North Mid Sweden: University and companies establish contacts though InnoWent

The InnoWent project in Dalarna is intended to facilitate cooperation between the County´s 15 000 companies and Högskolan Dalarna´s 18 000 students and 600 teachers/researchers. This involves degree projects, contract research and new courses and programmes geared to business.

The starting point for the project is the recruitment and professional and business development needs of companies, and according to Per Edén, the project manager, at Högskolan Dalarna the development of new and existing networks is one of the best means of achieving good results.

"One example is the pilot system in which specially selected teachers and researchers at each School conduct company visits and needs analyses, along with pilots in municipalities or at business organisations, as a basis for specific cooperation projects.

Another network in the project is the Alumni network, i.e. former students now active in business and the community.

“In June 2010 we had 1500 active alumni who were invited to thematic seminars and workshops and give feedback on the university´s education and research. The alumni form a good base for the recruitment of sponsor companies, mentors, guest lecturers and participants in various industry advisory councils."

According to Per Eden the University´s industry advisory councils are an important part of work to develop an arena for cooperation. So far areas with separate advisory councils include tourism, construction, media and IT. The overarching body is the Dalacampus Business Advisory Council with representatives of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, the Association of Swedish Engineering Industries, the Federation of Private Enterprises, Näringslivet Falun Borlänge, the Regional Cooperation Council of Dalarna, the County Administrative Board and Högskolan Dalarna.

“The generation of ideas and the commercialisation of researchers´ and students´ ideas take place in very close cooperation with the Teknikdalen Foundation and its Incubator and business coaches. Another important partner is the Student Union and the Students´ Business Unit (NLE), which participate actively in the brokering of degree projects, mentors, etc." 

As a result of well-developed university-business cooperation, the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise has in the past year ranked three of Högskolan Dalarna´s education programmes in Media, Construction and Materials Science as among the ten best in the country.

Read the article in swedish