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Newsletter of Kerttu Saalasti Institute, University of Oulu   |    25.4.2024  

International projects and ecosystems, learning, innovating and growth – read our news and blogs about micro-entrepreneurship, regional excellence and future manufacturing technologies! 

Strengthening the future of smart rural areas through the SMART ERA Horizon Europe project 

Rural areas are often perceived as less attractive places to live because of fewer services, structural problems, limited employment opportunities and an ageing population. The ongoing digital transformation and increasing teleworking opportunities offer a unique opportunity to redirect migration flows back to rural areas. Northern Ostrobothnia is strongly involved in the "SMART Community-led transition for Europe's Rural Areas, SMART ERA" project. The University of Oulu is leading the data-driven work on smart rural development and the Council of Oulu Region is responsible for pilot targeting and local collaboration. 

University of Oulu Kerttu Saalasti Institute joins FAME Ecosystem 

University of Oulu has joined the FAME (Finnish Additive Manufacturing Ecosystem), marking a significant step towards fostering collaboration between academia and industry. 

Matti Muhos started as the new editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development 

Oulu strives for growth in the health technology business 

Only a few new health technology companies have been established in the Northern Ostrobothnia region in recent years. However, there is potential for significant growth in enterprise for the level of the multi- and cross-disciplinary research in the region is high. The province is also home to a variety of technology companies with expertise which could be utilised in developing health care solutions for the future. Moreover, the general level of expenses, the need for services, and the shortage of resources have increased, presenting health care with challenges which require new innovations. 

BLOGS

The discomfort zone is a learning and growing zone 

The resilience and learning skills in recent years have been behind the survival of successful companies. New opportunities have arisen quickly, and companies most capable of change are able to cope with uncertainty and challenges as well. Success is not always up to you. However, it is useful to be able to overcome fears, to live in uncertainty at times and to be curious. This is the only way to grow, develop and learn. 

Why is the number of employer companies in Finland decreasing? 

Entrepreneurship has been accepted as a key accelerator of economic growth and vitality. It is worrying that over the past ten years, the number of employer companies in Finland has been declining. This situation particularly affects micro and small businesses that provide employment. 

Entrepreneurial attitudes among young people are at a higher level than before. With the transformation of the labour market, entrepreneurship is seen as a natural alternative to self-employment alongside paid work. In addition to self-employment, young people see entrepreneurship as an opportunity to fulfil themselves and their dreams and to build a better future through working together, taking responsibility and tackling environmental challenges. 

Green energy from Jokilaaksot and nearby municipalities 

Europe is undergoing an energy transition, and actions are needed. We need clean energy, produced sustainably and efficiently. In the short term, we have few alternatives for transition. For example, burning forest biomass and peat in central boilers gives us a few extra years to implement new, sustainable solutions for generations to come, and invest in ecological nutrient recycling. In Finland, there are plans for €10 billion investments in green hydrogen produced with surplus emission-free electricity, as well as a hydrogen gas pipeline following the west coast from Sweden-Finland to Germany. Municipalities in Jokilaaksot also aim to be at the forefront of the energy transition. An example is the initiative to build a hydrogen pipeline from the west coast towards the inland. And the plans don't stop there. 

Growth brings challenges in the company's logistics 

As a company grows, it faces the challenges of change that growth brings, which it tries to manage. Managing these challenges is key to the company's continued growth and success. Change challenges have been studied from the perspective of different aspects of the company, such as supply chain, finance, and production. Logistics is one of the key processes and management areas for a company. Despite its importance in business, its problems during growth have not been studied much. 

Wood construction is expected to aid in achieving environmental goals and boosting regional economies 

Wood construction is an alternative to concrete construction in reducing the carbon footprint of construction activities. The European Union's Green Deal is an ambitious action program aimed at transforming the EU's economy into a carbon-neutral one by 2050. Wood construction is part of this strategy, as it can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the energy efficiency of buildings. According to the Finnish Forest Centre, over a third of Finland's greenhouse gas emissions are generated from buildings and construction. 

Establishing contacts between higher education students and employers seems important 

The results of the migration research of higher education graduates in Northern Ostrobothnia show that higher education graduates choose their place of residence soon after graduation, possibly on the basis of their first job. After this, the threshold for remigration seems to be high. In other words, the higher education graduates tend not to move from one region to another within Northern Ostrobothnia afterwards, and many of those who have moved outside Northern Ostrobothnia do not return. Regions, companies and other employers would therefore benefit from investing in attracting higher education students and establishing contacts between students and employers already during studies or at the latest after graduation. 

Empowering the future of European rural areas 

Digital solutions can reduce vulnerability and promote the adaptability of rural areas. To ensure that the solutions developed are implemented, cooperation between researchers, developers and local communities is needed. The first step is to analyse the pressing socio-economic and environmental challenges in the area to make the smart and community-led transition a success. SMART ERA - SMART Community-led transition for Europe's Rural Areas, launched in early 2024, is doing just that with 25 organisations in 11 countries. The shared reality is shaped in a profound way through visits to the different countries. 

Tourism in a sparsely populated area matter 

Finland is one of the most rural countries in Europe. About 68% of its area is defined as a sparsely populated area with a permanent population of only 5% of the population. The current Government has continued the activities of the working group on sparsely populated areas: according to the Government Programme, taking care of the vitality of the countryside and archipelago is a prerequisite for securing self-sufficiency and security of supply. The aim of our MERVA - from sea to fells -tourism project, carried out in 2022 and 2023, was to increase cooperation and networking between tourism companies in small remote sparsely populated areas and to promote sustainability and best practices. The project ended in October 2023. 

Scarce under-utilised arable land biomass could be used in circular economy by maximising transport efficiency 

A significant amount of land is used in agricultural production in Finland, and emissions from land use, for example, are generated by agriculture. On the other hand, the role of agriculture is expected to become more prominent in society's sustainability solutions, as agricultural systems and the land they use not only produce food but can also be linked to the production of other materials and energy. 

Do you continuously have to develop and improve yourself?

Many entrepreneurs´ and experts´ social media are full of different self-development content. There are online courses, fitness coaching, micro-learning content and everything in between. Some have already taken a critical view of this, e.g. Psychotherapist Emilia Kujala, who specializes in helping overachievers. She just published the book the Great self-help hoax, in which it is claimed that modern man is controlled by the feeling of internalized inadequacy. Work expectations are growing and we have more information than ever about how to stay healthy, fit and well. Nevertheless, we will do worse all the time. We can´t sleep, concentrate and our overall fitness is decreasing. 

From idea to innovation part 1: perspectives on innovation and the special features of entrepreneurship in rural areas 

This is the first blog of two about innovation. In this blog, I reflect on innovation and the special features of entrepreneurship in rural areas. In a later blog, I will continue from this topic to business incubators and present in more detail the implementation of business incubator operations in rural areas. 

From Idea to Innovation Part 2: Perspectives on innovation and entrepreneurship in rural areas 

In this blog, I continue from the Idea to innovation part 1 blog to the special features of business operations in rural areas and to the presentation of the implementation of the VAU!HAUTOMO business incubator. Entrepreneurship has a connection to the environment in which it is implemented. The implementation environment sets the starting frame for the implementation of entrepreneurship and guides the entrepreneur consciously and unconsciously in a certain direction. Thus, the different environments of entrepreneurship set different starting points for entrepreneurship. 

NEW EMPLOYEES 

Strong Emotion, Determined Mindset and Collaborative Efforts

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