Pohjois-Karjalan MAAKUNTALIITTO | Vision 2010 - North Karelia as a competitive European region

Vision 2010 - North Karelia as a competitive European region

The key elements of the Strategy deal with the international competitiveness and preconditions of the region as well as with the needs of business life. In addition to the chosen foci, internationality is a transparent element in all development work within the region. To ensure the successful development of the region it is vital to constantly improve and further develop the preconditions for internationality development within the region.

A competitive international operational environment offers actors of different levels of abilities to interact, network and further develop their skills and activities. This also aids the creation of a multi-cultural living environment.

Vision

North Karelia will offer its citizens and entrepreneurs a competitive, safe and multicultural living environment. North Karelia will actively utilise its status as an external border region and promote the Northern Dimension of the European Union. Regional specific expertise is to be further developed through cooperation in international networks. Regions international image will be improved.

The vision is implemented through 8 foci:

Knowledge-based regional development
Special status as an eastern external border region
Region of forests in Europe
New co-operation with an enlarged Europe
Challenges of employment and demography
Possibilities of nature-based tourism
Ultra-peripheral status in regional and agricultural policy
Active participant in European networks and projects.

Knowledge-based regional development

Raises issues dealing with cluster-based internationalisation and the further development of SME`s and the region`s specific expertise areas.

Special status as an external border region

Emphasises the possibilities and challenges of cross-border co-operation with Russian Karelia.

Region of forests in Europe

Highlights the forest expertise cluster of North Karelia combining research (e.g. the European Forest Institute), education (University of Joensuu, North Karelia University of Applied Sciences) and the enterprise sector (e.g. John Deere, Kesla Ltd).

An enlarged Europe

Is seen as an important co-operative partner for SME`s, education and the public sector alike.

Challenges of employment and demography

Searches for new ways to combat these challenges.

Possibilities of nature tourism

Aims to develop nature tourism services.

Ultra-peripheral status in agriculture and regional policy

Raises the challenges of the region`s climate and ultra-peripheral location.

Active participant in European networks and project

Summarises the key idea behind the entire strategy. Active international co-operation is seen as a tool to further develop and market the region`s expertise, as well as to transfer new action models.

17.9.2009 13:05

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