Regional development is cooperation and multi-level activities based on the interaction of different actors, based on national and regional strengths and needs. Its goal is to promote the sustainable development, growth and competitiveness of the regions, the well-being of the residents and the quality of the living environment. (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland 2024)
Smart specialisation is based on the idea that each region has its own strengths. The smart specialisation strategy seeks to develop the existing strengths of the region, especially into international business. This requires that the leaders of smart specialisation have an existing RDI and business base and the ability to develop into international value networks. (Päijät-Häme’s Smart Specialisation Strategy 2021)
An international boost to development activities
The ACTIVE ID project is an Interreg Europe-funded regional development project to develop sport and leisure business, environment, sustainable development and digital skills. Interreg Europe projects have partners across Europe to ensure the widest possible continental coverage. The Finnish region participating in the project is Päijät-Häme. Other partners are from the Vratsa region in Bulgaria, Castilla-La Mancha in Spain, North Brabant in the Netherlands and Dalarna in Sweden. LAB is the lead partner for the whole project.
In the project, each region will carry out a state-of-the-art analysis and collect good practices. In addition, each partner region will organise a study visit to mirror its own region to order learn from other. Good practices will be shared among the partners. The project’s measures will help to influence the development of business opportunities in sport and leisure on a wider scale, taking into account digitalisation and sustainability. (ACTIVE ID 2024)
A project video has been made, in which each region explains its starting point and its interest in being involved in the project. It is interesting to hear what other regions are doing and what they can use to develop their own region. Hopefully every partner also get new ideas and innovations and to expand networks. (ACTIVE ID project video 2024)
![[Alt text: two persons sporting.]](https://blogit.lab.fi/labfocus/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/12/1064_2024_Regional-development-of-sports-and-leisure-business-1024x555.jpg)
Regional strengths and good practices awareness
Each partner region has its own strengths and attractions. All regions have a policy instrument that supports the development of sports and leisure activities in the area. (Policy instruments 2024)
Here in Finland, Päijät-Häme, program supports business, energy, education, and employment policies, managed by the Regional Council. But the focus can as well be in tourism, balancing economic, environmental, and socio-cultural aspects, like in Vratsa, Bulgaria, or cultural heritage combined with well-being as is the case in North Brabant, Netherlands. In Castilla la Mancha in Spain the program enhances regional priorities like industrialization and sustainable growth, while Swedish Dalarna is working with smarter and greener Europe goals, enhancing innovation, digitalization, business, and resource efficiency. (Policy instruments 2024)
In all partner regions, ACTIVE ID project aims to boost SME growth and digitalization through research and innovation. It will develop tourism products, promote diverse tourism, and support regional cooperation. Additionally, the project will enhance the sports and leisure industry, address regional challenges, improve research and innovation capacity, and create healthier environment through sustainable developments. (Policy instruments 2024)
Authors
Kirsi Kiiskinen, RDI expert from the welfare unit of the LAB University of Applied Sciences, is the project manager of the ACTIVE ID project.
Sanna Kangas, a senior lecturer in the same unit, is the communication manager of the project.
References
ACTIVE ID. 2024. Project website. Cited 27 Nov 2024. Available at www.interregeurope.com/activeid
ACTIVE ID project video. 2024. ACTIVE ID project YouTube channel. Cited 2 Dec 2024. Available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HelixixeGgU
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland. 2024. Regional development is cooperation. Cited 28 Nov 2024. Available at https://tem.fi/en/objectives-and-planning-of-regional-development
Policy instruments. 2024. ACTIVE ID project website. Cited 2 Dec 2024. Available https://www.interregeurope.eu/active-id/policy-instruments
Päijät-Häme’s Smart Specialisation Strategy. 2021. Cited 28 Nov 2024. Available at https://paijat-hame.fi/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/030122_Alykkaan_erikoistumisen_strategia_karjet.pdf
This_Is_engineering. 2020. Nyrkkeily, nyrkkeilijä, tekniikka. Pixabay. Cited 3 Dec 2024. Available at https://pixabay.com/fi/photos/nyrkkeily-nyrkkeilij%C3%A4-tekniikka-4904903/
