What is OSKE?

Centre of Expertise programme OSKE is a fixed term governmental programme (2007-2013). OSKE represents the Government’s view on how to improve regional competitiveness in line with national and European policies. This fixed-term programme was introduced in 1994 to create new jobs and to foster regional development in the selected fields of expertise.

Local co-operation and specialisation as starting points

The Government has challenged regional actors to cooperate in joint strategies by using relatively small funding incentives and at the same time giving them a high-level status in the Finnish innovation strategy. From the very beginning the carrying force of the programme has been the active cooperation between universities, research and development institutions, companies and municipalities.

A new cluster model challenges the centres of expertise to work together

In 2007, the programme was renewed in order to face the future challenges. A competence cluster intensifies the cooperation between centres of expertise and enables the more efficient use of national expertise resources scattered in different regions, and increases for its part the “critical mass” needed in international competition.