Nordland Research Institute establishes new research center for coastal communities in transition

Cheers. Maiken Bjørkan at Nordland Research Institute will lead the new center MEA, and she is very excited to get started on the job of producing new knowledge in collaboration with local communities and businesses along the coast.

Nordland Research Institute establishes MEA – Research Center for Marine and Coastal Communities. The goal is to develop knowledge and solutions in close collaboration with municipalities, businesses and local communities along the coast. The initiative has a total budget of NOK 12.4 million.

The initiative is initially funded over three years, and will initially test new solutions in Helgeland, Lofoten and Salten. Nordland County Council is contributing six million kroner, while the rest is covered through own efforts and external funds. The goal is to lay the foundation for a permanent research center in Nordland.

– This is an initiative that builds on the knowledge we have developed over many years, and on the relationships we have built with coastal communities, businesses and public actors, says center manager Maiken Bjørkan.

Facts

• MEA is Nordland Research's new research center for marine and coastal communities.

• The name MEA refers to a traditional coastal concept, where seafarers use fixed landmarks to find direction and navigate safely. The name symbolizes the connection between local, experiential knowledge and new research.

• The center is being established with a total budget of NOK 12.4 million .

• Nordland County Council is contributing six million kroner over three years. The rest is financed through own efforts and external funds.

• The goal is to lay the foundation for a permanent research center in Nordland.

• In the start-up phase, MEA will develop and test solutions in Helgeland, Lofoten and Salten .

• The center will develop new research projects in collaboration with municipalities, business, administration and academia.

Will solve specific challenges

Many local communities along the coast are undergoing extensive transition processes related to climate, emergency preparedness, labor, and sustainability.

 The center will develop research and solutions in close collaboration with municipalities, businesses and local communities. This may involve the development of new jobs, better land management or solutions related to climate, emergency preparedness and restructuring.

– We find the best solutions when research, experience and practice meet. With MEA, we have the opportunity to get even closer to the needs along the coast and develop research that creates value for more people, says Bjørkan.

Knowledge that creates development

Nordland Research Institute already has strong expertise in fisheries, aquaculture, regional development, innovation and community planning. Bjørkan has also recently completed the European research project EmpowerUs , where local communities in several countries have worked on sustainability and transition. The experience from the project will be an important foundation for the development of the new research center.

MEA will develop new research projects both nationally and internationally, and be a meeting place for administration, organizations and academia.

“Coastal communities have experience and insight that are crucial for understanding the challenges and opportunities we face. Our role is to connect this with high-quality research and contribute knowledge that municipalities, businesses and authorities can use in their decisions,” says Bjørkan.

Important initiative for Nordland

County Councilor for Industry, Svein Øien Eggesvik, believes that the initiative will have great significance for development in the county.

– This is an important investment in the future of our coast. We will strengthen cooperation between municipalities, business and research communities. We must make each other better. It provides more opportunities and better solutions, says Eggesvik.

He points out that knowledge will be a crucial resource in the years to come.

– Knowledge is the key. We must turn research into practical tools that society and business can use to develop.

Here you can read the entire article Nordland County Council has published about the initiative.

Greater ambitions

Nordland Research Institute At the same time, it has ambitions to further develop the initiative beyond the funding currently in place.

– The ambition is for MEA to become a driving force for new research projects on marine and coastal communities. We will obtain funding from, among others, the Research Council of Norway and the EU, and build a strong research environment based in Nordland, says Director André Wallann Larsen.

– We will also work to bring in strong contributors from foundations and private industry to finance further research at the center, he says.