Development of Parent Involvement Models for Bilingual Pre- and Primary School (PIM)

P4 Skilled and socially inclusive region

4.1. More people benefiting from stronger Central Baltic communities

Central Baltic

01.09.2015 - 31.08.2017

204.865 EUR

167.241 EUR ERDF

The PIM project aims at supporting bilingual education for children in Russian-speaking minority groups in Estonia, Finland and Latvia by developing parent involvement models for bilingual learning process.

The main responsibility in bilingual education in the partner countries has been on the teachers and schools. The project will enable the Russian-speaking school communities to improve their home-school cooperation. In practice the project will combine traditional models of parent involvement with bilingual education specific themes and methods. The project will also take into account the context of old and new immigrants.

As a result of the project home-school cooperation and awareness about multicultural education are both expected to increase. The process, in turn, will have a direct impact on broader Russian-speaking communities gathered around the schools in the same town, and the same region. Through the schools, the changes can be initiated from the grass root level, but the overall influence will have an impact on the whole society.

Lead Partner

Tartu Ülikool

Country: EE

www.narva.ut.ee [50]

Partner budget: 93.565 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 79.530 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Helsingin Yliopisto

Country: FI

http://www.helsinki.fi/yliopisto/ [51]

Partner budget: 68.940 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 51.705 EUR ERDF

Latvijas Universitate

Country: LV

http://www.lu.lv/ [52]

Partner budget: 42.360 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 36.006 EUR ERDF

Expected results

Achieved results

Project result in category -
Improved community

PIM - a bi-lingual education process for children

PIM improved bi-lingual education process for children within Russian-speaking minority groups in Estonia, Finland and Latvia. This was achieved by creating a Parent Involvement Model (PIM). The focus was on ages between 5-10. 
 
The Parent Involvement Model was piloted in pre-schools (1 in Finland, 2 in Estonia and 5 in Latvia) and elementary schools (1 in Finland, 2 in Estonia and 2 in Latvia). In total, 719 parents were involved in the pilots, thus exceeding the set aim of 250. The pilots included educational information activities that emphasised cooperation between families and schools, as well as family events organised together with pre-schools.
 
The project produced globally applicable guidelines for cooperation between ethnic minorities and schools, background information regarding parent involvement models within Russian-speaking families, a training programme for educators with focus on bi-lingual education, and a practical work package for developing parent involvement models.
Project page in database
At a glance
  • Globally applicable best practices for improving bi-lingual education
  • Over 700 parents involved
  • A training programme for educators
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Social media links

Project website [58]

 

ICT Security in VET (ITSVET)

P4 Skilled and socially inclusive region

4.2. More aligned vocational education and training (VET) programmes in the Central Baltic region

Central Baltic

01.12.2015 - 31.03.2019

1.160.123 EUR

966.049 EUR ERDF

The project ITSVET aims at developing a model for providing ICT security skills on the vocational education level. Reports show that demand for ICT security professionals has grown faster over the past five years than demand for other ICT jobs. Thus, the objective of the project is to meet the needs of the region’s employers through developing a VET model for the ICT security specialists to reduce the skill gap of the labour market in the Central Baltic region. The consortium brings together ICT employers, vocational education institutions and vocational education regulatory bodies.

In practice the project performs a research to identify the needed competences for ICT security specialists in the Central Baltic labour market. Based on the results the project develops a new curriculum for vocational education schools in Estonia, Latvia and Finland. To make this a ready-to-go model, learning materials and a teacher’s guide will be developed and the future teachers of this curriculum will be trained. All three participating vocational schools will run a pilot of the developed curriculum in their school.

Developing a joint curriculum will lead to further integration of the Central Baltic region labour market due to enhanced mobility of students and employees as well as raised awareness about the developed curriculum.

Lead Partner

Tehnikahariduse Edendamise Sihtasutus

Country: EE

www.tehnikaharidus.ee [59]

Partner budget: 116.822 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 99.298 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

BCS Koolitus AS

Country: EE

http://www.bcskoolitus.ee [60]

Partner budget: 195.596 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 166.256 EUR ERDF

Tallinna Polütehnikum

Country: EE

http://www.tpt.edu.ee [61]

Partner budget: 184.436 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 156.770 EUR ERDF

Rīgas Tehniskā koledža

Country: LV

http://www.rtk.lv/ [62]

Partner budget: 184.171 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 156.545 EUR ERDF

Helsinki Business College

Country: FI

Partner budget: 200.547 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 150.410 EUR ERDF

Latvijas Informācijas un komunikācijas tehnoloģijas asociācija - LIKTA

Country: LV

www.likta.lv [63]

Partner budget: 124.033 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 105.428 EUR ERDF

SA Innove

Country: EE

www.innove.ee [64]

Partner budget: 154.519 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 131.341 EUR ERDF

Associated Partners

Sihtasutus Kutsekoda

Country: EE

Eesti Infotehnoloogia ja Telekommunikatsiooni Liit

Country: EE

Expected results

Achieved results

Project result in category -
Aligned vocational education and training programme

ITSVET - ICT security skills on the vocational education level

The ICT Security Specialist curriculum was developed in English and localized for Estonia, Latvia, and Finland. 8 VET schools from Estonia, 5 schools from Latvia and 12 schools from Finland have been involved in project activities and teacher training and are preparing themselves to use the developed curricula.
Most important outcomes: 

  • Competence-based occupational standard for ICT Security Specialist EQF level 5.
  • ICT Security Specialist curriculum for level EQF 5 in English, Estonian, Finnish and Latvian. Curriculum was piloted in all participating countries (EST, FIN, LAT) before issuing the final version.
  • Learning Resources, especially practical Lab Manuals focusing on 26 most relevant ICT security topics for EQF 5 level specialists. These learning resources can be used for any VET or ICT training provider to use as is or to modify and use partially.
  • Skilled and competent VET institution teachers: Teachers from 25 VET institutions were trained. To support teachers in introducing and teaching the curriculum Teacher handbooks were developed and launched in the form of a web source.

The project communicated directly with all main target groups: employers/SME's were addressed to define the skills gaps, VET students as main endusers were involved in direct training while piloting the curriculum and learning materials and VET teachers were engaged in teacher training and teachers' manual development. The electronic channels were for informing about international dissemination events, SME feedback survey, and teacher training.

The specific technical issues are subject to quick changes, but, as the curriculum consists of independent lab manuals, it should be easy to make changes in these.
Project has reported already clear interest from VET schools from the Netherlands, UK, and Spain, to introduce the concept also to their countries and to widen the scope of ICT security curricula to non-ICT students also. 

 

Project page in database
At a glance
  • Competence Standard
  • ICT Security Specialist curriculum
  • Learning Resources
  • Skilled and competent VET institution teachers
  • Piloted and evaluated curriculum
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Innovative Sustainable Remediation (INSURE)

P2 Sustainable use of common resources

2.4. Reduced nutrients, hazardous substances and toxins inflow into the Baltic Sea

Central Baltic

01.09.2015 - 31.08.2019

2.423.009 EUR

1.877.434 EUR ERDF

The project INSURE aims at decreasing the impact of hazardous substances to the environment from contaminated sites. The idea is to decrease leakage from contaminated sites to ground and surface water to reduce the inflow of hazardous substances and toxins into the Baltic Sea.

In practice the project develops and tests cost effective and sustainable methods to contribute to more sustainable remediation. Additionally, the project focuses on finding more efficient management methods and new solutions for prioritisation, visualisation, registration and information of contaminated sites.

As a result of the project best practice for remediation and sustainable solutions is worked out for contaminants. The project contributes to the result through sustainable remediation, management methods and innovative technical tools for visualisation. Five contaminated areas in Sweden, Finland and Latvia are used as pilot areas to test different on-site remediation techniques, demonstrate their sustainability and cost effectiveness compared to present excavation of contaminated sites. Using innovative tools for visualisation of contaminated sites results in a better overview and knowledge of contaminated sites. All in all, the project creates solutions for reducing the transport of hazardous substances to the Baltic Sea.

Lead Partner

Länsstyrelsen Östergötland

Country: SE

http://www.lansstyrelsen.se/ostergotland/ [79]

Partner budget: 924.468 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 693.351 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Latvijas Vides, ģeoloģijas un meteoroloģijas centrs

Country: LV

www.lvgmc.lv [80]

Partner budget: 242.259 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 205.920 EUR ERDF

Motala kommun

Country: SE

http://www.motala.se/kommun [81]

Partner budget: 405.944 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 304.458 EUR ERDF

Populus group Oy

Country: FI

Under construction

Partner budget: 141.390 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 106.042 EUR ERDF

Vidzemes plānošanas reģions

Country: LV

www.vidzeme.lv [82]

Partner budget: 229.589 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 195.151 EUR ERDF

Helsingin yliopisto

Country: FI

http://www.helsinki.fi/ymparistotieteet/english/ [83]

Partner budget: 349.438 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 262.078 EUR ERDF

Valmieras pilsētas pašvaldība

Country: LV

www.valmiera.lv [84]

Partner budget: 129.921 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 110.433 EUR ERDF

Expected results

Achieved results

Project result in category -
Reduction of nutrients, hazardous substances and toxins inflow into the Baltic

INSURE - New methods to prevent hazardous substances from reaching the Baltic Sea

The project “Innovative Sustainable Remediation” (INSURE), with project partners from Sweden, Latvia and Finland, aimed to improve and increase the rate of remediation of contaminated sites and thereby decreasing the hazardous substances and toxins into the Baltic Sea. Currently the most common treatment for contaminated areas is excavation, where contaminated masses are removed and transported away for treatment or final storage. This not is considered sustainable because of the CO2 emissions created to transport both clean and contaminated masses.
The project worked in three areas:

  1. Testing different methods in pilot areas

The project tested various so called in situ methods in eight pilot areas (Motala in Sweden; two pilot sites in Valmiera, Latvia; Janakkala, Nastola, Virrat, Loppi and Karjaa in Finland). Each pilot area had different historic contaminants. Therefore suitable sustainable techniques for each site were tested, and knowledge and experience was gathered what method would be suitable at what type of site. Examples of techniques used are bio-stimulation, electro-kinetic pumping, fenton reaction and phytoremediation.
 

  1. Supervision and enforcement

During the project, new methods have been developed and used to improve the work of supervision and enforcement. Supervision and enforcement are necessary tools for authorities to achieve increased rate of remediation of contaminated sites.

  • A series of documents were prepared on this topic (for example: self-monitoring of contaminated sites in Sweden, Handbook including checklist and methodology for supervision and enforcement in operation, etc.).
  • Strategies also have been developed to more efficiently handle areas that are complex because of e.g. their size, diversity of contaminants, property owners and responsibility.
  • Furthermore, a tool for enterprises has been developed; A Plan of action, that describes how to continuously self-monitor the work with their contaminated site. Within INSURE, the County Administrative Board of Östergötland and Motala Municipality have participated in this activity together with 28 enterprises.

 

  1. Technical tools for visualisation

As contaminated areas often are complex with several contaminants in different media like soil, ground- and surface water, sediments and buildings, there is a need to find better tools for prioritisation and visualisation of the sites to support the work. During the project, a database of contaminated sites was developed in Latvia. Another example is new GIS tools that support the visualisation of the contaminated sites. All project experience for visualisations of contaminated sites and developed tools are available in the project website.

Project website: www.insureproject.se [85]

Project page in database
At a glance
  • 7 sources of hazardous substances was worked with that improved the situation in the Baltic Sea.
  • 8 pilot areas in three countries. In 7 of those the project received successful results.
  • Improved methods for supervision and enforcement was developed for better management
  • Technical tools for visualisations was developed
Files
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Social media links

Webpage [85]

Facebook [95]

Project videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_m3pKuJUPY
 

Access to Distant Markets in Health and Wellness (CB HealthAccess)

P1 Competitive economy

1.3. More exports by the Central Baltic companies to new markets

Central Baltic

01.09.2015 - 31.12.2018

1.215.149 EUR

954.101 EUR ERDF

The existing e-health and life-science clusters see a clear need for a cross-border meta-cluster to solve common challenges of supporting expansion of their innovative companies. The project CB HealthAccess focuses on supporting health technology companies to enter into new distant markets in South Korea, US, India and Uganda with their products.

The project activities include gathering market information (legal setup, rules for health products, financial schemes in health, competition, technological environment, partnerships, etc.), adaption of products, marketing and sales activities, involvement of experts from the target market, business missions, 121 meetings, negotiations and closing of sales. The aim is to establish a lasting relation to the target markets to guarantee smoother access for new innovative health technology companies from the clusters.

The project aims at minimum of three new sales by a company of a participating cluster in each of the four target markets, i.e. 12 new sales in these distant markets. Half of these will be achieved during the project duration and the other half within one year after the end of the CB Health Access project.

Lead Partner

SA Tallinna Teaduspark Tehnopol

Country: EE

www.tehnopol.ee [96]

Partner budget: 261.831 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 222.557 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Tartu Biotehnoloogia Park OÜ

Country: EE

www.biopark.ee [97]

Partner budget: 146.536 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 124.555 EUR ERDF

Turku Science Park Oy

Country: FI

www.turkusciencepark.com [98]

Partner budget: 354.370 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 265.778 EUR ERDF

Swedish Medtech

Country: SE

www.swedishmedtech.se [99]

Partner budget: 348.741 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 261.556 EUR ERDF

Enixus Baltics

Country: LV

enixus.me [100]

Partner budget: 19.026 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 16.172 EUR ERDF

Swecare

Country: SE

http://swecare.se [101]

Partner budget: 84.645 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 63.484 EUR ERDF

Expected results

Achieved results

Project result in category -
New cluster co-operation exporting to new markets

CB HealthAccess - Export of products within the Health and Wellness sector

The project “Access to Distant Markets in Health and Wellness” (CB HealthAccess) has helped a number of SMEs from the CB region, within the health technology sector, to achieve sales, raise investments, and to close different type of collaboration agreements in four distant markets; South Korea, the United States, India and Uganda.
 
In total 58 individual companies in the health technology sector from Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Sweden participated in the project. Some of the companies were active in more than one market during the project. The participation in the different markets was allocated as follows:
In the South Korean market activities; 25 companies were involved.
In the US market activities; 22 companies were involved.
In the Indian market activities; 12 companies were involved.
In the Ugandan market activities; 10 companies were involved.
 
Direct results within the project period, in short: 5 sales were achieved, 4 investments were raised, and 1 agreement with a business partner was signed.
 
Indirect results within the project period, in short: 3 preliminary agreements for co-operation were signed, 1 contract was closed, 2 cooperation projects were started, 1 test marketing was started, 1 study in a hospital was started.
 
In addition, in the end of the project many companies were still in negotiations or working on meeting local regulations in order to continue their access to the markets.
 
On a more general level the project has raised awareness of, and interest in, distant markets. As the market of health technologies is global, the companies need to expose themselves and their products to international competition and consumers in other countries in order to be able to develop more competitive products and market adaptations.

Project page in database
At a glance
  • 58 individual companies in the health technology sector participated in the project activities in the South Korean, the US, the Indian and the Ugandan market. Some of the companies were active in more than one market during the project.
  • 5 direct sales within the project period were achieved, 4 investments were raised, and 1 agreement with a business partner was signed.
  • Indirect results within the project period: 3 preliminary agreements for co-operation were signed, 1 contract was closed, 2 cooperation projects were started, 1 test marketing was started, 1 study in a hospital was started.
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Pilot watersheds as a practical tool to reduce the harmful inflows into the Baltic Sea. (WATERCHAIN)

P2 Sustainable use of common resources

2.4. Reduced nutrients, hazardous substances and toxins inflow into the Baltic Sea

Central Baltic

01.10.2015 - 30.09.2018

2.574.250 EUR

2.029.057 EUR ERDF

The project WATERCHAIN helps to reduce inflows of nutrients and hazardous substances to the Baltic Sea from all types of land-based sources by using pilot watersheds and environmental technology. The project tackles both highly developed intensely populated cities as well as less developed peripheral, sparsely populated rural and island regions in pilot watersheds.

The main actions are carried out in the pilot watersheds in each partner country with the practical actions targeted to sustainable impact. The sustainable use of common resources is based both on prevention of nutrients and hazardous substances inflow, as well as on water treatment of these harmful substances already entered the water bodies. During the project period, one to two sources of nutrients or hazardous substances recognized by river basin water management plans are identified and activities to reduce the substances in each pilot watershed are also initiated.

As a result of the project best practices with a common approach for sustainable development are launched in other geographical areas within the Central Baltic region and further all countries around the Baltic Sea. By year 2023, the pollution loads of nutrients and hazardous substances from targeted sources are reduced in pilot watersheds flowing into the Baltic Sea. Therefore, project results have a direct impact on the quality of living environment of local people and visitors to the area, especially on pilot watersheds.

Lead Partner

Satakunnan ammattikorkeakoulu

Country: FI

www.samk.fi [122]

Partner budget: 479.350 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 359.512 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Pyhäjärvi-instituuttisäätiö

Country: FI

www.pji.fi [123]

Partner budget: 288.900 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 216.675 EUR ERDF

Turun ammattikorkeakoulu

Country: FI

www.tuas.fi [124]

Partner budget: 289.800 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 217.350 EUR ERDF

Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan

Country: SE

https://www.kth.se/ [125]

Partner budget: 374.100 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 280.575 EUR ERDF

Tallinna Tehnikaulikool

Country: EE

http://www.ttu.ee/ [126]

Partner budget: 262.375 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 223.019 EUR ERDF

Eesti Keskkonnauuringute Keskus

Country: EE

http://www.klab.ee/ [127]

Partner budget: 238.625 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 202.831 EUR ERDF

Rīgas Tehniskā universitāte

Country: LV

www.rtu.lv [128]

Partner budget: 207.300 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 176.205 EUR ERDF

Vides Risinäjumu Instituts

Country: LV

http://www.videsinstituts.lv/ [129]

Partner budget: 275.400 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 234.090 EUR ERDF

Ålands Vatten

Country: FI

http://www.vatten.ax/ [130]

Partner budget: 158.400 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 118.800 EUR ERDF

Expected results

Achieved results

Project result in category -
Reduction of nutrients, hazardous substances and toxins inflow into the Baltic

Waterchain - prevention of nutrients inflows in the Baltic Sea

Project Waterchain tackled the prevention of water pollution by using spatial planning and source-specific cost-effective technological solutions for water treatment including both science-based ones as well as practical knowledge. The cross-border co-operation partnership set up in the framework of Waterchain project, enabled by the wide complementary expertise of Finnish (incl. Åland), Estonian, Latvian and Swedish partners within the fields of water treatment led to the successful development and implementation of several practical innovative actions to prevent and reduce nutrients and hazardous substances inflows into the Baltic Sea. The project, focused on the main local problems and considered the feedbacks of the local target groups.
 
The technological methods used to reduce the inflow of nutrients and hazardous substances from inland waters were implemented during the project in participating countries as pilot investments. Crucial hotspot areas for nutrient loading were identified in pilot watersheds. Reduction activities were carried out in hotspot areas by installing and implementing a small scale innovative nutrient reduction systems on the nutrients sources as pilot measures: 4 pilots in Finland and 2 in Latvia. The seventh pilot was carried out in a laboratory.
 
In addition, the project identified three groups of hazardous substances based on Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) Directive 39/2013/EU and Baltic Sea Action Plan: pharmaceutical residues, pesticides and perfluorinated compounds. Activities to reduce the inflows into the watershed were initiated with a pilot in Swedish and Estonian pilot watersheds.
 

 

Curriculum alignment and cross-border cooperation with SMEs (EDU-SMEs)

P4 Skilled and socially inclusive region

4.2. More aligned vocational education and training (VET) programmes in the Central Baltic region

Central Baltic

01.09.2015 - 28.02.2017

256.692 EUR

209.058 EUR ERDF

The project EDU-SMEs aims at developing a better matching between the graduates’ competencies and companies’ needs in the Central Baltic region. The project idea lies in aligning partner institutions’ curricula in business management and entrepreneurship.

In practice new knowledge and pedagogical approaches are integrated in the existing curricula and students will gain new competencies especially in the field of internationalization of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs). The project main activities help to integrate classroom learning and practice in the workplace by strengthening cooperation between vocational education training institutions and SMEs through real-life assignments. The project also supports individual SMEs in their internationalization through cross-border activities that link SMEs with faculty and students in their target markets. The activities include a jointly developed and delivered e-learning course on internationalization of SMEs.

As a result of the project the curricula in business management and entrepreneurships are aligned and cross-border cooperation with SMEs is expected to increase. The project will also produce useful materials and support for other vocational education and training programmes and SMEs in the region.

Lead Partner

Yrkeshögskolan Arcada Ab

Country: FI

www.arcada.fi [37]

Partner budget: 91.304 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 68.478 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Vidzemes Augstskola

Country: LV

www.va.lv [153]

Partner budget: 41.764 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 35.499 EUR ERDF

Eesti Ettevõtluskõrgkooli Mainor (AS Erahariduskeskus)

Country: EE

www.eek.ee [154]

Partner budget: 48.945 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 41.603 EUR ERDF

Tallinna Tehnikakõrgkool

Country: EE

www.tktk.ee [155]

Partner budget: 42.299 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 35.954 EUR ERDF

Valmieras Biznesa un inovāciju inkubators

Country: LV

www.vbii.lv [156]

Partner budget: 32.382 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 27.524 EUR ERDF

Expected results

Achieved results

Project result in category -
Aligned vocational education and training programme

EDU-SMEs project - an aligned VET programme in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship

A team of teachers from four partner universities of applied sciences in Estonia, Finland and Latvia designed and implemented an e-learning course in five modules, by creating new co-operation platforms for SMEs and higher education institutions across national borders.

A real-life cross-border assignment (CBA) provides a genuine learning environment, where students and SMEs work closely together across national borders. The CBAs directly link SMEs with faculty and students abroad; i.e. with their target markets.

Around 180 students participated in the project during its implementation, and cross-border assignments provided a strong integration of classroom learning and real-life practice. The concrete cooperation with an SME in another country trained the students and gave new competencies in the field of internationalisation of small and medium-sized companies.

A large number of companies – more than 300 representing a variety of sectors - were reached during project implementation. They benefitted from direct support in their internationalisation processes.
The course "International Business Strategies of SMEs" sums up to 10 ECTS. It is web based, free of use. 

The EDU-SMEs Handbook provides guidance to teachers in designing materials for the e-course and assisting in implementing the real-life cross-border assignments (CBAs).

Good cooperation between the partners and the fact that the project was based on a real need have helped the project to reach all expected results and to ensure sustainability of the results. Other forms of cooperation have emerged as an additional result of the project. Among these are e.g. guest lecturing about growing market areas, such as Asia and Africa.

 

Project page in database
At a glance
  • 10 ECTS course on International business strategies for SMEs
  • 180 student participants during project implementation
  • Over 300 reached companies
  • Handbook for teachers
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Project homepage [160]

 

Living with Cultural Heritage (LiviHeri)

P2 Sustainable use of common resources

2.1. Natural and cultural resources developed into sustainable tourist attractions

Central Baltic

01.09.2015 - 30.11.2018

593.073 EUR

467.778 EUR ERDF

The goal of the project LiviHeri is to learn how to live, maintain and cherish a historical town while preserving its characteristic environment and liveability. The project builds on a joint interest based on the recognition of similarities and differences between the participating towns of Rauma (Finland), Visby (Sweden), Kuldiga and Aizpute (Latvia).

The project develops thematically joint tourist attractions based on cultural and natural resources as well as thematically and periodically joint tourist products. The participating towns will build joint platforms for communication in social media enhancing simultaneous activities, shared experiences and crowd-sourced innovations. The activities will be done via joint learning process with benchmarking visits, local activities and sharing the local skills and knowledge hand-by-hand in workshops as well as digitally in social media.

The project will produce three new joint tourist packages, two new tourist attractions and three new identification and awareness raising packages.

Lead Partner

Rauman kaupunki

Country: FI

www.rauma.fi [162]

Partner budget: 248.500 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 186.375 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Kuldiga District Council

Country: LV

www.kuldiga.lv [163]

Partner budget: 211.000 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 179.350 EUR ERDF

Starpnozaru mākslas grupa SERDE

Country: LV

http://www.serde.lv/ [164]

Partner budget: 18.734 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 15.924 EUR ERDF

Turun yliopisto, Opettajankoulutuslaitos, Rauman yksikkö

Country: FI

http://www.utu.fi/fi/yksikot/edu/yksikot/okl/Sivut/home.aspx [165]

Partner budget: 87.339 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 65.504 EUR ERDF

Region Gotland

Country: SE

http://www.gotland.se/ [166]

Partner budget: 27.500 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 20.625 EUR ERDF

Expected results

Achieved results

Project result in category -
Joint tourist attraction

LiviHeri - experiencing cultural heritage in UNESCO World Heritage towns.

Preserving the spirit of a city whilst developing tourist attractions can be a challenge. Central Baltic project LiviHeri  [167]accepted it. As a result, the project established the following tourist attractions in the UNESCO World Heritage towns of Rauma (Finland), Visby (Sweden), Kuldiga and Aizpute (Latvia).
The tourist attractions the project developed are:

  • A Cup of Coffee! – local homeowners invite tourists and residents into their yards for a cup of coffee to learn about the house and the neighbourhood’s history.
  • Bedtime stories – local homeowners offer accommodation to tourists. Whilst lodging, tourists can learn about the house and the neighbourhood’s history.
  • Step in! A treasure hunt – walking tours along the project locations e.g. “Walk a poem along the trail” [168] in Rauma, ”Find The Unicorn” in Kuldiga and ”A World Heritage walk through Visby”.
  • Go under! Archaeological heritage – walking routes along the local neighbourhood
  • Flying fish – e.g. a walking route [169] in Rauma along the Raumajoki river.

In order to maintain and illustrate traditional handicraft skills, the project also embedded educational and knowledge sharing activities in the attractions, such as restoration workshops. These activities are collected in the project publication: “Living with Cultural Heritage – sharing experiences and knowledge around the Baltic Sea” and in the working papers: “Toolkit for joint tourist activities – A Cup of Coffee! and Bedtime stories; Toolkit for Co-Creation of Cultural Heritage Databank”. The attractions were developed both for tourists and residents alike.
The project was granted the European Year of Cultural Heritage label in April 2018. In the framework of the label, the project was portrayed in the “Connecting Cultures, Connected Citizens” booklet. The booklet portrays projects that have been granted the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 label. These projects also presented their activities in Brussels in October 2018 during the European Week of Regions and Cities.

Project page in database
At a glance
  • 4000 people involved in the project activities
  • 5 new joint tourist attractions
Files
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Social media links

Facebook [179]

Twitter [180]

Other media visibility

Project homepage [181]

Project videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EHmASzPue4&feature=youtu.be
 

Cross-border services for creative adventure learning in the zoos of the Central Baltic Region (SmartZoos)

P2 Sustainable use of common resources

2.1. Natural and cultural resources developed into sustainable tourist attractions

Central Baltic

01.09.2015 - 31.08.2018

627.680 EUR

497.192 EUR ERDF

The main objective of the SmartZoos project is to integrate the zoos of the CB region to form a joint tourist attraction through developing, implementing and joint marketing of a cross-border service package of creative adventure learning with mobile devices (SmartZoo service package).

The project activities include the service package being designed, developed, piloted among 100 visitors of the zoos and jointly marketed by the partner zoos in Estonia, Sweden and Finland. The service package will include interactive location-based assignments, possibilities for challenging other visitors of the zoos and organising adventure games, challenges and tournaments.

The new service package attracts more visitors to the region and therefore fosters growth in economic activity and enhances development of other business activities of the region. The target values are set at 6000 more visitors in the participating zoos during the project and 50 000 more three years after the project.

Lead Partner

Tallinna Ülikool

Country: EE

www.tlu.ee [182]

Partner budget: 236.193 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 195.780 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Tallinna Loomaaed

Country: EE

www.tallinnzoo.ee [183]

Partner budget: 77.970 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 66.274 EUR ERDF

Skansen

Country: SE

www.skansen.se [184]

Partner budget: 119.479 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 89.609 EUR ERDF

Korkeasaaren eläintarha

Country: FI

www.korkeasaari.fi [185]

Partner budget: 50.163 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 37.622 EUR ERDF

Södertörns högskola

Country: SE

www.sh.se [186]

Partner budget: 143.876 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 107.907 EUR ERDF

Associated Partners

Rīgas Zooloģiskais Dārzs

Country: LV

Expected results

Achieved results

Project result in category -
Joint tourist attraction

SmartZoos created a game-based service to attract more people to visit zoos

The project worked out the game-based service package to attract more people to visit participating zoos (Skansen, Helsinki Zoo, Tallinn Zoo).

The project was led by Tallinn University, Educational Technologies department and included the largest zoos from Estonia, Finland and Sweden. The Riga Zoo participated as associated partner.

The project targeted the increase in visits to the zoos and by the end of the project data was available that more than 700 users had used the service package application. In addition, the Smart Zoos service package received positive feedback from many educators and teachers.

The Smart Zoos service package included following functions:

  1. 4 types of location-based interactive assignments: quizzes, crossword and memory puzzles, augmented reality assignments and video/photo story telling assignments.
  2. own assignments and challenge other visitors in the same or in another zoo (e.g., the visitor of Skansen Zoo can challenge visitor of Helsinki Zoo).
  3. online environment for composing and conducting location-based GPS adventure games, challenges and tournaments that utilise all these different types of interactive assignments.
  4. awarding the achievements (using Mozilla Open Badges Framework).
  5. addition to service package the project implemented Investments to the zoos wifi networks.
Project page in database
At a glance
  • Location-based interactive assignments
  • More than 700 users
  • Investments to the zoos wifi networks
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Central Baltic Cleantech Clusters expanding to East of EU markets. (CB2East)

P1 Competitive economy

1.3. More exports by the Central Baltic companies to new markets

Central Baltic

01.09.2015 - 30.09.2018

899.065 EUR

704.142 EUR ERDF

The project CB2East aims at strengthening the Central Baltic Region’s economic competitiveness by creating commercially targeted open innovation platforms between Latvia and Finland. The focus areas are in sustainable eco-efficiency and water expertise solution needs in North-West Russia and Central Asia. Both regions have shown notable market potential for the Finnish and Latvian SMEs but the lack of critical mass and certain capabilities have been an obstacle for successful commercial entries to the markets.

CB2East catalyses transnational innovation collaboration for clusters based on challenge-driven and smart specialization approaches. New element of the approach is the use of an inclusive model of collaboration, co-creative innovation processes including open innovation test-beds and new communication tools. The project creates combinations of the clusters complementary competences with a potential to develop specialized solutions to the target market needs. These strategic platforms support transnational clusters’ intermediaries on their operational projects helping companies in their business development and fruitful commercialization of joint ideas internationally.

The project will result in four cluster co-operations exporting to new markets and a continuous and commercially successful transnational cooperation in between two countries as well as a model that can be spread to the neighbouring CB countries in the future.

Lead Partner

Finnish Water Forum/ Suomen vesifoorumi ry

Country: FI

www.finnishwaterforum.fi [196]

Partner budget: 355.230 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 266.423 EUR ERDF

Project Partners

Green Net Finland ry

Country: FI

http://www.greennetfinland.fi/en [197]

Partner budget: 245.400 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 184.050 EUR ERDF

Latvijas Biotehnoloģijas asociācija

Country: LV

www.cleantechlatvia.com [198]

Partner budget: 298.435 EUR

Amount of ERDF funding: 253.670 EUR ERDF

Expected results

Achieved results

Project result in category -
New cluster co-operation exporting to new markets

CB2East – new business opportunities for Finnish and Latvian companies

The project CB2East - Central Baltic Cleantech Clusters expanding to East of EU markets - generated Latvian and Finnish meta-cluster platforms, where complementary competences have leveraged partner’s capacities to enter new market and support SMEs internationalization strategies. More specifically, Baltic Cleantech Alliance provided functional collaboration aimed to increase export in Central-Asia; whereas in North-West Russia were developed collaboration models with local clusters to support the same targets. Baltic Cleantech Alliance became valued in the target markets and enhanced status of participating SMEs. Baltic Cleantech Alliance was largely recognized in target markets especially due to events that gathered large and high-level audiences. 
 
In overall, meta-cluster activities

  1. enhanced information on target markets situation and business opportunities
  2. increased competences and capacities to enter new markets for participants, including better understanding of financial instruments, cultural awareness, support for strategy development
  3. providing platform and tools for transnational cooperation, communication, match making and knowledge sharing
  4. joint projects and other transnational cooperation formats of meta-cluster and its companies
  5. new business value chains and commercially viable projects
  6. increased involvement of companies into meta-cluster activities.

Moreover, the project innovated new market entry strategies and business models, including local representation offices, consortia approach etc. The project has improved capacities on national clusters to work in the transnational environment and adapt to the emerging challenges; developed their cooperation skills and capacity to innovate new collaboration models. Around 10 cooperation agreements and MoUs were signed during the project. The participating companies from both countries achieved real business deals and at least 5 companies have succeeded to have sales on target markets.
 
In more deteail, during the project it was identified well over 100 business leads from which 66 were relevant to companies. This led to 40 new business value chains including projects, pilots or submitted offers or tenders. The project provided deep market knowledge of Central Asia and North-West Russia and created clear vision how to integrate our interests in the target markets. As such, Baltic Cleantech Alliance elaborated clear service pallet to companies towards the new target market. 
 
During the project lifecycle (2015-2018) several Finnish and Latvian companies agreed on cooperation and successfully participated in tenders, as well as cooperated with Russian, Central Asian and other European companies and organizations. The project developed collaboration patterns with local clusters and market entry integrators, for example in Northwest Russia. Moreover, FIN-LV collaboration improved significantly due to the project.

More information about the project and Baltic Cleantech Alliance from here [199].

Project page in database
At a glance
  • 5 new business deals and sales to the target markets
  • 66 relevant business leads
  • 40 new business value chain
  • 290 enterprises receiving nonfinancial support
  • 45 enterprises receiving support
  • 45 enterprises supported to introduce new-to-the-market products
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Social media links

Facebook [201]

Twitter [202]

Website [203]