The ScanBalt Educational Platform for the Baltic Sea Region SME’s, health care organisations and universities

A potential outline of a ScanBalt Educational Platform common for the Baltic Sea Region SME’s, health care organisations and universities

On the Picture: Boo Edgar, Associated professor at Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, and a serial entrepreneur.

Health care is a driver for a competitive and knowledge based health economy in Europe and in particular for the Baltic Sea Region. On the other hand the cost for the HealthCare ‘organisation’ is heavy taking about 8-10% of the GDP at the moment. Estimations for the future are that these costs will increase in the years to come – if nothing is done – up to 15% of the GDP. So it is a burning issue to be more innovative within management of health care.

As a consequence the project “Business acceleration support and training bridging innovative SMEs and health care organisations to strengthen BSR health economy” (BSHR HealthPort) focused on the interactions between Health Care Service providers, researchers and SMEs with the aim of enhancing innovation, reduce health care costs and promote SME access to the whole BSR Health Care market. Health care is not only a cost for society but also as a driver of a competitive and knowledge based health economy. The implemented results from BSHR HealthPort will promote a strong and sustainable Baltic Sea Region health economy.

The project BSHR HealthPort has been co-financed by the Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007 – 2013 as a part of the EU Baltic Sea Region Strategy flagship ScanBalt Health Region.

Instead of increasing the innovative power there is a decreasing innovative and entrepreneurial environment in the Baltic Sea Region recognized by the European Union. As a response there have been several programmes to propose changes to resolve these issues. Their objectives are, among others, to change the attitude to innovations increase the entrepreneurial spirit,  and to provide support the innovation processes and nurture the SME’s and HealthCare organisations capabilities in handling innovations.

One major activity of the ScanBalt Health Region flagship is the Business acceleration support and training bridging innovative SME’s and health care organisations to strengthen Baltic Sea Region health economy. A major issue for the region is the competitiveness of SME’s, and lack of the innovative capabilities of the health care organisations. Training to bring up the competence of the managements were brought out to be a key factor for the success of the SME’s and others. Therefore, a concept for a web-based educational platform, the ScanBalt Educational Platform (SBEP), to be managed with in ScanBalt Health Region was developed. Such an e-learning platform should be combined with local mentoring in these courses, too boost the regional development.

The mission of the SBEP is to increase the entrepreneurial attitude and environment and the innovation spirit, for and within life science in the Baltic region. This is highly important in order to drive the growth of the region and to enhance the competitiveness of the companies. The needs for these activities are widely supported by the European Innovation agenda.

The report addresses the legal structure for such an the educational platform as well as the proposed course content and marketing of the Platform.

Report: ScanBalt Educational Platform