Högskoleförbundet Eastern Norrbotten (Eastern Norrbotten Federation for Continued Education) is a federation comprising the municipalities of Haparanda, Kalix, Överkalix and Övertorneå, whose main mission research and education with concrete development issues in the municipalities. The Federation has set up Eastern Norrbotten School of Research with economic support from EU Objective 1 funds and from Norrbotten County Administrative Board in corporation with Luleå University of Technology and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Umeå. The School of Research pursues research in fields significant to the economic, social and cultural development of Eastern Norrbotten. 

The postgraduate students are to develop new models, methods and techniques that contribute to innovative and competitive development in Eastern Norrbotten in the following fields:

• Tourism
• IT
• Wood production
• Food

Planned new research fields
Subject to further funding being granted for the period 2003-2006, an additional 4-8 postgraduate students will join the School of Research, which will include the following additional fields: 

Transnational regional issues in the area of:
- cross-border community planning
- integrated communications systems

Regions in Europe in the area of:
- local community development and social economics

Tourism in the area of:
- public politics and conditions for the tourism sector

IT in the area of:
- the digital municipality

Collaboration between tourism companies in a network economy
Host university: Luleå University of Technology

The standard growth model has long been to develop companies through growth as a organisations, with more employees and a broader product range. The new economy and the opportunities offered by new information technology, however, challenge this traditional view. Small enterprises today to a greater extent can "grow without becoming big" through collaboration with other companies. This opens up new opportunities for e.g. small tourism companies in regins such as Eastern Norrbotten. Through collaboration on product development, marketing, transport & logistics etc. these companies can achieve both economies of scale and increased visibility and attractiveness on the market. Collaboration can take place in different forms, with different purposes and with different degrees of permanence. The purpose of this project is to study factors important to the design of successful and sustainable  collaboration, with a special view to small companies in Eastern Norrbotten.

Tutor: TorBjörn Nilsson, Ph D. (Econ.)
Postgraduate student: Ossi Pesämaa

Host university: Luleå University of Technology

East Norrbotten has conciderable tourist potential. it has for example both the River Torne and the River Kalix, two of the four major undeveloped rivers in Sweden. Kukkola Rapids tourist facility on the River Torne is one example of a well-functioning tourism facility, with its restaurant, sauna facility, museum and whitefish nahd-netting. 

In order effectively to develop tourism, there is a need to catalogue the needs and expectations of the target tourist segment with respect to a visit to Eastern Norrbotten, and then to translate these into a concept and experience at the different tourist facilities related to the conditions in the region. Furthermore, experience gained by existing tourist facilities must be systematically utilised in improving, developing and bringing growth to tourism. Collaboration between different tourist facilities to exchange experiences is essential. The research is to investigate how quality development of tourism in Eastern Norrbotten can be strengthened by using assessments, work methods and instruments today in use in other areas where goods and services are produced. One issue among many is what role the introduktion of a quality certification system such as ISO 9000 can play in tourism.

Tutor: Prof. Bengt Klefsjö
Postgraduate student: Anna-Karin Kvist

Markketing e-commerce
Host university: Luleå University of Technology

The recognition and dissemination that the Internet has enjoyed have given rise to a new business platform, e-commerce. This platform helps companies to buy and sell with very little difficulty, and enables companies to operate even on geographically remote markets. While the technical side of this new platform has undergone considerable evolution, the business and marketing aspects have not developed to the same extent. In order to develop the business and marketing sides of e-commerce, attempts should be made to resolve issues such as:

- What is the new generation of trade relation structures like?
- How is the structure for distribution channels changing?
- How should marketing be re-organised?

These are just a few of the questions that have come up, while a large number of issues have not even been identified yet. It is generally accepted that e-commerce will develop into a general phenomenon in every sector. In view of the fact that e-commerce eliminates the (physical) distance factor in practical business, understanding and development of e-commerce are of paramount importance - it can contribute to development in areas like Norrbotten. This can be done by “virtually” bringing the market to companies located in areas that are geographically fairly remote, such as Norrbotten.

Tutor: Prof. Esmail Salehi-Sangari
Postgraduate student: Elena Iliachenko

Industrial design
Host university: Luleå University of Technology

The research project addresses product development and design in the wood industry. The wood industry in northern Sweden is facing major challenges. In order to develop the industry, there is a need for intensive processing of the raw material. Therefore, product development, design, marketing etc. are important areas. Co-operation with the Division of Industrial Ergonomics at Luleå University of Technology enables bringing important knowledge to the wood industry from other industries that have worked with design issues for a longer period, e.g. the mechanical engineering industry and the electronics industry. Further, common research projects could be developed in collaboration between Träteknik (Wood Technology) in Skellefteå and the Division of Industrial ergonomics at Luleå University of Technology, in the area of product development and design in the word industry. Co-operation is being developed with e.g. existing Danish and Finnish wood research centres. During spring, companies involved in Eastern Norrbotten paid study visits to successful companies and trade organisations in Denmark.

Tutor: Prof. Dennis Pettersson
Postgraduate student: Kajsa Ekberg

 Today, competition in the wood industry is growing at a furious rate. In order for the industry to survive and develop, intensive processing of the raw material is required. 

The purpose of the research project is to ascertain how small wood companies can utilise product development and design in order to develop and grow. In co-operation with the Division of Industrial Ergonomics at Luleå University of Technology, opportunities are given to add knowledge from other industries that have worked with design issues for a longer period, e.g. the mechanical engineering industry and the electronics industry. Know-how can also be acquired from other successful regions in the wood industry such as Italy and Denmark.

Naturally, the most important element is that one should start from the companies’ perspective and include all imaginable factors, such as resources, demand, raw material supply, customer autonomy and the will to develop …

Food in the area of fish farming
Host university: The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

The research project addresses the development of perch farming in relatively closed eco-systems. Fish farming has not traditionally been an accepted industry in Sweden. The cultivation of salmon-related fish has been strictly regulated, thereby to reduce the risk of infection in the rivers. White fish for the table has traditionally been associated with herring and bleak for its roe. Perch is the fish species that is growing in popularity, both by landed quantity (tonnage) and value (generated revenues). Unfortunately, the perch shows great variation between its high and low season. Perch caught in the wild cannot supply more than 20% of the market’s needs within a five-year period. The remaining 80% must be provided with farmed perch or substitutes. A prerequisite for intensified perch farming is the possibility to regulate the water temperature. All the involved municipalities will introduce special facilities to take care of biological waste, which may not be dumped after 2001. Can this be used for regulating temperature? Can a closed eco-system be utilised in production? How about the use of biogas from a sludge plant for warming the water where the perch are cultivated? How does one raise the production and processing value in suitable waters? Knowledge base - model – educate – exemplar - network. How to develop market opportunities – find the right niche – develop ready food?

Tutor: Associate professor Anders Alanärä
Postgraduate student: Åsa Strand

Host university: The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

The research project "Domestication of Vaccinium-species in north Sweden with special respect to climatic and edaphic factors” addresses the development of plant material and cultivation methods for large-scale bilberry cultivation. The company Polarica AB is Europe’s largest cultivator of forest berries. The berries are sold all over Europe, and shipping to Japan began recently. There is increasing demand for bilberries, in particular from the pharmaceutical industry (eye medicine). The idea is for farmers in Sweden and Finland to be able to grow bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus and cowberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea as complements to other crops. 

Contact person: Ulla Bång, +46 (0)90-786 94 80 

                                          

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