Summary of results from the TMR-courses on Finnish-Russian border and from the border of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland

Participation and syllabus

BORDER Summer Schools (Borders as Opportunities for Regional Development in Europe, ERB-4064-PL-96-0103) were organised at Mekrijärvi Research Station (Finland) in February 1997 and at the Magee Campus of the University of Ulster in the city of Derry in July and August 1997. The number of participants altogether was 114, and the amount of ECTS obtained in the courses was 372. The Summer Schools attracted young researchers to collective from almost all countries of the European Union. Forty-nine per cent of the participants were from less-favoured areas, 11 per cent from industry and 47 per cent women.

In the first course at Mekrijärvi, participants were introduced to the economic, social and environmental problems of the border areas of Finland and Russia. Young researchers investigated the obstacles to socio-economic development in the Finnish-Russian border areas and, simultaneously, sought to find opportunities for the development of these areas. The second course trained the participants to appreciate the cultural conflicts and to promote socio-economic development in the border areas of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The 2-week programmes included field research, which was conducted in Petrozavodsk and Sortavala in Russia and in North Karelia (Finland) during the first course and in Ireland and Northern Ireland during the second course.

For the first courses the participants were divided into study groups, where the topics of consideration included: the agriculture and agro-food processing industry, mineral resources, environmental protection, transport, business education, small and medium-sized enterprises, price level and purchasing power, living conditions, humanitarian aid and everyday survival, telecommunications, regional policy and tourism. Each group composed a short summary of the results and the work of the first nine groups listed above will be published in 1998.

The second course dealt with the following topics: distance education, infrastructural development and cross-border mobility, tourism referred to heritage and scenic attraction, culture, ethnicity and development, small and medium sized companies compared to multinationals as well as local development in rural areas. The work of the second Summer School consisted of lectures and interviews with the local people and group projects. Each group presented their research results in the final seminar of the course and composed a written report.

Scientific results

The aims of the Summer Schools are to improve the skills of young European researchers in researching cross-border co-operation, improving their understanding of various development problems of border areas and laying foundations for further research. In both courses, participants evaluated the current socio-economic situation of the border areas and attempted to design measures of how to ease development problems on both sides of the border. Summer Schools have promoted research on border areas and proceeds based on the course field studies are under preparation.

The participants elaborated upon the idea of how to develop the social capital of a border region in order to improve its economic performance and its livelihood. Researchers observed many inherited institutional obstacles to development, obstacles not easily removable as they are deeply embedded in the cultures of the border regions. Cultural and social changes are slow and people’s behaviour and attitudes only change as one generation replaces the other. Much could be done by developing education, as observed in the Derry course. As another example of conclusions, many small-scale entrepreneurial development schemes are successful in Northern Ireland and Ireland and they also direct people attention to the future goals and the new ways of life.

Economic development in the Finnish-Russian border area has been sluggish and based often on short-sighted economic profits. The economic conditions in the Russian border area pose especially complex affects for co-operation because of different legislation and business practices compared with the European Union. On the other hand, northwestern Russia posseses a large amount of natural resources, which would be mutually beneficial to utilise for both Russian and EU companies. However, these development process is still in its infancy. The participants of the courses concluded that in order to avoid mistrust, mutual and honest contacts are needed which will increase understandings of future developmental options and joint developmental interest.

From the theoretical perspective of geography and the social sciences, both of the Summer School courses were excellent seedbeds for developing the elements of new ‘institutional geography’ and ‘institutional’ business and other social sciences. Both courses certainly acted as catalysts for the young researchers to seek new achievements and to develop new theories in geography and social sciences in Europe.

Reports produced by the participants:

Alink, Martine, Astrid Fleischer, Jose Miranda Bonilla, Peter Jurczek, Sharon Patton, Markus Perkmann, Ritva Sauvola & Nicholas Vertongen (1998), EU regional policy options in border areas in the Finnish-Russian context, EUREG – European Journal of Regional Development, (forthcoming).

Kortelainen, Jarmo (ed.) (1997): Crossing the Russian Border, Regional Development and Cross-Border Cooperation in Karelia, TMR Course Report, University of Joensuu, Department of Geography, Publication 3. Order copies from  the Library of the University of Joensuu

Tykkyläinen, Markku & Heikki Jussila (1998). Potentials for innovative restructuring of industry in Northwestern Russia, Fennia 176:1, 223-245.  Offprints available.

Tykkyläinen, Markku & Bond, Derek (1997): Borders as Opportunities in the Regional Development of Europe. Proceedings of the 37th European Congress of the Regional Science Association, Rome, Italy, CD-ROM.

For further information contact:

Derek Bond, Course leader in Derry, Ulster Business School, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, BT52 1SA, UK
+44-1265-324078, D.Bond@ulst.ac.uk

Jarmo Kortelainen, Course leader at Mekrijärvi, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 111, FIN-80101 JOENSUU, FINLAND
+358-13-2513450, +358-13-2513454, Jarmo.Kortelainen@joensuu.fi

Markku Tykkyläinen, Scientist-in-charge, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 111, FIN-80101 JOENSUU, FINLAND
+358-13-2513445, +358-13-2513454, Markku.Tykkylainen@joensuu.fi.