Business Kuopio

 

Kuopio-Shanghai cooperation network

Companies generate growth by internationalising. Kuopio already laid the groundwork for cooperation with China in the early 2000s when cooperation between Kuopio and the Shanghai Pudong New Area began. The cities signed a sister city agreement in 2012, and activities between Kuopio and Shanghai Pudong have continuously grown and deepened. On the part of the City of Kuopio, there has been a vigorous increase in activities in the teaching field, while the cultural side has also remained very active.

The primary objective of the cooperation is to support the internationalisation of Kuopio and the region, strengthen collaboration between technology parks and promote the development of business activity and collaboration between companies. For this purpose, an exceptionally close cooperation network has been formed in Kuopio.

Cooperation network

The Kuopio region’s cooperation network for its Shanghai activities is composed of the City of Kuopio, the University of Eastern Finland (UEF), the Kuopio Region Chamber of Commerce, the Savonia University of Applied Sciences and the Savo Region Federation of Municipalities for Vocational Education and Training (SAKKY). The region’s companies have access to reliable partners and contacts in Shanghai. For example, within the framework of the City of Kuopio’s agreement, Kai Zhan helps companies on the spot.

Cooperation network activities in Shanghai include:

  • University cooperation: Student, teacher and staff mobility, research collaboration projects and sale of training courses. The UEF cooperates with Fudan University, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Nanjing University.
  • Wide-ranging school cooperation between the City of Kuopio and Shanghai Pudong.
  • Teacher and student exchange, development projects and sale of training courses carried out by the Savonia University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with the Shanghai Second Polytechnic University (SSPU) and the Shanghai Institute of Health Sciences (SIHS).
  • Cultural visits for example photographic exhibitions, calligraphy performance, traditional Chinese music and acrobatics performances held in alternate years in Kuopio and Shanghai Pudong as part of Culture cooperation agreement (MoU).
  • The story of a Finnish woman and Kuopio – Capital of Lakeland exhibition, Shanghai World Financial Center 2017. The exhibition marked the fifth anniversary of the cities’ sister city relationship. The exhibition, which was part of the Finland 100 events in China, attracted about 4,000 visitors and also received a lot of attention in the Chinese media and social networks. A tourism industry workshop was also held at the Shanghai World Financial Center in conjunction with the Kuopio exhibition, with participants from more than 20 Chinese tourism companies and agencies. The story of a Finnish woman and the Kuopio – Capital of Lakeland exhibition in the Pudong district of Shanghai
  • 4/2019 Delegation to the sister city Shanghai Pudong by the Major of City of Kuopio.  Strengthening our twin town ties in Shanghai Pudong

Further information: