Finnish-Russian collaboration in forest sector will strengthen

The project will get funding of 175 000 euros from South-Karelia - Russia ENPI programme. ENPI (European Neighborhood and Partnership Instrument) -programme is financed by EU, the Republic of Finland and the Russian Federation. One of the aims during the project is to find a suitable form for strengthening the research and education collaboration between Finnish and Russian forest sector. The father of the idea of Finnish-Russian Forest Academy has been Mr Timo Puttonen, Executive Director of Regional Council of South Karelia.
The target of Forest Academy is to facilitate and increase the cross-border forest industry collaboration, enhance development of new innovations and business in forest sector. The Forest Academy aims to create a forum for constructive dialogue, development and co-operation for universities, enterprises, public organizations and authorities. In the course of time knowledge and knowhow related to research, education and innovations in forest sector will be cumulated in this Finnish- Russian centre of expertise.
One of the main topics which will be examined in the new project is bioenegy. Finland pays a lot of attention to this question, but Russia is far away from that so far. At the same time the bioenergy development could be very positive for Russians.
The lead coordinator of the project is Lappeenranta University of Technology, but the project is implemented together with St. Petersburg State Technological University of Plant Polymers and St. Petersburg State Forest Technical Academy.
The Finnish-Russian Forest Academy project is one of the accepted projects in the first call of applications of South-Karelia - Russia ENPI -programme.