Bioeconomy specialization, Finland

In Eastern Finland there is an abundance of natural resources such as forest. Moreover, the area is known of esteemed companies that use the natural resources or provide machines and services for the bioeconomy sector. For example, companies such as Ponsse, Lunawood, Arbonaut, and EcoProtech have their origins as well as major operation in Eastern Finland, to mention a few. Companies like this all over Finland need skillful personnel and experts who stay on top of the rapid development of bioeconomy. The transition towards bioeconomy requires the ability to create new solutions by combining existing processes, raw materials and side streams. Therefore, at the higher education they started to develop continuous learning opportunities that can be used throughout their careers. In this collaborative project they have been developing the bioeconomy specialization education for professionals in working life. With close cooperation between the local universities they can now better serve the companies, public sector and individual professionals and create added value together.