A SUCCESS STORY: Rail Baltica Growth Corridor BEST PRACTICES PRESENTATIONS S EVILLE, 16 TH D ECEMBER 2013 R OSA V IHAVAINEN, E DUCATION AND I NNOVATION E XPERT H ELSINKI -U USIMAA R EGIONAL C OUNCIL

PROJECT BACKGROUND Rail Baltica Growth Corridor: 21 partners in 7 countries - Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Germany 9 cities, 6 regions, 5 research institutions, 1 public transport authority Lead Partner: City of Helsinki 24 Associate Organizations: Ministries, railway companies, universities, logistics development organizations and projects Duration: 3 years, Budget: 3,6 M EUR Funding: European Regional Development Fund

PROJECT BACKGROUND Background: in 2006 Baltic Metropoles’ network defined Fehmarn Belt (between the German island of Fehmarn and the Danish island of Lolland) and Rail Baltica as the two most important transport infrastructural projects From Finland’s point of view: as travel connections elsewhere in Europe improve and travel times shorten, a risk that Finland will be isolated Objective: to improve the competitiveness and accessibility of cities and regions in the Eastern Baltic Sea Region through increased interaction and cooperation Focus on improving passenger mobility and freight transportation Organization of multilevel dialogue about transport policies of Baltic countries

Blue line: existing connections Red line: the Rail Baltica plan

PROJECT ACTIVITIES The Connectivity Pilot for passenger transport improves the accessibility of the Baltic Sea Region by introducing an integrated door-to-door travel planner for long-distance and local public transport in the project region The Logistics Pilot for freight transport harmonizes the services of the logistics centres in Baltic States and strives to create new service products for global freight flows

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Extensive stakeholder inclusion and policy dialogue  commitment of cities and regions The project’s work will continue following the Growth Strategy Preparation of Rail Baltic Branding project and the governance model has begun Ultimate goal: to build a railway from Warsaw to Tallinn (to Helsinki), to connect Central and Eastern Europe

A SUCCESS STORY: Innovative Services for International Talents – Easier Access to the CBSR (EXPAT project) BEST PRACTICES PRESENTATIONS S EVILLE, 16 TH D ECEMBER 2013

PROJECT BACKGROUND Innovative Services for International Talents – Easier Access to the CBSR (EXPAT project) Duration: 2 years ( ) Budget: 1,3 M EUR Program: Central Baltic INTERREG IV A Programme Partners: Finland: Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council (Lead Partner), Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Culminatum Innovation Ltd Turku Science Park (Western Finland), Regional Council of South-West Finland Sweden: City of Uppsala Estonia: Institute of Baltic Studies, E-Governance Academy Latvia: Riga Planning Region, University of Latvia Objectives: to make the region more attractive for international skilled workforce, students and professionals, their spouses and families, by improving soft landing services and by facilitating creation of social networks Importance of social integration highlighted

PROJECT ACTIVITIES Analysis of the local immigration policies, current services and expats’ needs in partner regions and comparison with other regions Survey research on how expats experience the level of immigration services, how their social integration has succeeded in the participant regions Workshops and seminars Case studies in Stockholm and Amsterdam Other regions’ best practices: review of Toronto’s settling-in services for immigrants Introduction of new practices Online portal for sharing project activities and results, for partners and stakeholders Cooperation initiatives to enhance cooperation among public, private and third sector actors

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Need to improve immigration services for skilled workforce demonstrated Policy recommendations, e.g.: To increase awareness of the region’s need for skilled labour as a decisive factor for global competitiveness Holistic approach on services: improvement of coordination of local immigration services and need to network public and private sector service providers To increase information on soft landing services for expats Development of regional immigration policy, focusing on expats’ social integration and wellbeing

GENERAL CHALLENGES ON THE PERIOD Need for simplification of the application process Funding for the preparation of large-scale projects needed Fragmentation of the themes of the projects  weaker overall impact Measuring impact difficult

GENERAL CONCLUSIONS Closer cooperation needed with neighbouring regions and the central government to increase impact of the regional development planning  New regional strategic plan 2040 (Uusimaa programme) developed together with the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (governmental agency)

THANK YOU Rosa Vihavainen Education and Innovation Expert Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council