Invitation to the High-level Webinar of the Baltic Sea Region – Towards Sustainable Economic Transition on 28 Sept. 2020 at 10 am EEST

“Smart Specialisation for Economic
Transformation and SDGs Implementation –
for sustainable future in Baltic Sea Region”

Date: 28 September, 2020
Time: 9.55-14.00 EEST
Venue: Virtual Meeting (Webinar), hosted from
Aalto University

Please register no later than 25 September: https://webropol.com/s/bsrconference

We have a pleasure to invite you to High-level Webinar of Baltic Sea Region – Towards Sustainable Economic Transformation over Zoom on the 28th of September 2020 with Maroš Šefčovič, Vice President, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, European Commission and Markku Markkula, Vice President, European Committee of the Regions.

The event focuses on the future opportunities of the Baltic Sea Region in order to speed-up sustainable economic transformation and implementing SDGs, while contributing to the post-crisis’s recovery and resilience.

We attempt to look behind the scenes at how regions embed Smart Specialisation Strategies in their regional, economic, and spatial development policies. By working with nine regions in each of the Baltic Sea Region countries we have intended to get an insight into how Smart Specialisation Strategy affects the future prospects of the regions. During the event a new book ‘Sustainable Baltic Sea Region – towards Economic Transformation by Smart Specialisation Strategies’ will be launched.

The Webinar agenda addresses these main topics (timing EEST):

  • 10.00 Opening remarks
    • Maroš Šefčovič, Vice President, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight, European Commission
    • Paula Lehtomäki, Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers
    • Markku Markkula, Former President, European Committee of Regions (CoR)
    • Hosted by Taina Tukiainen, Professor, Aalto University
  • 10. 30 Policy discussion on ‘Sustainable Economic Transformation’ in the Baltic Sea Region
    • Alessandro Rainoldi, Head of Unit, Territorial Development, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
    • Reinar Kneifel-Haverkamp, Director General for European and International Affairs, Ministry of Finance
      and European Affairs of the State of Brandenburg, Germany
    • Sille Kraam, Director, Economic Development in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Estonia
    • Gunars Ansins, Deputy Chair, Development and Cooperation of Liepāja City Council, CoR Member, Latvia
    • Steen Bording Andersen, Aarhus City Council Member, CoR Member, Denmark
    • Sari Rautio, Vice Chair of the Board, Association of Finnish Municipalities, CoR Member, Finland
    • Moderated by Markku Markkula, Former CoR President, President of the Board, Helsinki Region
  • 11.20 Launch of the Book ‘Sustainable BSR Towards Economic Transformation by Smart Specialisation Strategies’
  • 11.50 Panel on ‘Leadership & Innovation – Future invented with Youth’ in Baltic Sea Region
    • Inge Relph, Executive Director, Global Choices
    • Wiktor Sawaryn, Dansk Youth Council & Jonna Rönn, Finnish Youth Agenda 2030
    • Satu Haapanen, Chair of Education and Culture Board, City of Oulu, CoR Member
    • Tomasz Szymczak, CEO, Inkubator STARTER
    • Marianne Ping-Huan, Professor, Aarhus University
    • Moderated by Taina Tukiainen, Professor, Aalto University, Finland
  • 12.40 Introduction to “BSR Strategic Instruments for Sustainable and Entrepreneurial Capacity Building”
  • 12.50 Experienced Insights – How to Move Forward to Actions
    • Ramojus Reimeris, ex-Managing Director, Strata, Lithuania
    • Tuija Hirvikoski, Former President, ENoLL
    • Patrizia Busolini, Policy officer, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, EC
    • Martin Brynskov, Professor and Chair of OASC
    • Moderated by Taina Tukiainen, Professor, Aalto University, Finland
  • 13.20 Closing Remarks on the Future of Smart Specialisation and the Baltic Sea Region
    • Alessandro Rainoldi, Head of Unit, Territorial Development, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
    • Ossi Savolainen, Regional Mayor, Helsinki-Uusimaa Region
  • 13.35 Virtual Cocktails

Background and more information (pdf)

For further information and agenda, please check out the Smart-up Website https://smartup-bsr.eu/final-conference/

Registration for the webinar is open and is possible through the above-mentioned website or directly here: https://webropol.com/s/bsrconference.  Deadline for the registration is 25.9.2020. Please, register as soon as possible.

Feel free to forward this invitation to the interested experts in your own region.

We warmly welcome you to the webinar!

Taina Tukiainen
On the behalf of the organizing Committee
Professor, Aalto University