SHORT REPORT TO NACI SOUTH AFRICAN VISIT TO FINLAND TO REVIEW THE NATIONAL SYSTEM OF INNOVATION AND THE OULU REGION CENTER OF EXPERTISE

The visit to various institutions in Helsinki and Oulu were initiated by DACST as a followup to the Ministerial visit in 2001. The group of 13 participants from various
universities, science councils, innovation support mechanisms, the Department of
Communications, DACST and NACI spent 4 days studying the “Oulu phenomenon”.
The team attended presentations by a number of institutions including the Science and Technology Policy Council (closest equivalent to NACI), key institutions supporting the national system of innovation in Finland, government funding agencies, the University of Oulu and its research institutes, innovation incubators offering business development services and hi-tech operating environments, hi-tech companies and start-up companies and government agencies supporting innovation.

The “Oulu phenomenon” describes the development of this region of Northern Finland from a largely agricultural base in the 1980’s to a hi-tech R&D base in the 1990’s, servicing the communities of Northern Finland and enhancing the economic
development of the region. A coherent research and innovation agenda has developed over the last decade that fits well with the local needs of Finland (Information Society/Wellness Society) and with the global economy. The development of a high technology center at Oulu is focused on supporting sustainable rural and regional development.