TourSME project is a two-year micro, small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) activating and training initiative in the regions of Russian Karelia, Kainuu, and Oulu region. The project contributes by activities increasing the capacity of enterprises to start cross-border economic cooperation by improving the capability of tourism industry enterprises enhancing development of cross-border tourism services in the program areas. The activation of SMEs takes place in three progressive levels: 1) information sharing and networking events 2) training sessions focused to SMEs and; 3) supporting cross-border piloting SMEs.
The lead partner is University of Oulu. Project partners are Karelian Research Center, Administration of Kostomuksha city, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, Kainuun Etu Ltd.
Karelia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme is financed by the European Union, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Finland.
Project ÊÀ4007 “Kalitka – cross-border culinary tourism development” (2018-2020). The lead partner: the IE KarRC RAS. The partners: the Karelia University of Applied Sciences, the North Karelia Municipal Education and Training Consortium, Forgis Oy, OOO “OnegoTour”, KROO (Karelain regional public organisation) “Art-shater”, Megrega Administration. The goal of the project: use of the historico-cultural heritage in the sphere of national cuisine for socio-economic development of cross-border regions. The key project events: conducting research and preparation of a culinary tour itinerary, formulating a cooperative marketing plan, holding workshops and consulting the target groups, creating the “Nastoyashaya Karel’skaya Kukhnya” (“True Karelian Cuisine”) quality mark, opening of the “Noviy Vkus Karelii” (“New Taste of Karelia”) culinary studio in Megrega rural settlement, presenting the local manufacturers at international and regional exhibition fairs, development of a mobile application and a website.
The opening research-to-practice conference “Culinary tourism: traveling with taste” took place on February 27 in Petrozavodsk as part of the international project “Kalitka”. The conference, devoted specifically to the topic of culinary tourism, took place in the Republic of Karelia for the first time and gathered more than 150 participants from Joensuu and Petrozavodsk, Olonets, Sortavala, Belomorsk and other Karelian towns. The participants were specialists in the fields of tourism and catering industry, farmers and manufacturers, scientists, teachers and students. Agreements on the participation of the Republic of Karelia in the project “Culinary map of Russia”, created by the Federal Tourism Agency, were reached at the conference with the assistance of the project team.
An expedition to the key territories of the project took place on March 1-6. During the expedition, the project participants visited catering, accommodation and exhibition establishments, as well as local manufacturing facilities in six municipalities of the Republic of Karelia and Finland. The collected information became the key data for the development of the cross-border culinary tour route. In addition, the data collected by the experts was used in the development of the mobile application and for digital marketing activities in the sphere of culinary tourism.
The experts from the Institute of Economics are conducting a research aimed to assess the current state and to identify the boundaries and the possibilities of the development of culinary tourism in the Republic of Karelia and North Karelia (Finland). This research is being conducted in cooperation with the experts from the Karelia University of Applied Sciences and will be continued in 2020.
Karelia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme is financed by the European Union, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Finland.
Project ÊÀ5013 “Clean Karelia on both sides of the border (2018-2021). The lead partner: the University of Eastern Finland. The partners: the Institute of Economics, the Finnish National Agency for Education, the Finnish Environmental Institute. The main goal of the project is to improve the standards of living in North Karelia and the Republic of Karelia through cross-border cooperation aimed to reduce waste contamination, increase the possibilities of inorganic waste (plastic, glass, metal, paper) sorting and recycling in rural areas. The rural settlements of Lendery (Muyezersky district), Naisten'yarvi (Suoyarvsky district) and Vedlozero village (Pryazhinsky district) were chosen as the preliminary project locations in the Republic of Karelia. On the Finnish side were chosen villages in the municipalities of Ilomantsi and Juuka. The following tasks will be completed on these territories: separate waste collection readiness assessment based on a survey of the local residents; comparative analysis of the existing methods of waste disposal (regulations, infrastructure, local practices); adaptation of better waste disposal procedures in the context of the preliminary territories; development of a strategy of waste management in Karelian communities; establishment of waste sorting stations on the preliminary territories and assessment of their efficiency; running playing and educational events on the preliminary territories (workshops, community cleanups, educational seminars and practical courses).
Three community cleanups took place in 2019, with approximately 300 people participating in them. A series of training sessions and workshops on eco-friendly lifestyle took place in three schools. More than 500 school students took part in these events.
Additionally, modern container yards for collecting solid domestic waste from the population were built on two of the preliminary territories (Timanttikylät in Finland and è Naisten'yarvi in the Republic of Karelia).
The building of container yards on other preliminary territories is planned for 2020 and 2021, as well as teaching the population (the adults and the school students) waste handling rules and key sorting principles.
Karelia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme is financed by the European Union, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Finland
Project KA4033 “IT è IoT for cross-border business” ((2019-2020).). The lead partner: IAMR KarRC RAS. Partners: IE KarRC RAS, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Karelia, the Karelian Regional Institute of Continuing Professional Education, SIE “Arvata”, the University of Oulu, United borders (FI), Aquasystem (RU). The project is aimed to resolve the problems of technological development and the ecological and economical aspect of small and medium-sized enterprises of the Republic of Karelia and Finland in the sphere of aquaculture. Implementation of the project will facilitate effective development and improvement of competitiveness of aquaculture facilities, providing employment and lessening the negative impact on the environment.
The key events: identifying the economic and technical barriers of aquaculture development; developing information technology solutions to the systemic issues, issues of monitoring and water pollution; the Business Synergy Portal; the Business Innovation Festival; an educational program on informational innovations for business.
The opening project seminar took place in November 2018, a survey form for fishery industry facilities was developed and Karelian enterprises were surveyed. In 2019, the experts from the Institute of Economics developed a survey for enterprises in the sphere of aquaculture, and conducted surveys and polls through which they collected the data. The following question sections were included in the surveys: the production section, which provides insight into the volumes of farmed fish and the product range of the facilities; the innovation section, which assesses the level of the innovation activity of the enterprise; the education section, which represents the level of the professional education of the employees and the need of further training, and the internet resource section, which shows the level of IT usage in industrial activities.
The research shows that the aquaculture sphere requires development of modern integrated solutions in industrial process automation, as well as special professional development programs for the employees, factoring in modern requirements and challenges along with the IT capabilities.
Karelia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme is financed by the European Union, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Finland.
Project KA1030 “Ethnocultural potential of tourism industry in the cross-border regions” (microproject) (2019). The lead partner: the “Mel’nitsa” foundation. Partners: IE KarRC RAS, the Association of Rural Culture and Education. The goal of the project: identifying the enterprises’ conditions and possibilities of developing cooperative ethnocultural tourism products, as well as the potential demand for these products in cross-border economic cooperation. The tasks of the project: examining the demand for ethnocultural products; examining the travel industry regarding the use of ethnocultural products; conducting case studies of a series of tourism enterprises to formulate recommendations on the integration of ethnocultural products.
To date, the project activities have been concluded. In the framework of the project, the Institute of Economics has held an opinion poll of 805 tourists and 35 tourism companies. Based on the survey results, a marketing evaluation of the supply and demand of the market of travel services with elements of local cultural heritage in the cross-border territories of the Republic of Karelia (Russia) and North Karelia (Finland) was taken. The following aspects were analyzed in the evaluation of the demand: the informedness of the consumer about the tourism product with elements of the local cultural heritage; the readiness of the consumer to purchase the ethnocultural product and to prefer it over other products; the demand and the popularity of the tourism product with elements of the local cultural heritage which the consumer is ready to purchase and recommend to other consumers in the future. The aspects assessed in the evaluation of the supply: the stability of the market standing of the travel company; the interest in and the readiness for promotion of the ethnocultural product; inclusion in network and cross-border organizations that facilitate the promotion of the tourism product with elements of the local cultural heritage on the tourist service market. The results of the project confirm the high potential of the cross-border projects of development of tourism products of local cultural heritage between North Karelia and the Republic of Karelia. The results of the project can be of practical use in making management decisions in the sphere of tourism development (for municipal and regional authorities, the travel industry and potential investors).
Karelia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme is financed by the European Union, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Finland
Mathematical and statistical processing of data collected in a survey of health of students of the Republic of Karelia was continued on the basis of the 2013database; international edition of the monograph "Youth Health: interdisciplinary approach" was continued (in English).
The KarRC RAS staff participated in international projects of ENPI CBC Karelia during 2012-2014 as experts: