UNIC Methodology and Innovation Gaps Report
FREIIA, Facilitating Resilience Embracing Islands Innovation, is a INTERREG project financed by the European Union running from 1. October 2022 until 31. December 2025. The project consists of 14 partners from 6 countries, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France and Norway.
The aim of this project is to help 6 island communities in the European Union to create competences, capabilities & structures that support the public sector in becoming successful in the green transition, through the involvement of community, young entrepreneurs and students.(«FREIIA», u.å.)
Østfold University College is responsible for Work Package 4 (WP4), which focuses on fostering student entrepreneurship. The main objective of WP4 is to integrate entrepreneurship students into the strategic governance of island innovation, strengthening their role in green transitions. When referring to the FREIIA project in this paper, it refers to WP4 of the FREIIA project.
The following paper describes the first phase conducted in Bornholm, Denmark, which focused on identifying innovation gaps through interviews conducted by students with stakeholders from public, private, and civil sectors. Key challenges included the island's dependence on tourism, the need for circular economy initiatives, seasonal economic fluctuations, youth migration, and limited cross-sector collaboration. These insights, gathered using UNIC and Design Thinking principles, will serve as the foundation for the next phase, where Co-creation workshops will develop tailored solutions to address the identified gaps.
Design thinking and Co-creation Report
FREIIA (Facilitating Resilience Embracing Islands Innovation Approaches) is an INTERREG North Sea Region project funded by the European Union, aimed at enhancing resilience and innovation capacity in island communities across six countries. (FREIIA FREIIA | Interreg North Sea, u.å.)
Østfold University College is responsible for Work Package 4 (WP4), which focuses on fostering student entrepreneurship. The main objective of WP4 is to integrate entrepreneurship students into the strategic governance of island innovation, strengthening their role in green transitions. When referring to the FREIIA project in this paper, it refers to WP4 of the FREIIA project.
In the first phase of this project, we identified innovation gaps on the island of Bornholm, Denmark, through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders from the public, private, and civil sectors. Key challenges included limited cross-sector collaboration, circular waste management, an aging population, and insufficient platforms for community engagement.
This paper presents the next phase of the project, which uses design thinking and the double diamond framework to co-create solutions to the identified challenges through workshops. Initiatives include developing youth-focused educational programs and innovation hubs, enhancing collaboration between stakeholders, leveraging Bornholm’s proximity to Copenhagen for marketing and talent attraction, and creating sustainable business opportunities through circular economy initiatives.
This study offers a model for fostering sustainable development through collaboration, creativity, and local ownership and offers a model for other island communities facing similar challenges.
The interviews and process Report
FREIIA, Facilitating Resilience Embracing Islands Innovation Approaches, is a INTERREG project financed by the European Union running from 1. October 2022 until 31. December 2025. The project consists of 14 partners from 6 countries, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France and Norway. (FREIIA FREIIA | Interreg North Sea, u.å.).
The aim of this project is to help 6 island communities in the European Union to create competences, capabilities & structures that support the public sector in becoming successful in the green transition, through the involvement of community, young entrepreneurs and students.
Østfold University College is responsible for Work Package 4 (WP4), which focuses on fostering student entrepreneurship. The main objective of WP4 is to integrate entrepreneurship students into the strategic governance of island innovation, strengthening their role in green transitions. When referring to the FREIIA project in this paper, it refers to WP4 of the FREIIA project.
The following sections focus on the interviews conducted on Bornholm island, Denmark, as part of the initial phase of the FREIIA project. It highlights the recruitment process for stakeholders and the methodology employed to ensure diverse representation from public, private, and civil sectors. The student-led interviews revealed key challenges, including limited cross-sector collaboration, an aging population, and insufficient platforms for innovation. These findings, gathered through the application of the UNIC method(gap analysis), provide a foundation for the next phase, where Design Thinking baes Co-creation workshops will focus on developing tailored solutions to address the identified gaps.
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