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Written by Super User

Category: Development

Published: 26 May 2013

Malmö[1], Sweden’s 3rd largest city with 270 000 inhabitants, found in the south Sweden with Copenhagen on the other side of Öresund[2]. For many years during the 50-ties, 60-ties and 70-ties, Malmö was know for its heavy industry, PLM tin can producer, Kockums the ship constructor, building some of the largest oil tankers in the world at the time etc. Then came the oil crisis, world recession and unemployment and Malmö found itself in a situation that was very difficult. Add to that an increasing number of immigrants that lead to social exclusion, segregation and other social problems. Then Sweden joined the EU in 1995. Malmö and Copenhagen decided to work very hard to create one city within one region, the Öresund region. The fixed link, bridge and tunnel, was constructed, adding to the integration with its excellent communications. And via various projects and administrative actions, i.e. the Öresund Interreg program various platforms were set up. You find today under the umbrella initiative "the Öresund Science region"[3], platforms and co-operations such as the Medicon Valley, the Öresund IT Academy, the Öresund Food Network and the Öresund University. The purpose of these initiatives being to strengthen some of the most important assets in the region, highly skilled human resources, technology development, research and to attract industry. Malmö made the decision and took the step into the future by acting on these new opportunities in the mid 90-ties. In 1998 the first University[4]in Malmö was established. At the time, it was a very small university with merely 5000 students but it has rapidly grown over the past few years. Today you find more than 18 000 students here and the ambition is to reach more than 25 000 - 30 000 students before end of 2005. Malmö being perhaps one of the most multicultural and ethnical cities in Europe today with more than 170 different nationalities present and more than 25 % of the population originating from another country than the Nordic countries, is looking at the future with brightness and energy. The city is leaving the difficult years behind and is taking advantage of the opportunities that today exists. Both in terms of being a multicultural city but also its strategic location in the Öresund region, the many investments that are being done and the change from being a traditional industry city towards a knowledge and research based city and economy.

Writing! Ola Nord
Next edition you will be able to read about "The MINC experience".

[1] www.malmo.se
[2] The straight between Sweden and Denmark
[3] www.oresundscienceregion.org
[4] www.mah.se