Cross-border digital policy

This project aims to co-create a cross-border rural digital policy, rooted in scientific research and shaped by the everyday needs of villagers in the Muodoslompolo–Muonio region. Through a structured and strategic process, the project moves from scientific foundations to practical implementation, ensuring that policies are not only evidence-based but also socially sustainable.

Building on the University of Oulu’s Infotech Emerging Project Social Equality for Digital Rural Areas and Luleå University project Smart viable countrysides, the initiative addresses key factors of social inequality in rural communities and how digitalisation can help reduce them. Insights from this work will guide the creation of policies that prioritise inclusiveness, sustainability, and equal access to services across borders.

The process begins with establishing the scientific base for policy development, followed by a detailed analysis of the rural context and the identification of key actors, responsibilities, and potential impacts. Stakeholders will be engaged through workshops held locally in familiar settings, applying a Rural Living Lab approach to ensure that villagers’ voices are central to the process.

Implementation

Workshops and participatory methods will generate data and insights to inform the drafting of the policy. A draft will then be presented for stakeholder feedback to guarantee transparency, accountability, and alignment with community needs. After revisions, the final policy and accompanying action plan will be formally presented, alongside discussions on implementation and long-term ownership.

Beyond delivering a cross-border policy and action plan, the project will produce a joint research paper documenting the process. This will contribute to the international debate on rural digitalisation and policy innovation, strengthening future research collaboration and supporting the formation of an applied research cluster on rural digital transformation in Europe.

Project time

2025-01-01 – 2026-06-30

Partner

• Luleå University of Technology
• University of Oulu

Financiers

• Interreg Aurora
• Region Norrbotten
• Lapin Liitto (Lapplands landskapsförbund)