Euroregion Baltic was once more selected as an example of effective strategic cooperation platform, and a model that can be followed. On 3rd December Mr Yasutoshi Yoshida, who is Assistant Professor at the Institute for Academic Initiatives at Osaka University in Japan, visited Euroregion Baltic secretariat in Växjö, Sweden. On 4th December he also paid a visit to our partners in Klaipeda, Lithuania.
Professor Yoshida had previously worked for the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and been in charge of training projects in India, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. His current research concentrates on cross-border cooperation in Europe, and specifically on Euroregions. During the meetings with Professor Yoshida we disussed specific challenges in the Euroregion Baltic work, cooperation with Kaliningrad region, cooperation with other euroregions and cross-border cooperation structures, EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, multi-level governance issues, further possibilities in the development of euroregions, and also perspectives for the development of such form of cooperation in Asia. We talked about European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation and Natural Economic Zones, i.e. structures established around natural systems. Professor Yoshida gave examples of some cooperation inititiatives in Asia, e.g. Mekong River Commission or BIMP – EAGA.
We wish Professor Yoshida a successful conclusion of his research!