INNO-FOREST

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Innovations as task for Polytechnics

By law Polytechnics have two roles

To educate

To perform R&D

Both tasks must fit to regional development strategy and serve regional demand.

Therefore

Savonia Polytechnics is one very important player to respond North Savo Regional Development Strategy

North Savo in Europe

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Savonia Polytechnic

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• founded in 1992

• permanent status in 1998

• operates in Iisalmi, Kuopio and Varkaus

• recognized as an institution of higher education

• studies lead to a Bachelor’s Degree from 210 to 240 credits and Master’s Degree additional 90 to 60 credits plus three years working experience

• International Degree Programmes* International Business* Information Technology* Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology

Savonia Polytechnic (year 2005)

Students 6740(Date 20.1.2005)

Staff 580

Degree Programmes 31

Budget in year 2005 44,5 Milj. €

R&D budget 5 Milj. €

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Fields of Study

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Business and AdministrationIisalmi, Kuopio, Varkaus

EngineeringKuopio, Varkaus

Natural Resources Iisalmi

Social and Health CareIisalmi, Kuopio

Tourism and CateringKuopio

CultureKuopio

Structure of the Polytechnic Degree

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3.5 to 4 Academic Years

Thesis

Work Placement

Optional Studies

Specialized Studies

Basic Studies

Structure of the Polytechnic Master’s Degree (Welfare technology)

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60 or 90 Credits

Masters Thesis

+

Optional Modules

Specialized Studies

Basic Studies

Bachelor’s degree plus three yearsworking experience

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INNOVATION INVOLVES ALL INDUSTRIES

It is important to understand that innovation is not just restricted to a few high-tech industries. There are no low-tech industries, only low-tech firms.

Virtually every industry or organization today can employ highly advanced technology to improve its efficiency and products.

There has been a tendency to think that only few firms and industries need advanced technology.

That mentality is fundamentally dangerous. To have a high and rising standard of living, every country must increase its rate of innovation across the board.

INNOVATION PROMOTES PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH

What causes productivity to increase?

Productivity fundamentally increases through innovation.

Innovation involves more than just science and technology.

It also involves improvements in marketing, service, branding, and the way a product is delivered to the customer.

Innovation drives productivity, which increases wages and returns to capital.

Over time, standard of living rises. This is no quick fix, however. It can take years for investments in innovative capacity to translate themselves into new products, processes, and companies that will propel an economy forward.

That is the way to attain sustainable economic growth: you nurture innovation, which leads to increased productivity, which leads to a rising standard of living.

The relationship between prosperity, productivity, and innovative capacity is becoming even more important in the coming years.

Most advanced countries are facing demographic changes that are slowing the growth of their workforce.

Traditionally, one of the factors that fuelled economic growth in many countries was a growing workforce.

Going forward, continued economic growth will require an increasingly productive workforce, which can only be achieved through innovation. This is the fact already in Finland (China phenomenon).

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Protection of innovation or invention

The key fact is that 95 % of innovations made in universities or polytechnics are not protected

Why??

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Publish or perish

“everything made available to the public by means of a written or oral description, by use, or in any other way”

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The manufacturing process of Thermowood is based on the use of high temperature and steam. Due to the high treatment temperatures the resin is removed from the wood.

• ThermoWood® is a registered trade mark own by Finnish Thermowood Association.

• Finnish Thermowood Association was established in December 2000. The aim of the association is to enhance the use of ThermoWood® products. Also quality control of production, product classification and R&D activities are important duties of the organization.

• The members of the association are either heat treated wood producers or kiln manufacturers.

• The heat treatment method used in Finland has

been developed and patented by Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT). Today the industrial scale of wood heat treatment process, under trade name ThermoWood®, has licensed to the members of the Finnish Thermowood Association.

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Making money out of your knowledge and skills is your right.

And if you ask me as a tax payer it should be your duty!

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Savonia Polytechnic is one of the key players in regional innovation chain

“If you think you can go it alone in today’s Economy, you are highly mistaken.”

Jack Welch General Electric

• National innovation test

• People staying in North Savo must be more innovative than those who moved from the area.

• They had to invent work for themselves