Just Transition Platform poject fiche : Oulu, building regional resilience to industrial structural change : Oulu, Finland

The 'Building Regional Resilience to Industrial Structural Change' project in Oulu focuses on addressing high unemployment, particularly among young people. The project, developed under the FOUNDATION Interreg umbrella, targets the vitality of Oulu, especially in rural areas with small internationally focused companies. The plan emphasises the importance of public-private third-sector networks in rural development, going beyond economic growth to address local participation, social innovation, and trust. The initiative aims to support entrepreneurship, with a focus on youth, encouraging concrete support models and integrating entrepreneurship into educational institutions. The project's impact has led to a commitment to policy change, emphasising entrepreneurship measures, particularly for the youth. The University of Oulu joined to enhance policy instruments supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, emphasising the importance of cooperation, international networking, learning from best practices, and establishing enterprise incubators in rural areas.