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How do we ensure that all parts of the Nordic-Baltic region benefit from the rollout of 5G – and that the people driving digital innovation can find each other? A new tool, developed as part of the N-B Connect project, is designed to meet that challenge. Explore the Nordic-Baltic Connectivity Hub, available here A living map of connectivity and use cases “Innovators can use it to find partners and actively publish their own collaboration needs.” The Nordic-Baltic Connectivity Hub, built on the foundation of an earlier 5G data dashboard and now available in its pilot version, offers an interactive map of 5G coverage across the region along with a networking platform. Hub users can explore use cases, submit collaboration requests, and connect with others working on similar initiatives – a means to drive digital innovation and foster cross-border knowledge exchange. “We created the Nordic-Baltic Connectivity Hub to ensure that the entire region benefits from the advancements in 5G technology,” says Nicola Wendt-Lucas, project manager and Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio. “It helps policymakers identify areas that need improvement and track progress towards the EU’s 2030 gigabit network goal. At the same time, innovators can use it to find partners and actively publish their own collaboration needs.” One of the tool’s most innovative aspects is a new feature called 5G+ Networking, which makes it easier for users to actively seek out partnerships. “It allows users from across the Nordic-Baltic region to submit, explore, and find collaboration requests,” explains Madelene Sonesson, Cartographer and GIS Analyst at Nordregio, who developed the new tool. “This enables them to supply information on ongoing or coming projects that are in need of partnerships.” Users can also “compare 5G coverage between countries, regions and municipalities by accessing the latest coverage data in the Nordic-Baltic region,” she adds,…

The Nordic Region is widely known for its accessible and inclusive higher education systems. Yet beyond the traditional urban campuses lies a quieter, but equally important, transformation. In small towns and rural areas across the Nordics, higher education institutions are stepping into roles that go far beyond education – shaping labour markets, attracting youth, and becoming anchors for regional development. More than education providers “Higher education institutions in smaller towns and rural areas are much more than just providers of education — they wear many hats,” says Anna Berlina, Project Manager at Nordregio. “They serve as drivers of regional development, promote community cohesion, help reduce social inequalities, and deliver skills and competencies tailored to local labour market needs.” One of the central insights of the study is the strategic importance of peripheral higher education institutions (PHEIs) in tackling regional disparities. Many rural and remote regions across the Nordics are grappling with youth outmigration, labour shortages, and a growing urban-rural divide. In this context, education emerges not just as a right, but as a lever for territorial cohesion and local vitality. Strong collaboration among local governments, businesses, and education providers – often referred to as the “quadruple helix” – plays a critical role. In successful cases, municipalities are not just passive hosts but active co-creators, offering funding, shaping curricula, and aligning education with labour market needs. The research also finds that hybrid and flexible models of education are key to ensuring access. In digitally connected Nordic regions, students can now pursue higher education without relocating – a major advantage for adult learners, families, and those balancing work and study. However, Anna Berlina points out that physical spaces still matter: “Despite increased digitalisation, having a physical campus or a dedicated learning space was seen as especially important for community building, creating connections…

The Nordic countries are among the most digitalised in the world. Yet, this digital advantage does not benefit everyone equally. One group particularly at risk of being left behind is immigrant women—especially those who are newly arrived, have limited local language proficiency, or come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. New research explores this issue, asking: how can the Nordic countries support the digital inclusion of immigrant women, and why does it matter? The publication provides insights and recommendations to enhance digital engagement and integration into society. Exclusion in a digital welfare state In the Nordic welfare model, digital competence is often the gateway to social and economic participation. From applying for jobs and booking healthcare to accessing benefits and public services, basic digital skills are now indispensable. “Factors such as language proficiency, digital literacy, trust, lack of support, systemic barriers, cultural differences, and lack of domain knowledge intersect to create significant challenges,” explains Maja Brynteson, author of the study and Research Fellow at Nordregio. The consequences go far beyond inconvenience. Digital exclusion can deepen social isolation, create new forms of control and limit the ability of immigrant women to fully participate in everyday life. A fragmented policy landscape Across the Nordic countries, policy responses vary. Norway specifically identifies immigrant women as a digitally vulnerable group in national strategies. Other countries adopt a broader approach—focusing on common challenges shared across groups at risk of exclusion. This “common challenges, common solutions” model aims to streamline efforts and improve efficiency. Yet, it is difficult to say if this generalist approach can meet the specific needs of immigrant women (and other groups at risk of digital exclusion), who often face compounded and intersectional barriers to inclusion. “It is too early to say whether targeted or broader approaches are more effective,” says Brynteson. “Both have merits,…

Cities are at the forefront of the global fight against climate change. With seven out of ten people projected to live in urban areas by 2050 (UN, 2018) and cities already accounting for 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the stakes could not be higher. Urban areas are expanding faster than their population growth, posing major risks to climate targets, but also opening a critical window for sustainable innovation. Cities account for over 80% of global GDP (World Bank, 2023), giving them significant potential to drive climate action while maintaining economic growth. Nordregio’s new report, “Nordic cities: pathways towards climate neutrality”, the final product of the Nordic Climate Neutral Cities (NCNC) project, funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers, offers insights for both national and local policymakers and planners. It explores how Nordic cities use spatial urban planning to move towards climate neutrality through three specific sectors: land use, transport, and building and construction. Political will and practical barriers Nordic cities are well-positioned for climate neutrality, thanks to strong political will, energy-efficient building traditions, investments in sustainable mobility, and growing citizen participation. Their strong institutional and financial capacity, supported by municipal autonomy and access to renewable energy, offers a solid foundation for climate action. Yet, our research also shows the challenges slowing the transition. Multilevel governance challenges, coordination gaps within municipalities, fragmented land use planning, and inconsistent building regulations slow progress. Financing for building retrofits is often inadequate, increasing the risk of energy poverty. Public preferences for traditional housing forms may also conflict with climate goals. Limiting cars in urban areas is still a politically sensitive issue in several Nordic municipalities. As the report states, “Nordic cities have many of the right ingredients for climate neutrality, but overcoming ingrained systemic barriers will require new forms of collaboration and more targeted…

How can the Nordic-Baltic region enhance digital security during times of geopolitical instability? In the first of Nordregio’s NB-Connect event series, experts gathered to discuss strategies for strengthening digital resilience and safeguarding connectivity infrastructure in the Nordic-Baltic region. Photo: Krzysztof Kowalik / Unsplash.com The physical threat to a digital world In the face of a changing geopolitical climate, European countries are raising their guards and shining the torch on vulnerable critical infrastructure. The Nordic and Baltic states are currently scrutinising their vulnerabilities to hybrid attacks, particularly following recent incidents involving communication cables in the Baltic Sea. These attacks have highlighted the need to monitor and protect communications systems, reminding us that digital security is highly reliant on physical infrastructure. But security challenges span further than human induced incidents, where remote regions, such as Greenland, face challenges in securing essential communication infrastructure due to harsh arctic environments and a lack of private investment incentives. To address the pressing issue of secure digital infrastructure, Nordregio recently gathered experts from the NB-Connect expert group, as well as associated national representatives and members of the research community. This online event marked the first in a series within the NB-Connect project, funded by the Nordic-Baltic Ministers for Digitalisation in their commitment to making the Nordic-Baltic region the most digitally integrated in the world by 2030. The research project focuses on sharing digital connectivity data across the Nordic-Baltic region, and the first event on 18 March particularly covered security threats to communication systems, how these threats differ between regions, and the complexities of covering hybrid threats under international law. Cecilia Leveaux from the Nordic Council of Ministers emphasised the importance of both access to, and the security and resilience of, the digital infrastructure: “It impacts everything and is a hot topic in the ministerial councils and…

As the Nordic Region faces new and complex geopolitical shifts, Nordic policymakers have deemed increased cross-border transport critical. At the recent Platform North conference, Anna Lundgren, Senior Research Fellow at Nordregio, shared research insights from the NORDINFRA project and the critical elements required for effective cross-border transport infrastructure planning. Funded by the Swedish National Transport Administration and carried out between 2021 and 2023, the NORDINFRA project, a collaborative effort between Nordregio and Umeå University, aimed to identify the barriers and drivers of successful cross-border collaboration. The project focused on three connections (all at an early planning stage): the Helsingborg-Helsingør connection, the Stockholm-Oslo railway, and a multimodal line from Mo I Rana in Norway through Umeå in Sweden to Vasa in Finland. Insights to enhance Nordic cross-border transport First, a top-down approach is key. National-level political collaboration and support are essential for paving the way. The Nordic ministers on transport infrastructure have issued a declaration on cooperation and mandated the national transport administrations to deepen their cooperation, which are important steps in the right direction. Secondly, a systems perspective is fundamental. Cross-border infrastructure planning transcends national boundaries, and considering the different modes of transport in that system is essential. To date, the Nordic Region lacks a comprehensive overview of the Nordic transport infrastructure system of transport flows, and the national transport plans. Thirdly, it’s a question of costs and benefits. Economic figures and risk analyses are the foundation of sound decision-making. The results highlighted the need for joint analyses and models to estimate transport flows, evaluate risks and calculate costs and benefits. Roadmap to a Nordic transport model Anna Lundgren outlined best practices for policymakers and planners engaged in transport infrastructure planning: Acknowledge and navigate the complexities introduced by national borders and multiple governance levels; Ensure that national-level governments and relevant…