North Karelia Centre of Expertise
The centre of expertise for photonics and material and precision technologies forms part of the North Karelia Centre of Expertise and the national Nanotechnology Cluster Programme.
Photonics has been named one of the most important technologies for European competitiveness. "The European Platform Photonics21" strategy commissioned by the European Commission outlines five key areas in which photonics plays a key role in terms of applications and processes:
- Information, imaging and communications technology
- Lighting and display technologies
- Production and fabrication techniques and quality
- Biological sciences and healthcare
- Safety and reliability
In the strategies and forecasts made by Tekes and the Academy of Finland, the role of photonics and material and precision technologies is defined as central in terms of national research and industry. North Karelia has been a pioneer and trendsetter in this branch. Focused efforts over the past decades have made the Joensuu Region Finland's leading and an internationally respected centre of expertise for photonics and material and precision technologies. In addition to the University of Joensuu, North Karelia University of Applied Sciences and the Imtec precision manufacturing centre at the Joensuu Science Park, a number of expert companies operate in the region whose services and expertise are utilised by many leading Finnish and international companies. Joensuu's core area of expertise represents technology that is recognised by many major sectors (plastics and metal, electronics and electrotechnical, ICT and the printing and paper industries) as a way of revolutionising business operations and products.
Vision
Joensuu is one of Europe's leading centres of expertise for photonics and material and precision technologies in 2013.
Research and education
Leading expertise in photonics research and education is offered in Joensuu by the University of Joensuu's Department of Physics and Mathematics and the InFotonics Center (IFC), which was established in 2003. Long-term research by the University of Joensuu's Department of Physics in the fields of wave-optical technology, industrial optics, optical materials and spectral colour research has made it internationally recognised and Finland's leading optical research unit.
Business activities
In addition to the region's research and education organisations, many companies in the region support the photonics and material and precision technologies centre of expertise through their own expertise or participate actively in developing technologies in order to utilise these benefits in their products or production. In addition to developing technologies, these actors strive together to commercialise new research results and applications created by photonics research. The region's research network and companies have together created the Optics River added-value chain for wave-optics and precision manufacturing.
Links:
http://www.carelian.fi/