Tampere ranks among the elite in international comparisons of information society development. Acclaimed information society researcher, Prof. Manuel Castells from Berkeley University, among others has cited Finland for its exemplary work in applying the latest regional development theories. Castells considers Tampere, a city of 200,000 people, to be of particular interest, because it has seriously started to develop an information society.

Research and development has borne fruit in Tampere. A city formerly known for its smokestack industry has become a frontrunner in many sectors, and especially in different information technology sectors. Tampere was the birthplace of the Nokia Communicator, a walking forest machine and the world's first dissolving bio-implants, among other things.

Tampere is home to the Nokia Research Center, which studies wireless multimedia technology, digital signaling, the wireless technologies of the future and their many possibilities. The company now employs over 4,000 in the city.

Education meets the needs of business

The excellent level of education available in Tampere has fundamentally influenced the region's success. For more than a decade, Tampere University and Tampere University of Technology have adapted to better meet the requirements of business life. The powerful growth in the Finnish metal and electronics sectors and the advent of the information society have led the two universities to invest strongly in research and education in wireless information technology, signalling technology, digital media, hydraulics, automation and optoelectronics.

Academic institutions have also co-operated very closely with local companies and technology centres, in order to improve the region's business competitiveness. Tampere University has 15,000 students and the Tampere University of Technology approximately 10,000 students.

eTampere - the fruit of co-operation

In recent years, the City of Tampere has been systematically developed into an innovative operating environment for R&D in information and communications technology, healthcare technology, and mechanical engineering and automation. The new eTampere programme is a broad co-operation project to which the region's educational and research institutes, companies and other organisations all contribute their knowledge and development input. The aim of the programme is to turn the Tampere region into a genuine information society of the future. The five-year programme is estimated to cost about EUR 130 million.

In November, the Hermia Technology Centre of Tampere was ranked as one of the most successful incubators of new enterprises and innovations in the EU. Hermia is a 3,000-person concentration of technological expertise, located right next to the University of Technology and the Technical Research Centre of Finland, VTT. Hermia is occupied by 150 companies and research organisations.

RELATED FINNFACTS ARTICLES:

>> Getting to grips with the information society through the Netti-Nysse Bus (11.3.2002)

>> Prof. Castells and Dr. Himanen: "The 'best' information society model Finland's new international identity (10.12.2001)

>> www.tampere.fi
>> www.hermia.fi

Tampere is shredding its smokestack image in favour of technology leadership.
Source: City of Tampere