From December 10 to 17, a delegation from Dnipropetrovsk region visited Finland to strengthen international partnerships, share practical experiences and find solutions for sustainable development and recovery of Ukrainian communities. The delegation was led by Sergii Miliutin, Deputy Mayor of Kryvyi Rih. The regional level was represented by Valentyna Zatyshniak, Director of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Investment Agency (DIA). The delegation also included representatives of the city of Kryvyi Rih and the State University of Economics and Technology. The visit program covered the city of Espoo and Metropolia University in Helsinki — key centers of innovative development in Finland — and focused on three interrelated areas: education and innovation, municipal management and security and economic and investment cooperation.
An important part of the visit was a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine Mykhailo Vydoinyk. During the meeting, emphasis was placed on the strategic importance of Ukrainian-Finnish cooperation in the fields of education, science, innovation and regional development, as well as on the role of universities as key institutions for the restoration of human capital and the integration of European practices into the Ukrainian context. As part of the dialogue, Valentyna Zatyshniak presented the Investment Guide of Dnipropetrovsk Region 2026, which accumulates data on the economic potential of the region, existing incentives and possible formats for cooperation with international partners. The needs of Ukrainian communities for equipment for educational and healthcare institutions, life support systems and critical infrastructure were discussed separately.
A key part of the program was the work of the delegation at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, the largest university of applied sciences in Finland and an important element of the innovative ecosystem of the capital region.
Metropolia has over 16,000 students, dozens of applied laboratories, and RDI platforms that work closely with businesses, municipalities, and regional structures. The university implements a model where education, applied research, and entrepreneurship are a single process focused on practical results. During the visit, the delegation visited SmartLab, PopUp Showroom and innovative spaces where students, scientists and companies jointly test solutions in the fields of construction, energy efficiency, urban infrastructure, VR and AI. Such environments serve as pre-incubators for startups, where ideas are immediately tested by the market. Particular attention was paid to the Metropolia RDI strategy, which integrates research into the educational process and allows the university to act as a platform for the transfer of knowledge and technology for the region. The Future Construction Hub TITAN and LID HUB projects also attracted interest as examples of ways in which a university can be a center for joint solutions for urban development and community renewal.
The educational and innovation program continued with an introduction to Aalto University, one of the most powerful innovation clusters in Northern Europe. Interdisciplinarity became the foundation for the formation of a full-fledged startup ecosystem around the university, integrated into the economy of the country. An important part of the ecosystem is the Aalto Startup Center, a university incubator and accelerator that supports startups at various stages of development by providing mentoring, access to investor networks and corporate partners. A separate phenomenon at Aalto is its strong student entrepreneurship culture, which has given rise to internationally known startup events and initiatives. For Ukrainian communities and regions, experience of Aalto is interesting as an example of how a university can be a driver of economic development in the region, shape innovative areas and engage young people in entrepreneurship as part of the educational process.
A separate part of the visit was dedicated to municipal cooperation between Kryvyi Rih and Espoo, which have been twin cities since May 2023. The delegation studied Finnish practices in the functioning of the city within the EU legal framework, service management and community development planning. During the meeting with Espoo Mayor Kai Mykkänen were discussed the role of local self-government in sustainable community development and possible areas of cooperation in the context of recovery. Discussions were also held on strategic planning and innovation at the regional level.
During business meetings and discussions with Finnish companies, Valentyna Zatyshniak presented the economic potential of the Dnipropetrovsk region, investment projects, and recovery initiatives, inviting Finnish partners to participate in their implementation.
“Dnipropetrovsk region is actively developing mutual trade with Finland and partnerships at the municipal level. We are grateful to Finland for its support and the Shelter Coalition initiative, which is extremely important for Dnipropetrovsk region as a frontline area ,” said Valentina Zatishnyak.
In the future, the parties are considering the possibility of holding a business forum “Kryvyi Rih – Espoo”, which should become a practical platform for establishing new partnerships between Ukrainian and Finnish companies.
The visit of delegation from Dnipropetrovsk region to Finland was a systematic step in deepening Ukrainian-Finnish dialogue at the municipal and regional levels. It laid the foundation for joint initiatives in the fields of education, innovation, security, governance and economic cooperation, and outlined practical models that can be adapted for the sustainable recovery of Ukrainian communities.
