Increasing international participation is one of the strategic goals of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. International activities that support business activities are beneficial when companies create new business activities, seek growth, renewal, networks, markets and internationalisation.
The region's internationalisation measures are part of the union's operations in a cross-sectional manner. The key internationalisation objectives are to develop cooperation between the European Union and the Arctic region as part of the region's regional cooperation, to make the European dimension a natural part of the region's development, and to promote the region's overall internationalisation.
The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia participates in Horizon Europe funding Smart Era (SMART Community-led transition for Europe’s Rural Areas) The project. It tackles the challenges of declining and ageing populations, deteriorating services and long distances in rural areas. The aim of the project is to secure the competitiveness of rural and remote areas and areas affected by demographic change by utilising digitalisation. This will be done by testing and developing digital infrastructures and services (on functional remote platforms) for businesses and citizens on skills management. In addition to digital connections and services, more targeted site-specific measures are also needed, which the project will pilot in the municipalities of Alavieska, Kalajoki and Nivala in Northern Ostrobothnia. The municipalities of Alavieska, Kalajoki and Nivala acted as pilot areas in the project for a platform-based solution to be developed in cooperation between companies and stakeholders with the aim of improving the availability of rural mobility services in the region and meeting local businesses and service needs. The availability of a skilled workforce and successful entrepreneurs come from an active and educated population. Digitalisation enables rural areas to have better access to international business communities. Combined with the increasing trend of multi-place living in rural areas, it will enable a wider and partially location-independent labour market to 1) attract highly skilled workers to rural areas 2) attract new remote jobs from rural areas and 3) enable location-independent digital entrepreneurship. For more information on the project, please contact International Specialist Saija Tikkanen.
The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia is involved in funding the Interreg Aurora programme New North – Transport, Logistics and Security of Supply in the project. Its aim is to develop a sustainable transport system in the northern region and to take into account future transport opportunities. The project responds to the changed geopolitical situation in the western Barents region and continues to develop logistics in the region based on the information collected in previous transport projects. The primary objective is to strengthen cooperation between the actors in the region and to improve the transport connections in the northern region, as well as to clarify the possibilities of utilising future technology in the project area. For more information on the project, please contact Lauri Romppainen, Provincial Engineer.
The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia is involved in funding the Interreg Baltic Sea EUSBSR PAC Tourism project promoting the priorities of the Baltic Sea Strategy Tourism Policy Area Action Plan together with the Region of Pomorskie in Poland. The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and the Pomorskie Region of Poland work together as coordinators. The action plan of the Baltic Sea Strategy develops the entire Baltic Sea region and solves common problems. The aim of the tourism policy area is to strengthen the development of responsible tourism in the Baltic Sea region, create networks and strengthen the dialogue between tourism industry stakeholders. For more information, please contact Project Manager Anna-Maija Toivonen.
On 9 April 2024, an event related to the Arctic was held in Parliament's small parliament, where you can read more about from here.
Invitation to the event and more information can be found on the Baltic Sea on the Commission's website.
It is important for the development of internationalisation to raise the level of competence of actors, which is done not only through training, but also by promoting interaction and exchange of experience between those involved in international activities.
Cross-regional international activities are largely focused on cooperation between the provinces of Northern Finland (North Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Lapland, Kainuu, North Karelia, North Savo and South Savo )), in which local cooperation networks, Interreg and other EU programmes, as well as regional offices in Brussels, play an important role.
Further information:
Katja Sukuvaara, Head of International Affairs, tel. +358 40 685 4049, e-mail: firstname.lastname@pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi
