BSN Final Conference

On 16 June 2021, the Baltic Science Network (BSN) and CBSS Baltic Sea Science Day hosted the international online conference:

Towards a new ERA for Research and Innovation in the Baltic Sea Region

The Baltic Sea Region is one of the most competitive, innovative science macro-regions in the world, with an excellent structure of leading universities and research institutions. Cooperation in research and innovation in this region is unique and offers inspirational insights for other macro-regions.

The BSN project ends on 31 July 2021. The aim of this final conference is to present the project results to a broad specialist public, discuss them with actors from politics and science at regional, national and EU level and to define the way forward for the Baltic Science Network.

In this context, a new vision will be presented, which should guide the course to enhanced competiveness and excellence of the Baltic Sea science region and contribute to the realisation of the European Research Area.

Programme

The online conference took place on 16 June 2021. The times of the international conference are given in Central European Time (CET).

9:00 – Registration

9:15 – Introduction and Welcome

Katharina Fegebank, Second Mayor and Minister for Science, Research, Equalities and Districts of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Germany

Jurgita Šiugždinienė, Minister of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Lithuania

Grzegorz Poznański, Director General of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) Permanent International Secretariat, Poland

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10:00 – Keynote: Baltic Sea cooperation – trends and challenges – views from outside

Tilmann Bünz, Author and documentary filmmaker and for many years head of the German ARD television studio in Stockholm

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10:30 – Panel Discussion: A new ERA for Research and Innovation in the Baltic Sea Region?

How can various cross-border research support initiatives and funding programs be better aligned in order to fully exploiting the potential of the Baltic Sea science region?

Signe Ratso, Deputy Director-General, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission

Peter Berkowitz, Head of the Unit for Smart and Sustainable Growth, DG Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission

Andris Andrusaitis, Acting Executive Director, Baltic and North Sea Coordination and Support Action (BANOS)

Kajsa Paulsson, Programme Manager, Hanseatic League of Science (HALOS), Lund University, Sweden

Viktor M. Smirnov, Deputy Director of International Department, Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation

Moderator: Marcus Flatten, Managing director of the Hamburg communications agency “Mann beißt Hund”, Germany

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12:00 – Presentation: The Baltic Science Network – Key Results and new Vision

Klaus von Lepel, BSN Project Director, Hamburg Ministry of Science, Research, Equalities and Districts, Germany

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12:30 – Lunch Break

Informal get-together

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13:00 – Baltic Sea Science Award 2021 Ceremony

Presentation of the Baltic Sea Science Award 2021 to Young scientists of the Baltics Sea region for their achievements promoting Science, Research & Innovation

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13:30 – Parallel working group sessions on:

  1. Challenges and opportunities of complexity when implementing the Green Deal in the Baltic Sea region – how can collaboration between different levels (regional, national, European), affiliations (EU, Nordic, non-EU countries), funding agencies and research programs be improved?
    In this session we will explore together with representatives from European, national and transnational funding and research agencies in the BSR as well as from university and research institutions, how the different stakeholders and programmes can work closer together to support the green transition in the BSR. The working group is organised in form of panel discussions as well as parallel break-out rooms allowing ample opportunities for all participants to engage in the discussion.
    • Arne Flåøyen, Director, Nordforsk
    • Tomasz Jalukowicz, EUSBSR Policy Area Innovation Coordinator, Ministry of Education and Science of Poland
    • Jörg Knieling, Dean Urban Planning, HafenCity University Hamburg
    • Johan Magnusson, Team Leader Danube and Baltic Sea Regions, DG for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission
    • Dmitry Vasilenko, Vice-Rector on International Relations, St. Petersburg State University of Economics (UNECON)
    • Andreas Zilcken, Project Advisor, Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak
    • Moderator: Krzysztof Szczepaniak, Deputy Director, Centre for Sustainable Development of the University of Gdansk
  2. Supporting a broader use of large research infrastructures – lessons learnt and future applications of the BSN LaunchPad:RI connectors
    The focus of this workshop will be on the question how the LaunchPad cooperation support tool can be further developed and applied in other contexts as a driver of transnational research and innovation excellence. One such context is the Horizon Europe widening participation support programme. Participants sharing their experiences and ideas include:
    • Christian Bressler, Professor, European XFEL, Hamburg
    • Inari Kursula, Professor, University of Bergen
    • Jörg Pieper, Professor, University of Tartu
    • Ilya Sheinman, Professor, St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University
    • Agnès Robin, Unit “R&I Actors and Research Careers”, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
    • Stefan Weiers, Head of Unit “ERA Governance and Implementation”, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
    • Agrita Lapinska, BSN Project Manager, Latvian Ministry of Education and Science
    • Moderator: Hella Lood, Chief Expert, Research Policy Department, Estonian Ministry of Education and Research
  3. Supporting academic mobility for young researches – lessons learnt and future perspectives for the BSN Mobility Programme for Research Internships (BARI), Baltic University Programme and School for Young Scientists.
    The session collects different actors in the Baltic Sea Region to share experiences of student mobility in the region. In addition to hearing about the mobility opportunities, we hear the voice of the participants. We would like to look into some of the major funding opportunities and explore options for increased cooperation between different programmes.
    • Nina Akrami Flores, BSN Project Manager, BARI Mobility Programme
    • Madeleine Granvik, Director, Baltic University Programme
    • Daria Akhutina, Senior Adviser, Council of the Baltic Sea States
    • Igor Kuprienko, Head of Project Development Division, ITMO University
    • Aravinth Ravichandran, Student and BARI participant, University of Eastern Finland
    • Daniel Štraub, PhD candidate, Jagiellonian University Cracow
    • Moderator: Mari Leino, University of Turku

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14:45 – Panel Discussion: Towards intensified Science and Research Cooperation in the BSR with a focus on the future BSN role

Presentation and discussion of working group results.

Moderator: Marcus Flatten, Managing director of the Hamburg communications agency “Mann beißt Hund”, Germany

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15:30 – Closing of the conference


We are very pleased that we were able to attract numerous international speakers for our conference. Learn more about the individual speakers.

about the speakers