Increasing the international RDI competence of municipalities in Southwest Finland

We develop RDI profiles for municipalities in Southwest Finland

Duration of the project

1.1.2025. – 30.6.2026

Source of funding

The Regional Council of Southwest Finland, Supporting sustainable growth and vitality of regions (AKKE)

Total funding

81 909 €

The aim of the project is to clarify and concretise the role of municipalities in Southwest Finland as implementers and enablers of the RDI road map. With the help of RDI profiles created in cooperation with municipalities, municipalities define the current state of their own RDI activities, existing networks, and create a plan for the municipalities regarding the target state and key development needs. The profiles created allow municipalities to collaborate more effectively with different stakeholders and increase the number of international projects. The aim is also to clarify RDI cooperation between municipalities, companies and higher education institutions more broadly, and to identify the key RDI competence needs of municipalities.

The target groups of the project are municipalities in Southwest Finland and their development companies, who want to increase their RDI expertise and the amount of external funding. Turku UAS has entered into partnership agreements with several municipalities, where one of the key goals is the development of RDI activities and this goal is supported by the project. The importance of development companies and business contacts are also central to the RDI activities of many municipalities.

The project is necessary because cuts are still being made to municipalities’ central government transfers, and it is important to take advantage of the opportunities provided by external funding in order to maintain the vitality of municipalities. Municipalities’ participation in international RDI projects is still low, and the project helps to increase municipalities’ RDI expertise and networking. Concrete measures include developing the RDI profile model, defining municipalities’ RDI profiles and competence needs, developing and piloting a cooperation model, and promoting national and international cooperation.

As a result of the project, the target state and measures of municipalities’ RDI activities become more concrete, cooperation between municipalities, companies and universities is intensified, and the number of international projects is increasing