The document was signed by Andrey Sokolov, General Director of Technopark of St. Petersburg JSC, and Yucca-Pekka Bergman, Program Director of the Governing Body of the Russia-South-East Finland Cross-Border Cooperation Program.
Evgeny Grigoryev, Chairman of the Committee for External Relations of St. Petersburg, sent a greeting to the participants. “At present, cross-border cooperation is an important component of the international relations of the regions. It is not only a serious mechanism for strengthening and developing historically developed friendships and economic ties, but also helps to resolve certain issues of interstate relations, ”the greeting noted.
''An innovative cell of a cross-border society has been created'', joked after the signing the contract the director of the ''Union of Medical and Pharmaceutical Projects XXI century'' Dmitry Chagin
The Life Science Park cluster will allow creating joint research projects in the life sciences sector, introducing innovations in small and medium-sized enterprises and carrying out technology transfer in border regions. The development plans include the development and pilot launch of a modern modular cross-border curriculum, as well as a number of internship programs for specialists in the field of highly efficient synthesis from Russia and Finland.
Within the framework of the project, a complex consisting of the following parts will be created:
- a research center (laboratory of molecular genetics, laboratory of chemical synthesis) for the development of new technological competencies;
- an educational center for the implementation of information and consulting activities in the field of microreactor technologies and molecular genetics.
In accordance with the August 22, 2018 decision of the European Commission the project receives funding in the form of a grant of 2.8 million euros (80% of the total project budget) with a total project implementation cost of 3.5 million euros. The remaining 20% (700,000 euros / 51,100,000.00 rubles) are the partners' own funds. (Preliminary calculation of the project budget for the Park of living systems was carried out taking into account the estimated rate, which amounted to 73 rubles for 1 euro).
As the program director of the Governing Body of the Russia-South-East Finland Cross-Border Cooperation Program, Jukka-Pekka Bergman, noted during his presentation, the projects that are being funded as part of the cross-border cooperation programs are experiencing more and more competition and are becoming stronger.
The beginning of joint work on the creation of Life Science Park, which officially begins on July 1, 2019, is a common victory for the entire project team.