Nordic Bridge

Nordic Bridge: A Digital Matchmaking Platform for Regional Problem-Solving

Nordic Bridge is a digital platform where public, private, and community organizations can post specific challenges, cases, or opportunities where they seek academic insight and collaboration. Students, researchers, and academics can explore these postings to identify problems or cases they wish to contribute to. The platform facilitates dialogue between the academic sector and problem owners, enabling mutual understanding and collaboration. When both academic and non-academic actors agree on a shared interest, the collaboration may lead to Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. thesis projects, or even joint research applications. The portal acts as a collaborative hub where universities, businesses, and communities can connect and co-create solutions and future. It offers a structured space for sharing ideas, identifying opportunities, and developing regional innovations. Cross-Border Collaboration in the NPA Region Nordic Bridge is built for cross-border collaboration across partner countries—Norway, Iceland, Ireland, and Finland. With permission from the problem owners, challenges will be made accessible across all partner countries. This means that a student or researcher from one country can work on a problem originating in another. Participating universities will establish Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to support cross-border academic collaboration. This will facilitate joint Bachelor's, Master’s, and Ph.D. theses, enabling knowledge exchange and academic mobility. The portal also promotes knowledge valorization across the Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) region by aligning academic work with real-world societal needs. Students and researchers will be more likely to remain in the region after completing their studies, as they’ll have clear pathways to internships or employment through the problems they’ve already helped address. In this way, the Nordic Bridge platform fosters a win–win ecosystem: 1. Students gain practical experience and career opportunities 2. Researchers build partnerships and apply their knowledge to societal challenges 3. Communities and businesses receive valuable insights and potential future employees Together, we build stronger, more resilient regions through shared problems and shared solutions.