The Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region is a meeting place for stakeholders working together for a more sustainable and prosperous Baltic Sea Region. Peyman Khodabakhsh and Darijus Valiucko from aconium joined this year’s forum in Tallinn (Estonia) to share the CORA (COnnecting Remote Areas with digital infrastructure and services) solutions for connecting and digitalising regions with the stakeholders in the BSR. The session “Digitalising and connecting the neighbourhood: solutions for the BSR” was jointly organised by the CBSS Secretariat (Daria Akhutina), City of Turku (Mikko Lohikoski), Centrum Balticum and aconium.
The speakers introduced and analysed digitalisation trends. In this context, Peyman Khodabakhsh explained the CORA approach and set the picture for the discussion during the session: one needs digital infrastructure, digital skills and digital services to prepare the regions for the digital world after 2020. The local authorities need and appreciate support in creating the local digital ecosystems. Other experts from around the Baltic Sea Region provided their insights and experiences to this topic: Lars Ahlbäck, CEO of Tilaajavastuu (an online platform for electronic services), addressed the topic of digital services by presenting the joint transnational platform for data sharing and building trust in the real estate and construction sector. Jury Vorotnitsky, Chairman of the Board for Digitalization Transformation of the Belarusian State University, looked into the digital skills, where development of master programmes in the field of complex integrated systems’ design prepares so much needed future skilled personnel. Svetlana Kochkaeva, Manager in the Center of science and technology foresight at ITMO University in St. Petersburg, draw attention to the macro perspective and explained that one has to be aware of different possible futures. It seems the strategic collaboration on global challenges will play a role if we are to maintain the successful development of the region.
To illustrate how the knowledge and examples can be implemented locally, a case of City of Turku was examined. Juhani Ailio, Centrum Balticum, noted the expected population growth (more than 5% by 2030), aging of the inhabitants (over 24% of population is expected to be older than 65), decreasing unemployment, comparably good broadband infrastructure at affordable prices as well as growing demand for skilled labour. Based on these figures, the speakers made their recommendations to the developers of the Turku region that included suggestions such as to widen the platform and improve the environment for innovations and smart development, to enable the data flow between departments and authorities in the public administration and to encourage global thinking, “crazy ideas” and local acting.
The participants and speakers will include the experience from the session into their work on current and upcoming projects, and meet again at the next annual forum in Gdansk in June 2019 to check how the ideas and approaches worked out.
About CORA
CORA is an Interreg IV B project on stimulating digital infrastructure and services in rural areas. CORA provides support for local municipalities in identifying common challenges whlile encouraging them to exchange experiences and develop innovative solutions in order to create a sustainable digital environment. CORA partners are developing a model with an extensive guideline for the digitalization of rural areas.
aconium is project developer of CORA, does support the lead partner in project and financial management and is responsible for the communication work package.
Photo: Peyman Khodabakhsh (Project Manager aconium) presenting the CORA project. Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. 4 June 2018, Tallinn (Estonia).
Photo credit: Estonian Foreign Ministry