly for Organisational Affairs of Northern Ostrobothnia wanted to highlight the work done for young people as the topic of this year's organisation award and thus bring good practices to everyone's attention. We hope for plenty of proposals", says Esa Aunola, Chair of the Advisory Board for Organisations, from the Northern Ostrobothnia Village Regional Assembly. Proposals are submitted using an online form, which will be published in the news section of the Northern Ostrobothnia Regional Assembly's website on 1 September 2025. Proposals for the wEnabler of the prize can be submitted until 30 September 2025. When making a proposal, the following should be taken into account: An organizational act does not have to be an isolated act, but can be understood and interpreted more broadly. Selection in cooperation with an emphasis on crossing borders…

Figure: Regional Assembly of Oulu Region. The Livo River smolt trap.   The migration juvenile production of salmon and sea trout in Livojoki (Iijoki tributary) will be assessed using trap hunting and marking-back hunting of juveniles in 2025 and 2026. Individual data are stored on migratory juveniles (smols) caught in traps and the fish are marked. Trap hunting and marking of fish in Livojoki take place in May-June and monitoring in Haapakoski downhill migration route in Iijoki takes place in May-July. ‘The fish shall be identified by external streamer characters. The mark will be removed from the fish in cooperation within a few weeks and will not cause harm to the fish. The fish marked in the tagging-back hunt are taken back upstream and released. On the basis of the marked fish re-entering the trap, it is possible to estimate the fishing efficiency of the trap and the total number of migratory juveniles leaving Livojoki", says Ville Vähä, Senior Specialist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland. The study also examines how quickly the smolts marked in cooperation with the Livojoki research trap …

The agenda for the meeting of the the Board of the Regional Assembly on 9 June 2025 has been published on the website of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region. Matters to be discussed at the meeting: § 75 The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region's Economic and Operational Plan 2026-2028 and Budget 2026 The the Board of the Regional Assembly decides that the preparation of the 2026 budget and the Economic and Operational Plan 2026-2028 will continue on the basis of the above principles and taking into account the exploratory discussion. § 76 Preparation of an opinion on the proposal for a new Land Use Act The the Board of the Regional Assembly will discuss the draft Government proposal for a new Act on Territorial Use and authorise the Region Mayor to make a statement in cooperation within the deadline. § 77 Competitive tendering of information management services Region Mayor's proposal: The the Board of the Regional Assembly decides to initiate the procurement of information management services. § 78 Publication permit application for a presentation by Pentti Kaitera at the opening of the seventh term of the Summer University of Oulu on 4 June 1957 The the Board of the Regional Assembly decides to grant Sven Hallin Research Foundation…