BSR QUICK - BSR QUICK

Website of the BSR-QUICK project

Description:
99 % of all companies in the Baltic Sea Region are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), providing up to 70 % of all jobs and 80 % of all training positions. To stay competitive, the companies need to boost their innovation capacities. This asks for better qualification and education. The
project focuses on the education of owners, graduates and employees of small and medium sized companies and the qualification of young people. The project encompasses academic education (dual bachelor study courses) as well as vocational training. By foundation of a network of
universities, the missing link between SMEs and the academic area will be bridged. The Baltic Sea Academy will be mainly active in the fields of education and qualification, but at the same time deliver innovative solutions for individual companies.

Partnership geographical scope:

- Lead Partner : Hanse Parlament e.V. in Hamburg, Germany (umbrella organisation of 45

Chambers and SME associations, reaching more than 460.000 SMEs in the BSR; non- profit
character)
- Total of 40 Partners from all 12 countries around the Baltic Sea Region, implementing a crosssectoral
triple-helix structure
o 25 Business Organisations (Chambers of Crafts, Commerce and SME associations)
o 9 Universities and Polytechnics
o 6 public administrations
- Additional 9 non-formal Partners from Russia (who cannot be part-financed by project funds)
- 41 associated organisations support the implementation of the project, i.e.
o Members of the European Parliament
o Several national ministries (of Education and/or Economy)
o Regional administrations
o Stakeholders in the Baltic Sea Region, i.e. Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS), Baltic
Development Forum (BDF)

Financing and Duration:
The project is part-financed by the INTERREG IV B Program (Baltic Sea Region) of the European Union, ERDF and ENPI. The total project budget amounts to 3.6 Million Euro. The project started on 1st of January 2010 and will run until 31st of December 2012.

Expected Outcome:
The project concentrates very much on concrete measures and tangible results for the companies. Curricula for dual study courses will be further developed, the exchange of students supported, Train-the-trainer workshops will be conducted at business organizations and universities, vocational
trainings and further education measure offered to SMEs. Additionally several hundred R&D solutions and business plans will be developed. The network of the “Baltic Sea Academy”, with so far 15 universities cooperating, will be expanded and established as a legal entity to ensure its ongoing work also after project duration.

The project was initiated by the Hanseatic Parliament, that works closely together with the Baltic Sea Academy in all working fields.