New projects will strengthen Europe's ability to respond to threats to critical infrastructure
Laurea UAS is closely involved in European project cooperation in the field of critical infrastructure security.
The starting point of Laurea's Coherent security research programme is the interdependence of internal and external security in a situation where the national and international security environment is constantly changing. Laurea’s strength lies in diverse expertise in various aspects of security, and we employ a comprehensive and cross-sectoral approach rather than traditional one sector approach. This allows us to quickly respond to the evolving security environment’s needs and to develop new solutions at both national and international levels.
A particularly topical issue right now is preparedness for threats to critical infrastructure. In this context, Laurea is involved in two new projects. This spring Laurea receives EU-funding for surveillance of Critical Submarine Infrastructure. The VIGIMARE project aims to strengthen the resilience of Critical Infrastructure Owners against threats to the European submarine Critical Infrastructure. Laurea is part of the
Laurea is also part of the R-GRID supported by the NATO. The project aims to create an artificial intelligence tool to protect power grid systems.
VIGIMARE project receives EU-funding for surveillance of Critical Submarine Infrastructure
The European submarine network is a vital Critical Infrastructure for the EU member states, and any failure or damage to it could potentially have an enormous effect on the societies in the EU member states. The EU Submarine network includes telecommunication cables, gas pipelines, and power cables.
Laurea University of Applied Sciences has received 500 000 euros in EU-funding for a research project that aims to strengthen the resilience of Critical Infrastructure Owners against threats to the European submarine Critical Infrastructure.
VIGIMARE – Vigilant Maritime Surveillance of Critical Submarine Infrastructure, is a three-year project that starts in September 2024. Laurea University of Applied Sciences is the coordinator of the project. This is the first project that Laurea has won within the highly competitive EU Critical Infrastructure sector.
– The rapidly evolving threat and geopolitical landscape, especially with incidents like the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas infrastructure, and the damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia in the autumn of 2023, makes this project extremely relevant, Johanna Karvonen, the VIGIMARE Project Coordinator, explains.
Read more about the VIGIMARE project
Artificial intelligence for the security of power grids
R-GRID project is to create an artificial intelligence tool to protect power grid systems. The project addresses one of the priorities for cooperation identified in 2023 by the NATO-Ukraine Joint Working Group on Scientific and Environmental Cooperation, which aims to provide solutions to Ukraine’s current and upcoming needs. Laurea is part of the consortium with the Polish Association for National Security, the Ukrainian Institute for the Future and IDEAS NCBR.
R-GRID will use artificial intelligence to prevent power outages in key sectors or a complete blackout. Simulations generated by R-GRID are intended to help identify critical network elements and increase the resilience of energy systems − considering both traditional and renewable energy sources at various levels of technological advancement.
− In April 2024, it will have been a year since Finland gained NATO member status. Finland shares a long border with Russia. Finland has two underwater energy connections with Estonia, whose power system, like that of Lithuania and Latvia, is closely linked to the Russian system. The war in Ukraine shows us that energy infrastructure is one of the main targets of Russian attacks. Therefore, I believe that the R-GRID project will contribute to improving the energy security of NATO allied countries and partner states, emphasizes dr Päivi Mattila, director of the Security Research Program at Laurea University of Applied Sciences, co-director of the R-GRID project.