Team work: The Council of Sonderborg in Denmark has almost perfect conditions to spur regional growth and prosperity. The area is considered the leading mechatronics cluster in the country and has an unusually dynamic and strong industrial sector. But even so, the area is having difficulties attracting a qualified work force. However, local business life and higher education institutions are working closely together, trying to turn the tide.

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Tags: Alsion, clusters, collaboration, education, Jutland, mechatronics, regional development, Regional economy, Sonderborg, Southern Denmark, University of Southern Denmark
Posted in 2008/2009, Background, By class, European Union, Regional economy, Year | No Comments »

In the midst of the financial crisis hitting hard in the European Union, it’s easy to find ripple effects outside the EU, whether good or bad. For places like Geneva, Switzerland, located outside the EU but heavily dependent on it for trade, the crisis has recently begun to impede growth. This is the same growth that can also be highly attributed to Switzerland’s growing EU relationship. Many wonder how far Geneva and the rest of Switzerland will be pulled into the crisis with the EU, even with having a number of “defenses” against it.
The relationship of the EU and Geneva has been one of mixed blessings, especially recently, according to Peter Capella, a British journalist and deputy editor of Swisster.com, a new media Web site for English speakers of the Geneva Lake region. He says that without the EU, Geneva would not have the growth it continues to experience. Even though the current financial crisis is having a huge impact elsewhere, it has hit Geneva’s economy only recently, but in small doses. Even so, he doesn’t expect to see Geneva’s economy fall into recession within the next year or so, though growth may fluctuate at a lower level. This may be possible due to a number of reasons.
In the past few years, Geneva and the rest of Switzerland has ventured out of its shell, its economy more interdependent with the EU, according to the European Commission. Roughly two-thirds of Switzerland’s trade is with the EU, and there are movements to further break down trade barriers between them that began with the Free Trade Agreement of 1972, followed by three more important trade agreements over the years, says European Commission reports.
Capella sees Geneva just behind London as Europe’s second international commodity post, meaning a place with many connections to trade commodities. Geneva’s economy relies mostly on financial services and banks. Though banks such as UBS, one of Geneva’s two main banks, had some recent problems, the Swiss have been able to help themselves stay away from crisis.
The EU draws fine lines in helping itself in the current crisis because of competition policy. Unlike the EU countries though, Switzerland has not had to ask Brussels’s permission before helping to save its economy if crisis does hit, like it did so when Switzerland bailed out UBS. Capella doesn’t believe the problems with UBS are indeed over.
Even though Geneva’s economy is integrating more and more with the EU, the sovereignty of Switzerland allows it to be “cushioned” from the external environment, creating what Capella calls a “financial haven” that is “much more stable economically.” This helps to keep Geneva especially attractive to investors at this time of crisis. Capella also described the Swiss Franc as a “refuge currency” that many have recently been buying into.
It is not only that Switzerland can provide a safer economy; it is also that it has a number of assets that set it apart from any EU city equal to its size, according to the Department of Economics. A growing number of multi-national cooperate businesses see it as a place to call home.
Geneva plays host to a great number of international organizations besides the UN, including the World Health Organization and the United Nations (UN), the second biggest contributor to the economy, according to Capella. Geneva is “the UN’s second headquarters.” The UN has given the area “favors” since it set up there. These organizations have not only added additional interest for foreign investors but they also help the area’s hotels, restaurants and the like that benefit from travelers temporarily visiting the institutions.
The large international scene has also created an attractive multi-lingual society. Though situated in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, almost one-third of the population speaks English and German is also very widely used. The variety of languages also shines through as an attraction for foreign investors. With the large amount of international people involved with organizations entering the city, you need to have proper infrastructure and international connections with high-speed trains and a well-connected international airport, according to the Department of Economics in Geneva.
Geneva has a strong international airport that has only been getting more connected with the best of the world’s hubs. Many companies, such as United Airlines, are beginning to offer direct flights to Geneva from places such as Washington, so the Obama administration will be better equipped according to Forbes.com. For a city of about 150-thousand people that is centrally located in the heart of Europe, according to the Department of Economics in Geneva, the city can boast to have the great infrastructure and connections needed for international businesses - surely a great asset.
Another area of Geneva’s wealth is increasingly coming from biotech-engineering companies that have recently been locating in the area, adding to those under Merck Serrano, a large company based out of Geneva. What is interesting is that there is only one technical institute in the area that educates students in this area of specialization, according to Capella.
One other aspect that draws investors is the quality of life that Geneva can offer, according to the Department of Economics. Besides being a safe, small city, it is also one of the most expensive places to live but with the highest GDP only behind Dublin, reads the Department of Economics report for 2007. Capella also believes Geneva has a “well-developed” social welfare system. That is not to say everything there is completely honky-dory.
Unfortunately for Geneva, it can claim the highest unemployment rates of Switzerland, but it is still fares better than Germany’s average unemployment rate as a whole. The area Geneva is located in is also relatively small and there has actually been a housing shortage. The public transportation systems on the outside of the city are also “lagging behind” in Capella’s eyes, which is one of the reasons housing developments have been slow to show up.
Putting together the region’s positive aspects with the financial crisis creates an indistinguishable puzzle. No one can really predict what will become of the Geneva.
As Capella said, “If I had a crystal ball, that would be a really good question.”

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to a variety of essential organizations.
The Rivierenwijk, like most neighborhoods in Utrecht, has its own character, a character that was willing to come together to renovate and share a common space, making it easier for neighborhood bonding among many groups of people including the Turks, Moroccans and Dutch.

“There was a neighborhood pastor that said let’s go and do something for the neighborhood with people from the neighborhood,” said volunteer Erwin Drenth, the building system manager.

Stichting Tamount, Huurdersvereniging Maasplein, and Gezamenlijke Comites Rivierenwijk and SBWU are some of the most prominent of the groups sharing the space.

Services range from activities for children, dining groups for older people and meeting places for Turkish and Moroccan women’s groups. It also serves as a place where “lonely” people can come to get out of “isolation”, according to Drenth. People are able to meet each other and establish stronger bonds with their neighbors.

 

“It’s a place where they can come, where they can follow lessons in all kinds of things, a meeting place … it’s very big,” said Drenth.

The fact that it houses several different organizations under one roof is proof of the coexistence between the minority groups and the Dutch.

 Originally the building was owned by the City of Utrecht, but after it was terminated, it was sold for one Euro to the current owner who is now renting it to the organizations. Together they manage it, sharing the space. The building is used seven days a week - certain groups on certain days.

Currently there are about 40 to 50 people working, mostly volunteers, serving roughly 1,000 inhabitants in the area. Drenth is one of those volunteers. De Haan, who lives in the neighborhood, also plans to volunteer soon.

 

Future plans include a spot for teenagers to go so they are not “making trouble” in the streets, mentioned Drenth. This part should be ready in October.

 

Bo-Ex housing corporation along with the City of Utrecht worked together to design and renovate the building. Work included painting, furniture, a new kitchen, a new bar, getting billiard table and darts among other things.

Even though the building has been in use since 1 September, it officially opens Thursday. Celebrations will take part in the square and are open to the public. Representatives from the city and the organizations will be taking part as well as Princess Maxima.

 

                       

Tags: De Nieuwe Jutter, Utrecht Views
Posted in 2008/2009, By class, The Netherlands, Utrecht, Utrecht Views, Year | No Comments »

Fast-pace, high pressure, drop everything prioritization and responsibility rapidly affecting major companies are not typically considered qualities of an ideal atmosphere. For Jesper Rolin Sørenson, it’s where he finds himself drinking five espressos per day and where he thrives as a journalist. 

Born April 4, 1984, Sørenson was raised in Albertslund, Denmark. During a high school assignment, he began to find a passion in news after visiting a newspaper. After graduation and 8 months at Kommunikationshøjskolen Vallekilde, Sørenson had a “spontaneous idea” to follow the only path he felt he had some interest in – journalism. The idea stuck.

Getting into the Danish School of Journalism, Sørenson split the last three years between classes and internships. These internships molded his interests towards economical journalism, even though one of them didn’t deal with reporting cold hard news.

 At a company called Novozymes in Bagsvaerd, Sørenson got taste of communications handling external corporations relations, helping to relaunch different brands. He was content with the large amount of responsibility he was given.

A second internship sent him to Direkt-DK, a Swedish newswire. Over 1,000 articles could claim his name as the byline. He enjoyed watching shares rise and fall, direct results of his reporting. Often, he interviewed CEO’s and directors of Denmark’s top companies.

“It was some of the most fun I’ve ever had,” he said, referring to the environment. “Right now that’s what I want to do. I like the tempo … the pace and the way you’re working, it’s incredible.”

He was even the first to break a story predicting the crack of the Roskilde Bank long before other journalists.

“It’s good for the ego,” he said, smiling.

Still, it’s not what he feels looks best on his résumé. He once went to Charlotte, North Carolina for a convention on hearing aids. For him, it was a chance to claim “victory” by squeezing the competition, breaking the news first or having more depth.

“It was me against the other newswire,” he said.

But it is not to say “all work and no play” makes him a “dull boy.” In the past year, Sørenson has gotten into Filipino Martial Arts. First, he did it because it “looked cool on TV,” but continues finding it fun and different, often using sticks, mobile phones and shoes to fight.

Plus, he says it’s a “good way to unwind against stress.”

Tags: 2008/2009, Europe in the World, Jesper Sørensen
Posted in 2008/2009, Profiles, Year | No Comments »