The purpose of the project was to develop the Russian know-how of the universities of applied sciences in East Finland as well as the related services in the sectors of business economics, construction engineering, social and health services. Th e project aimed to pilot intensive courses designed in the fi elds of education and implemented mainly in Russia, create and develop web-teaching material, implement related dissertation works and develop the trainee exchange system. Implementing the practical sections of teaching in Russia was considered necessary, so that the students could be given a realistic picture of the Russian working environment and its cultural characteristics. After the development work based on the project, the courses were designed to be integrated to the curriculum of the participating Universities of Applied Sciences. Students moving on to working life and applying their Russian knowhow, the competitiveness and impact of Finnish companies in Russia could be increased. By gathering Russia-related material for the information centre, it was the intention to support the possibilities for cooperation in Russia. Th e project also wanted to map out the possible cooperation partners, mainly in the metropolitan area of Petrozavodsk, as well as create a continued cooperation plan with the chosen partners. Achievements: In accordance with the plan, courses with the required material were designed and produced. Some of the courses have remained in the curricula of the universities of applied sciences after the project. The study course designed in restoration construction, the Special Features of the Russian Building Stock, is still being implemented jointly by the Kajaani University of Applied Sciences and the North Karelia University of Applied Sciences. Two pilot courses were conducted in the field of Hospitality Management during the project, which are now the bases of the present compulsory Russian Business study course of the Degree Programme in International Business of the Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, and the study course Russian Tourism, that is conducted in the Degree Programme in Tourism both in Finnish and English. In the well-being sector, the teaching of clinical skills, anatomy and physiology were improved, and the Iisalmi unit of the Savonia University of Applied Sciences implemented the development section of the service model in social and health services. However, no additional teaching resources were made available in the social services and health sector in the University of Applied Sciences in Kajaani as a result of the project. The information centre collected, as planned, a wide and versatile variety of knowledge about Russia to serve the Russian information needs of teachers, students, researchers and businesses in Kainuu. The trainee exchange with the Russian parties was developed within the degree programme of Hospitality Management and even during the project, there were Russian trainees in tourist companies in Kainuu. Some of the Russians studying in the presently English education programme complete their practical training in Russia, but otherwise the challenges of being an exchange apprentice in Russia are great and seem to lack sufficient interest. The language skills of the Russians, on the other hand, have been an obstacle to studying in Finland. In the fields of technology and well being, there has been no student exchange to Russia during or after the project.