International Ñooperation

Projects

Projects of the Karelia Cross-Border Cooperation Programme (Karelia CBC Programme).

  • 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


  • The international project of consortium "Health of Population: Problems and Solutions" (led by RAS Corresponding Fellow, RAS adviser Rimashevskaya N.M.). Russian side of the project is presented by : Institute of Social and Economic Forecasting Population Sciences (Moscow), Institute of Economics of Karelian Research Centre of RAS (Petrozavodsk), Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of RAS (Vologda); foreign parties: Belorussia National Academy of Sciences (Institute of Sociology, National Academy of Sciences), Catholic University of Lublin (Poland). Coordinator at the KarRC RAS Institute of Economics – T.V. Morozova.
    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).

  • "Impact of climate change on the economy of the Russian regions" was continued in 2014. The dependence of the yield of cultivated crops in the regions of Russia on various factors, including climatic characteristics was studied. Some models were developed based on data analysis. The models are based on regression equations, which yields the regions considered, depending on the selected factors: agro-climatic, agronomic, soil conditions, socio-economic characteristics, culture, the level of management and technological level. It is shown that different cultures define different dynamics of productivity factors and inter-regional differences in one culture are small. Calculations were carried out according to the Northwestern, Central, Volga and Ural Federal Districts. It is shown that a determining influence of factors such as technological level, the level of management and the importance of climatic characteristics are important for grain. The determining influence of climatic characteristics is for potato. The decisive influence of technological level and climatic characteristics are demonstrated for vegetables.

  • «Comparative analysis of the impact of the economy on the environment in the Russian Federation and the Kyrgyz Republic on the basis of mathematical models». During 2014 statistics data were collected to construct and analyze the dynamic of economic development of Russia and Kyrgyzstan, including data on the main branches (activities), most strongly affecting the environment. The literature on the modeling of ecological and economic processes of building functions was reviewed. Special functions that take into account indicators reflected the activities of the Environment were developed.

  • «Modern entrepreneurship and territorial development in rural areas of the Nordic countries and North-West Russia». The concept of Rural Entrepreneurship Development Strategy in the North-West of Russia was developed and presented at the All-Russian Forum "Strategic Planning in the Regions and Cities of Russia." Presentation of two scientific reports on the part of the XXIII International Agricultural Exhibition-Fair "AGRORUS 2014".

  • «From borders to shared space». In the frame of the international project "From the borders to shares space" in 2014 a subproject "Prospects for Socio-Economic Development and International Cooperation of the Republic of Karelia" was made. Prospects for socio-economic development and international cooperation of the Republic of Karelia were presented according to the results of the subproject. Priorities for socio-economic development of the Republic of Karelia through the use of science intensive technologies were justified also.

  • «The transformation of the family in Russia under the influence of economic, social and cultural processes». The international pilot project funded by The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, SIDA (Sweden), under contract with the Russian Academy of Sciences ISESP (Moscow) made subproject associated with conducting sociological survey on households of Republic of Karelia "Problems of formation of new models of family relations in the North-west of Russia." According to the results of the survey the electronic database was formed.

  • The KarRC RAS staff participated in international projects of ENPI CBC Karelia during 2012-2014 as experts:

  • In 2014, in the framework of the project "Eco-Efficient Tourism" strategy for tourism development and marketing plans for the pilot project areas has been developed. Complete competitive strategy and marketing approaches to attract tourists and promote the concept of eco-efficiency were offered based on a detailed SWOT-analysis of tourism development.

  • In the frame of the project "Contemporary old city: Enhancing cultural tourism across the border" in 2014 the tourism market in the Republic of Karelia and Petrozavodsk was estimated. A strategy for the development of tourism in Petrozavodsk was developed. The development of a joint marketing plan for the city of Petrozavodsk and Joensuu was continued.

  • Within the project "AQUAREL – aquatic resources for green energy realization" in 2014 the concept of the use of biological waste to the needs of the energy sector was developed; a pilot project on recycling the fishing industry was implemented.

  • In 2014, the project «Green cities and settlements» carried out researches aimed at developing new approaches to the development of "green" cities and settlements in remote border areas, including their long-term spatial and socio-economic development. Particular recommendations on spatial planning for the pilot areas (Kostomuksha, Kalevala National District) were developed, including an action plan for the development of energy efficient technologies cluster in Kostomuksha. The project also provided training and seminars, implemented measures to visualize the project results and the dissemination of information about it.

  • «Intellectually driven management of natural resources of Green Belt of Fennoscandia». Some recommendations for the concept of scientific and sightseeing activities and tourism in the pilot specially protected natural area "State Nature Reserve “Kostomukshsky” and on the territory of Kostomuksha urban district until 2020 were developed.

  • The project "Social services on both sides of the border" was continued in 2014. A sociological survey on "Assessment of the level (quality, availability, demand) the provision of low-threshold social services taking into account the categories of people in remote villages of the Republic of Karelia" was conducted. The model of social services in remote areas of the Republic of Karelia was developed and presented, including the criteria for quality, accessibility, satisfaction, needs.

  • As part of an international project «Karlands» ("Integrated landscape planning for the sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity conservation") subproject "Economic and sociological research on the topic: "Assessment of the structure and development strategies of stakeholders in the field of natural resources of the Republic of Karelia" has been implemented in 2014. On the basis of conducted economic and sociological surveys the structure and development strategies of key stakeholders in the field of natural resources in the territory of the Republic of Karelia (Muezersky District and Kostomuksha) were estimated.


  • International Ñooperation
    Last modified: September 14, 2021