What is a euroregion

1. Role of EuroregionsCase Helsinki-Tallinn EuregioKatri-Liis Lepik/Merle KrigulBEN Summer School 2007

2. amalgamation of regional and local authorities from both sides of the national border, sometimes with a parliamentary assembly; cross-border organisations with a permanent secretariat and experts and administrative staff; according to private law based on national associations or foundations from both sides of the border according to the respective public law; according to public law based on international treaties which also regulate the membership of regional authorities (source: AEBR guide) What is a euroregion

3. a facilitator, network builder, process initiator a people to people meeting place a cross-border information point for citizens, institutions, regional and local authorities; a driving force for solving daily problems on both sides of the border, especially in economic, social, cultural and environmental fields; a supplement to national and foreign policies; an initiator and moderator of common plans and strategies; a mediator of cross-border issues; a manager of EU programmes and projects or a project applicant; Roles of a euroregion

4. a contributor to balanced and spatial development especially in issues concerning mobility and accessibility to services across the border a contributor to competitiveness and growth; a contributor to integration of the Baltic Sea Region on a long term basis a builder of research and development (R&D) networks across borders; a platform for all three elements of triple helix cooperation (public sector, business and high schools/universities) Roles of a euroregion

5. Business to business cooperation, mediation between enterprises Science Twin-City project 2002-2005 Key objective: To strengthen cooperation in high-tech business development primarily in the selected business and technology sectors, i.e. ICT, life science and biotechnology, and micro- & nanotechnologies and new materials Business to business cooperation

6. Business cooperation = brokerage events University + business cooperation = Plektrum Festival University + local authorities + business cooperation = Knowledge arena Local authorities + university + business cooperation = Euregio Forum Euregio as triple-helix cooperation facilitator

7. Target groups: Science and technology park organisations, business incubators, companies, business support organisations, universities and research centres, cities’ business development departments, other local and regional authorities. brokerage events Number of participants 233, more than 100 were from companies Business to business cooperation

8. “pre-matching” of companies and other potential partners before the events took place an opportunity to introduce itself shortly during the event (“elevator pitch” method) company/organisation profile forms, including expressions of interest in cooperation, were collected beforehand and handed out to all participants in the event screening the interests of companies, universities etc. to cooperate, do business (R&D, marketing etc.), and rent premises in Helsinki/Tallinn etc. information collected through Internet inquiries or interviews and stored in a database was valuable when joint activities were planned and executed Good practices

9. Existing networks and relationships between Finnish and Estonian project partners were strengthened; New contacts and networks were established; new organisations launched their project activities with Finnish /Estonian partners for the first time (e.g. Centres of Expertise in Helsinki region); Concrete recommendations for further actions were made in the reports; Consensus reached that e.g. networking (brokerage events etc.) and screening activities should be continued and made permanent activities; Agreement reached that piloting and establishment of mutual contact points in science parks and incubators should be continued Impacts

10. Example of cooperation btw local governments, universities, enterprises 20-21 March 2006, Tallinn Workshops: Wellness & welfare Art, design and media Urban research 25 May 2007, Helsinki Topics: ideas and inspiration citizens and their city technology and the city- how can new technologies create innovation in cityscape Knowledge arena

11. Political commitment and knowledge forums needed Meeting of culture of the foreign markets important International education – attracting students and marketing outside A private Helsinki-Tallinn joint university Flexible education agreement btw Hel-Tal Promoting synergy btw innovation boosters, start-up incubators, collaborate with universities Results/ideas

12. Establishing the professorships in urban studies with the capital’s support Establishing the urban research network in Estonia and cooperating with the Finnish network Joint study programs Exchange of professors, lecturers, researchers, students Marketing common region with designers Results/ideas

13. Cooperation btw visual artists and urban planners Media and visual arts event Plektrum Festival, 16-17 November, Tallinn Workshop “City as a stage” Ideas for common activities were born: new festivals, events with VJ-s and media artists urban laboratory of public content contribution and sharing, virtual community software and interactive game enabling citizens and visitors of the city (i.e. players) to publish and share their place-associated contents Jointspace mapping and displaying of real-time movement information and people's activity spaces enables for a person or interest groups to display the spaces they use and through feedback affect the events in cityscape Clustering

14. Cooperation btw enterprises, local governments, researchers Elderly well-being related preventive services, practices and R&D in Helsinki-Tallinn Twin-Region, Jan 2007, Espoo Common regional branding and marketing with Helsinki and Tallinn, May 2007, Tallinn New ideas for common events, new clients for enterprises Clustering

15. Thank you! Contact: Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio lepik@euregio-heltal.org www.euregio-heltal.org