The University of Lapland, Lapland University of Applied Sciences, the City of Rovaniemi, the Lapland Education Centre REDU (REDU), Santasport Lapland Sports Institute, and the Natural Resources Institute Finland have signed a partnership agreement to develop Rovaniemi’s innovation hub for physical activity, well-being, and sports. Lapland’s physical activity and sports ecosystem has also gained international recognition, as the Arctic Sport Cluster was awarded the European Bronze Label.

Joint development activities support local businesses, networking among companies, startup activities, and growth. Through this collaboration, new opportunities open up for companies in research collaboration, innovation, pilot projects, and national and international partnerships. At the same time, the goal is to attract new business activity to the region, strengthening Rovaniemi’s position and reputation as a year-round center of expertise in physical activity, well-being, and sports.

The network combines physical activity, sports, and well-being with sustainable solutions that support Finland’s responsibility and sustainability goals. Rovaniemi’s Arctic location brings its own unique dimension to new sustainability and responsibility innovations. The goal of the network’s activities and outputs is to promote health, vitality, and the creation of new business both locally and internationally.

– Collaboration, both regionally and internationally, is important to us, for example, in terms of research, development, and innovation. Our university of science and the arts can address the unique challenges of the Arctic region and bring a multidisciplinary perspective to themes such as well-being, sustainability, and responsibility. Cooperation also supports our activities as a higher education institution supporting elite athletes, says Sari Lindblom, Vice Rector for Research at the University of Lapland.

Bronze Label Recognition for the Arctic Sport Cluster

Lapland’s physical activity and sports ecosystem also recently received international recognition when the Arctic Sport Cluster was awarded the European Bronze Label. The Bronze Label is part of the European Cluster Excellence Initiative, which evaluates the activities of cluster organizations based on international quality criteria. The recognition is awarded to clusters that have passed an independent expert evaluation and meet the basic requirements for cluster operations.

The evaluation examines, among other things, the cluster’s management, cooperation networks, services offered to companies, and the impact of its activities. The recognition indicates that the cluster actively works to strengthen cooperation among companies, research organizations, and other stakeholders.

The Bronze Label strengthens the Arctic Sport Cluster’s position as part of the European cluster network while supporting the development of Rovaniemi’s innovation hub for physical activity, well-being, and sports. The recognition also supports opportunities for the region’s small and medium-sized enterprises to network internationally and participate in research and development work.