Finland - Jyvaskyla Region - Final Self-Evaluation Report.pdf

taxation, to lower the unemployment rate, which remains high in the aftermath of the early-ninetiesrecession, to improve employment, and to balance regional development.The polytechnics and universities have an important role as the producers of societal effects. However, theiroperation modes and focuses differ. The Finnish polytechnics operate close to the sphere of the working andeveryday life of individuals. Thus, the societal effects of their activities are more direct than those ofuniversities, which are more focused on scientific research and education. One example of this difference canbe found in the production of services or regional project work. Without a strong link to research oreducation, these do not belong to the core operations of universities. To roughly summarize, the polytechnicshave a more direct influence on society whereas the universities have a more indirect effect through theirresearch and education activities.The societal activities of HEIs are strongly integrated to the aims of sustainable development. Firstly, theysupport sustainable economic development; for example, by building networks and providing services tofirms. Secondly, due to the extension of the operation field of HEIs, they also participate in the activitiespromoting social cohesion and preventing social exclusion. The HEIs carry out R&D projects and providedirect services that aim to promote the social inclusion of individuals (e.g., unemployed and elderly people,and other special groups). Thirdly, the HEIs offer cultural and physical exercise services and participate inthe coordination of different events. The fourth element of sustainable development is an ecologic aspect,which is supported by the knowledge based ecological solutions and services produced by HEIs for theprivate and public sector.In the Jyväskylä Polytechnic and University of Jyväskylä, the most promising fields, from the perspective ofsocial effects and the provision of service, can be found in the areas of social and healthcare, environmentaland cultural fields, and their horizontal integration with other fields, such as ICT-adaptations. Themechanisms for the transfer of social and service innovations to general use include diverse project activitiesand larger development programmes.The influence of the HEIs’ project activities is highlighted, in particular, in the areas of social, cultural andenvironmental development. The financial contribution of the European Regional Development Fund(ERDF), European Social Fund (ESF), European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF), issignificant in these projects. In Central Finland, during the period 1.1.2000 – 30.6.2005, 20% of all funding(national funding and the contribution of ERDF, ESF and EAGGF) were granted to the projects implementedby the University of Jyväskylä or Jyväskylä Polytechnic. Respectively, 25% of this funding was granted toprojects making direct contributions to the social (14%), cultural (3%) or ecological (8%) dimensions ofsustainable development. These projects are listed in Appendix 15 according to their main focus and amountof funding received. Some of them are research projects and others are direct service projects.6.2 Contribution of HEIs to the social wellbeing of the regionAn ageing population, migration flows from rural municipalities to towns and the subsequently increasingsocial problems form an area where HEIs also have an important role to play. For the HEIs, the innovationsthat support the development of a more effective public sector and the provision of services are some of themain challenges in the near future.Production of public health and wellbeing servicesCentral Finland’s Centre of Expertise in Social Field forms a network of actors that aims at developingeffectively organized services and the supporting of the renewal of the service structure. It also contributes tothe applied research in the field of social studies by transferring information about the needs of working lifeto researchers. The University of Jyväskylä and Jyväskylä Polytechnic form an integral part of this network.Both the hospital district of Central Finland and the social and health services of the city of Jyväskylä, andother municipalities, are also important partners for the HEIs in the field of social and health care.Jyväskylä Polytechnic responds to public sector needs by providing education and R&D activities in thehealth and social care sector, which uses the applications generated by information and wellness84