Summary on evaluation of the Innovative Actions in Eastern Finland Programme Summary in pdf-format Results and experiences from the Innovative Actions in Eastern Finland Programme 2006-2008 Leaflet in pdf -format Progress report 2006 Summary The main objective of the Innovative Actions of Eastern Finland programme is to create user and customer oriented new innovations, products and operation models utilizing new technology to social welfare and healthcare sector. This will both promote welfare in Eastern Finland and create new business activities. The programme started in 1.1.2006, and it is carried out in four regions: South Savo, North Savo, Kainuu and North Karelia. The Innovative Actions of Eastern Finland programme has started successfully. Central activities in the programme during the first year have included choosing the pilot projects, launching the projects, choosing an evaluation team to make programme evaluation, starting the evaluation, and arranging networking events. The pilot projects were chosen through an open contest. Two application rounds were arranged in 2006. In all, 47 applications were handed in, which were assessed by an expert group and then taken to steering committee. The steering committee recommended funding for 15 projects. Funding decisions have already been made for 12 of these, for three of them the final decision is yet to be made. All in all, the programme has started well. All the funding of the programme is tied up at the moment. The projects chosen from the application round of spring 2006 have started. The first report period and payment period ended at the end of the year. The research input for evaluating the pilot projects and identifying innovations and good practices was acquired by competition. The programme evaluation will be carried out by the Lahti Centre of Helsinki University of Technology. The first report of the starting points of the projects was completed in December 2006. The networking events were started at the beginning of the year. There were 5 events relating to the application processes. In autumn there was a networking event for project managers and a starting seminar. The programme has participated to a meeting of Innovative Actions of the Nordic Countries programmes and to IANIS+ network’s annual conference. In the future, attention should be paid especially to the mutual information exchange of the projects, their learning and direction towards international markets. One-actor projects were not chosen to the programme; all the projects involve a larger consortium or network. The projects are administered by enterprises (4), local development companies (3), universities (2), polytechnics (2), local actors in the public sector (2) and foundations (1). According to the programme strategy, project networks involve enterprises and actors in public sectors, some of the projects also actors in non-governmental organizations. The objective of the programme is to create user and customer oriented new innovations, products and operation modes utilizing new technology to social welfare and healthcare sector. The realization of the objectives depends on how successfully the 15 projects chosen in the programme are carried out, but the beginning looks good. On the basis of the applications, the innovation plans and the starting points of the projects, it is possible that several successful products and services will be created in this programme.    The realization of the projects in the programme requires vast knowledge of welfare sector and information processing. The expertise should show in product development groups and the experts they use. As a rule, the expertise situation in the projects is good. In the evaluation, the following challenges crucial to the success of the Innovative Actions projects have been recognized: 1) Specification of the service idea and the expertise of the product development teams 2) Benefit of the service for the end user 3) Sustainability of the business: the commitment of the parent organization and paying attention to the customer needs 4) Networking of the projects, mutual information exchange and learning 5) Combining technology and services 6) Integration to background organizations. While planning the Innovative Actions of Eastern Finland programme it was decided to concentrate on one theme only: welfare. This has proved a right decision. The programme is a compact entity, and the cooperation and networking between projects can become stronger than in first Innovative Actions programme in 2002 – 2004.  The experience gained in the first programme has also helped in the administration and implementation of the programme. The regional objectives of the programme are realizing. In the coming programme period (2007-), the operation programme of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in Eastern Finland will also include a part relating to experimentation. Experimentation is based on Innovative Actions programmes carried out in Eastern Finland (2002 – 2004, 2006 – 2008), and good practices from these programmes are to be used in ERDF program in the coming period as well. The original schedule of the programme is still valid. The schedule is tight, but realizable. The pilot projects have time till spring 2008. As for the development of operation models and new innovations, the year 2007 will be crucial. The programme evaluation will be completed in summer 2008, and the final report of the programme will be completed by the end of 2008. REPORTS AND OTHER INFORMATION MATERIAL PUBLISHED/PRODUCED IN THE INNOVATIVE ACTIONS OF EASTERN FINLAND PROGRAMME (2002-2004) *FINAL REPORT - Innovative Actions of Eastern Finland programme *Experiences from the Innovative Actions to the use of programme work in the future (the so called Objective 1 evaluation) *Evaluation of the Innovative Actions of Eastern Finland programme    Article (pdf-file)    Slides (ppt-file) *The Innovative Actions of Eastern Finland programme - cd-rom *The Innovative Actions of Eastern Finland programme - brochure The aim of this brochure (pdf, 1 mb) is to present the results of the Innovative Actions of Eastern Finland programme and the projects financed through it. You will find  more detailed information from a cd-rom. If you want to order paper copies and cd-rom please contact the Regional Council of North Karelia: tel +358 13 265 4141 or by email: kirjaamo@pohjois-karjala.fi The Innovative Actions in Eastern Finland programme searched for innovative solutions to social welfare and health care as well as to production and marketing in the natural product sector. Twelve pilot projects and three regional strategy projects were funded through the programme. The programme created new forms of cooperation, utilised new technology, developed new operation modes and created new services. The Innovative Actions in Eastern Finland programme increased regional competitiveness and vitality. The programme developed new forms of cooperation, operation models and services and utilised new technology. The programme launched several different innovation and development processes. The web-based service for forest owners and the virtual learning environment in the stone sector are examples of the new network services. One example of the innovative operation models is the local food market, which developed a logistic system and an electric market place between the producers and users of local food. New operation models were developed also in team work of professionals in the social sector as well as in the care sector. The programme developed technological solutions such as a video system transmitting consulting and monitoring image in the operation room environment in hospitals and the dynamic integrated desktop to support the work of health care professionals.   In the development of innovations the programme broke the barriers between enterprises, public sector and non-governmental organizations. Companies have been actively involved in the development of new solutions and the programme has contributed to the creation of several new enterprises. Utilisation of the information networks in the natural product sector was developed and new products and production methods were created in small enterprises in the stone sector. A new product innovation was a self-decomposing growth pot made of soap stone powder. One of the most significant innovations in the programme was the mobile unit for digital imagining. Also a new education programme was created to radiology. An operation model was created to promote the easy access and usability of network services. An enterprise was established based on this operation model and a new research unit is being established. Two local networks were built for citizens. From the viewpoint of the projects’ success, it was important to get the best available expertise involved in the projects. This expertise was searched for cross the traditional barriers: from another organisation, from the neighbouring region or from the international cooperation partners. The programme created cross-regional, national and international networks, which support the regional development of Eastern Finland. A particular strength brought about by the programme was that the programme helped the project actors to find new, well-working cooperation modes cross the regional borders. The programme was a good example of well-working East-Finnish cooperation between the regions of Kainuu, South Savo, North Savo and North Karelia. Internationalisation is important in the development of new ideas. Therefore the programme encouraged the projects to actively introduce their results in international arenas. The programme actors participated actively in the activities of the European information society sector networks. In development of innovations, the research and evaluation supporting the development work occupied an important role. The role of research and evaluation was stronger than in the corresponding programmes in general. The evaluation supported both development of innovations and implementation of the programme. Particular attention was paid to the projects’ continuity and transferability of the results. The projects were encouraged to think about the future of their activities after the project’s end. All pilot projects drew up a separate continuation plan. The objective was to ensure that the development will continue also after the pilot projects. Solutions related in the data security and reconciliation between overlapping technical systems required a lot of work. Despite that, the programme’s biggest challenges were perhaps not technical but social – how to integrate the new innovations as a part of everyday activities in companies and organisations and of people’s everyday life. The programme helped to understand that the significance of the users’ needs and of taking into use of technology cannot be too much emphasised in the innovation activities.   Discussions for example between the health care professionals and developers of technology were fruitful and increased the understanding of both users’ wishes and opportunities offered by technology. Also drawing up of the regional information society strategies can be considered as in important result of the programme. An information society strategy was drawn up in the regions of North Savo and North Karelia and a broadband strategy in Kainuu. This strategy work provides a good basis for future activities needed in the development of the information society in the regions.   Innovative aspects in the programme included combination of the information technology with the region’s natural resources as well as new digital solutions in public services. For example bringing the regional development work and the social and health care sector closer to each other is a good example of innovative thinking.   The Innovative Actions in Eastern Finland programme achieved its objectives. The programme produced new know-how, operation models, networks, services and continued projects. The programme has supported, promoted and accelerated development of the chosen operation sectors by offering funding to projects, which included a bigger risk than usual. The programme has helped to render the natural resource based activities more efficient and to strengthen the use and application of information technology in natural resource based enterprises. The programme increased the efficiency of the social welfare and health care sector, creation of new technological solutions and digitalising of the public services to a considerable extent.   The Innovative Actions in Eastern Finland programme safeguarded for its part the vitality of the East-Finnish remote areas and supported the regional development policy. Regional cooperation had an important role in the projects. During the programme’s implementation period the cooperation between the East-Finnish regions developed both among the financing authorities and among the pilot projects. As a result of the programme, the innovative aspect, the international aspect and the cross-regional aspect are better taken into consideration in the regional development activities. Below you will find descriptions and achievements of the programme Innovative Actions of Eastern Finland regarding programme implementation: 1. Commitment of region to a development strategy aiming at transforming the region to a knowledge-based economy •       Has the region adopted a strategy supporting a development towards a knowledge-intensive region? When? How committed is the region to this strategy? - Eastern Finland includes four regions. Every region has a regional knowledge based Development Strategy. These strategies are implemented through national and European Union programmes, e.g. Objective 1 and Innovative Actions. In the Objective 1 programme the “knowledge intensity” is especially underlined. - There is no common information society or innovation strategy in Eastern Finland. Instead the regions have created their own strategies according to the following: - North Karelia: “To the information society through voluntary work”. The Information Society Strategy and Action Plan 1999-2006. - Kainuu: The Information Society Strategy of Kainuu 1999-2002. - South Savo: The South Savo Innovation Strategy, completed in 2002. The “eSavo 2010” Information Society Strategy has been completed recently. - North Savo: The Technology Strategy of North Savo. •       What kind of evidence exists to indicate this commitment: - Allocating of funding to expertise and information society projects. o More than 100 information society projects in North Karelia. o Examples from the region of South Savo: one prioritised project, the YTI Research Centre, has been extended to the research sector of information technology. The programme’s biggest individual investment is the Centre of Information and Mediatechnology (which is being built). In the regional centre programmes of Mikkeli, Savonlinna and Varkaus emphasis is placed on them. A centre of expertise of material technology was started in Mikkeli. The Knowhow of process industry of Savonlinna-Varkaus was linked to the centre of expertise of south-eastern Finland. - North Karelia as a national model of the Citizen Based Information Society. o SITRA (the National Fund for Research and Development) carried out the Learning Regions - OSKU - project in 2000-2003. The purpose of the project was to create the means by which people living in remote regions located far from information technology centres could be brought into the information society. The OSKU project comprised eight regional projects and six content projects. The OSKU project was based on a pilot project implemented earlier in North Karelia as well as on excellent results gained through that project. - Development and expansion of the universities in Kuopio and Joensuu, strenghtening of the university campuses in Mikkeli and Kajaani (Units of the Universities of Helsinki and Oulu). Development of Mikkeli Polytechnic towards the most research intensive polytechnic in the country has taken place mainly through Objective 1 funding. • Has the region designated one or several bodies (e.g. technology adviser, technology agency, SME support office) to steer and to implement the strategy? - The central bodies are the state administration, various development centres (several sectors) and different projects. - The composition and implementation vary between the regions. E.g in North Karelia the information technology cluster in connection with the Regional Council of North Karelia is responsible of steering and implementation of the strategy. o       How much funding does the region allocate yearly to support RTD, training and education, innovation and information society related activities? Since when? Are there other funding sources?(As a % of the total regional budget) - The Finnish regional administration is a combination of national level and municipal level administration and therefore presenting of any comprehensive figures is difficult. - 30,4 % of all Objective 1 projects were related to the information society (30th June 2003). - Also many other sources such as Tekes (the National Technology Agency of Finland), SITRA (the National Fund for Research and Development), the Finnish Ministry of Education, the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, RAY (Finland’s Slot Machine Association) and some special regional programmes grant funding to information society related activities. 2. The Regional programme of innovative actions’s strategy and its implementation •       Has the strategy outlined in the Regional Programme of Innovative Actions been supported by or linked to an earlier conceived wider regional strategy aiming at transforming the region to a knowledge-based economy? o       If yes, describe how? - There is not one single Information Society Strategy in Eastern Finland. The NUTS2 region of Eastern Finland includes independent regions implementing their own strategies. - Innovative Actions of Eastern Finland has been built particularly on the experiences gained from the North Karelian Information Society Strategy and it’s implementation. - The Innovation Strategy and Information Society Strategy to South Savo region has been created during the Innovative Actions programme. Some persons participating in the Innovative Actions pilot projects have contributed to drawing up of these strategies. - Among the region’s previous development priorities, the citizen-based aspect, better availability of services and mutual consulting between experts can be seen in the programme. o       If no, has the programme contributed to setting up such a wider strategy? - The programme has been implemented through singular projects. The aim is to partly affect implementation of the Objective 1 programme through the pilots. •       Has the strategy of the PRAI worked in the regional context, i.e. has it responded to the region’s needs? If yes, what kind of evidence is there? - The region’s characteristics and needs have been a central starting point for the programme planning and implementation. Both priorities chosen for the programme, 1) Information Networks in Social and Health Care, and 2) Natural Resource Based Production are very central sectors of operation in East Finland. For example the need for social and health care services is continuously increasing in the whole region while the resources available are in danger to decrease. The number of elderly people and the level of care is higher than in the whole country on an average. The Innovative Actions has served as an arena for development of new working models and technical solutions to facilitate nursing work and to increase efficiency. When the work can be done in an easier and quicker way, there is more time for the primary work of nursing staff.   - In the natural resource based sector it is important to exploit possibilities of information technology from the viewpoint of the production sector. The programme has created e.g. a new net-based service for forest owners and a logistic net system for the local food market and natural resources.  In addition, also the activities of the Juuka Stone Centre have been developed and new enterprises in the stone sector have been supported through the Innovative Actions. •       To what extent has the programme strategy been followed? Did it have to be adapted in any way when the programme was implemented? - The evaluation is implemented throughout the programme period. The Mid-Term Report of the evaluation has been drawn up and the Final Report will be published by the end of the year 2004. The evaluators have presented the results in the programme’s seminars and in the meetings of the Steering Committee. - The so called “Objective 1 evaluation” will be carried out at the end of the programme. The aim of that evaluation is to find out what experiences gained from the Innovative Actions programme could be implemented as a part of the Objective 1 programme. •       Has the body(bodies) responsible for implementation of the wider regional knowledge strategy also been involved in designing the PRAI strategy? Has it been involved in selection or implementation of the actions or pilot project? If yes, describe its role in the preparation, decision-making process and the actions. - The Regional Councils have been responsible for both strategies. The Regional Councils are represented in the programme’s Steering Committee, which has chosen the pilot projects. The Steering Committee also monitors programme implementation. This has been an important aspect, since the same persons are closely connected to both preparation and implementation of the Regional Strategies (e.g. in the Objective 1 programme). The other central bodies represented in the Steering Committee are the State Provincial Office (Department for Social Affairs and Health) and the National Technology Agency of Finland (Tekes). The Regional Council of North Karelia is the managing and paying authority of the Innovative Actions programme. •       Have the objectives set out in the programme been met? - The evaluation has not yet been finished, but the preliminary results seem to show that the objectives will be met. Especially the objectives set for the information networks of public services have been successfully realised. •       What made the programme work? Describe successes and “good practices” in achieving its objectives. - The programme has functioned well especially in launching innovation and development processes. E.g. the Network Service for Forest Owners developed in the Innovative Actions programme will be adapted as a national service. - Special attention has been paid to international connections. The exchange of experiences on the international level has been an important aspect. - The pilot projects have been interregional: the projects have exchanged experiences cross the regional borders and the actors of different projects have met and learnt to know each other in different occasions. - The role of the research and evaluation in the programme has been stronger than in programmes in general. - According to the programme’s evaluators networking and co-operation of the projects has been an important strenght of the programme. - Special emphasis has also been placed on supporting the project activities so that the work of the projects could continue also after the project is closed. The projects have been guided to establish a plan concerning their future activities. Common training will be organised for further development of the innovation processes and for continuation of the created activities. •       Specifically, what kind of actions have been undertaken to improve the co-operation between enterprises and researchers? Have they worked? - Enterprises have been strongly involved in the projects as implementers. - The role of the evaluators has been “participating”. The evaluators are not only observers but also support the projects by participating in meetings of the project steering groups and the programme’s Steering Committee as well as in seminars and meetings organised in the Innovative Actions programme. •       Describe unsuccessful actions or processes, if any. - Data security and privacy protection as well as incompatibility of technical systems have created challenges especially in the social and health sector. These have rendered progress of some projects difficult, but have not formed a total obstacle to the activities. However, even if incompatible technical systems have caused difficulties, the projects have also got very good experience from them. Pioneering experiments have been implemented for example in the social welfare services. 3. Partnership •       Was the mobilisation of groups of actors in the region effective? Was this new? - The open application round for the projects resulted in 52 pilot applications. 12 projects were chosen. - The interregional networks in the projects have been exceptionally strong when compared with previous development activities. - Regular project meetings have been organised in the programme to enable the pilot actors to exchange experiences.   - In order to find the best available expertise for the projects, also a lot of external connections have been created in the projects.   •       What regional and/or external actors were mobilised around the programme and for what reasons? - The programme involves universities, polytechnics, municipalities, joint municipal authorities, the regional administration of the state, as well as enterprises. - Efforts have been made to efficiently utilise the knowledge and expertise of the evaluators both in the programme and in the projects during the whole programme period. - If necessary expertise has not been found from the region, efforts have been made to find it somewhere else (e.g. if no enterprise in some particular technical sector has not been found in the region, efforts have been made to find the necessary expertise from somewhere else). •       How and to what extent did they participate? What role did each play? - The evaluation has been carried out in the form of a so called process evaluation, i.e. the evaluators have been involved in the process during the whole programme period.   •       To what extent has the private sector participated in the actions? How much private funding has been obtained for implementing the programme? - In all projects private sector enterprises have occupied a central role as a part implementor and/or as a beneficiary. Two of the twelve projects are enterprise-based projects. Information technology companies have participated in the development of technical systems. Especially the natural resource based enterprises will benefit from the new solutions developed in the programme as well as from the programme’s support. Good examples are development of the logistics of the local food or natural product markets and development of the stone sector enterprises. - Private enterprises have been participated with a larger input than expected. Nearly 600 000 euros (15 % of the total budget) of the programme budget comes from private funding. 4. Mainstreaming / transfer of processes or results •       What were the links between the persons in charge of the Innovative Actions and the responsible body for the mainstream programme? How did the decision-making process work? Was it effective? - The same persons have participated in the Objective 1 programme and the Innovative Actions programme. This has been very beneficial, because it has helped to avoid overlapping and given value added to the Innovative Actions programme.   - The Steering Committee has had a major role in the decision-making process. The Committee offers a wide range of expertise. •       Identify mechanisms or actions that have been or could be successfully mainstreamed in regional programmes supported by the Structural Funds? How could this be done? - This is supported by four aspects: o The process evaluation of the programme o The so called “Objective 1 evaluation” to be carried out separately o Regular meetings for all pilot projects, which treat the themes concerned. Four meetings have been organised and the fifth project meeting will be at the end of the March. o Four programme seminars have been organised. The Final seminar will be organised in September 2004. •       Assess relevant impact on the economy of the region, on professional qualifications at regional level and on the possibilities of progressing with actions launched within the framework of the regional programme of innovative actions. •       What was the ‘leverage’ effect of the programme? - The programme has helped to start many innovation processes both in the natural resource sector and in the social and health sector. - Development of the technical information networks of public services has progressed very well. This will improve the accessibility and availability of the services also in the future. Consulting, home care, video conferences and negotiations, electric documents and filing can be mentioned as examples. 5. Commitment of region to a strategy for sustainable development Of all European Union projects, 35 % have a positive environmental impact. One of the projects in the Innovative Actions is directly connected to the sustainable development. For this reason we will describe on a general level how sustainable development has been implemented in the Innovative Actions programme. - In the natural resource pilots small enterprises have been supported to increase their utilisation of technology. With the help of information networks the programme has developed new innovations e.g. related to forest, stone, natural products and local food market supporting the region’s own production. For example the local food market is a model aiming at increasing local production and further processing of foods and at bringing local products to supermarkets, restaurants and industrial kitchens, i.e. at making local products better available for consumers. A market of the same type is being developed also to natural products and particularly to cultivated mushrooms in another project of the programme. A network service is being created for forest owners, offering for example forest owners living in cities updated information about their own forest resources. - One project is promoting the use of left-over stone, in order to find realistic and innovative ways to use it. - The pilot projects of the social and health care will enable maintenance of the service structure in sparsely populated areas, safeguard equal development between regions and develop special expertise in the region. - A moveable digital mobile unit is tested in a pilot project in the social and health care sector.  This mobile unit is used to collect experiences of digitation and working models. X-Ray pictures can be transfered fast in a digital form and the customer does thus not need to travel even several hundreds of kilometres to get an x-ray. - An individualised electric desktop is being developed to support the work of professionals in the social and health care sector. This electric desktop is easy and safe to use after one single logging. At the moment the problem is that a doctor has to log in to every programme separately. The aim is that the doctor could at the same time see information e.g. of the patient’s electric file, laboratory results, x-rays and appointments. New operation models have been developed also in the social care services.