Prior­ities for devel­op­ment in North Karelia 2022–2025

Regional devel­op­ment is multi-level activity and cooper­a­tion of admin­is­trative branches based on inter­ac­tion between the state, regional councils, municip­al­ities and others, which is founded on the different national and regional strengths and needs. (Object­ives and planning of regional devel­op­ment — Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employ­ment (tem.fi))

 Devel­op­ment themes in North Karelia’s regional strategic programme (POKAT 2025)

The regional strategic programme (POKAT 2025) contains the goals of devel­op­ment based on the region’s poten­tial, needs and special features, as well as a descrip­tion of the key measures for achieving these goals. The themes of the POKAT 2025 regional strategic programme were derived from the national decision on regional devel­op­ment and the North Karelia 2040 strategy:

• Access­ib­ility – a functioning trans­port system
• Growing compet­it­ive­ness and the region’s strengths
• Skilled life – educa­tion and competence
• Wellbeing – healthy, thriving and inclusive residents
• Climate resili­ence and biodiversity

Digit­al­isa­tion, inter­na­tion­al­isa­tion and sustain­able growth are cross-cutting elements in all devel­op­ment activities.

Sustain­able, smart and inter­na­tional North Karelia – smart special­isa­tion strategy of North Karelia

The smart special­isa­tion strategy is part of North Karelia’s regional strategic programme (POKAT 2025). In accord­ance with the require­ments for the 2021–2027 program­ming period, the choices for smart special­isa­tion have been made based on a broad thematic and phenomenon-based approach instead of a business-oriented sectoral one. The growth and inter­na­tion­al­isa­tion of companies continue to be at the core of development.

• Change is the predom­inant feature in the current operating envir­on­ment, and to prepare for it, we need broad-based devel­op­ment that under­stands the regions’ charac­ter­istics and areas of strength. The prior­ities of North Karelia’s smart special­isa­tion strategy are:
• Renew­able industry and emerging technologies
• Clean solutions and a green transition
• Innov­ative and sustain­ably produced services