Strengthened collaboration and knowledge transfer focus in IIE's collaboration with Volvo Group Trucks Operations
As a participant in the Executive faculty at the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, Staffan Vidén, Vice President of Volvo Group Trucks Operations, has visited the School several times. He has had meetings with his Executive faculty partner Evangelos Bourelos, researcher at the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE), every third week to discuss relevant topics in innovation and entrepreneurship, such as Big data, artificial intelligence, collaboration between universities and industry and innovation and business models.
In addition to these meetings, Staffan has held guest lectures about Big Data, for students at the master's programmes Innovation and Industrial Management (IIM) and Knowledge-based Entrepreneurship (KBE). The collaboration has also led to that masters’ students of IIM and KBE are able to write their master's thesis in Intellectual Property together with Volvo Trucks Operations.
Evangelos and Staffan have also had a meeting with a number of alumni from the master's programmes IIM and KBE, who have different positions within the Volvo Group. The discussions were about how their different careers looked and how relevant the education had been for their different career paths.
Evangelos and Staffan have through the Executive faculty created a network that contributes to knowledge transfer and competence development that benefits employees at Volvo, researchers at the IIE and the students.
The plans for 2019 are to continue the cooperation. Staffan will continue to meet Evangelos and other researchers at the IIE to discover and test new ways to promote collaboration between universities and business. Further development of the collaboration with regard to guest lectures on Big Data and with master's theses will also take place during the year.
Executive faculty
The Executive faculty programme at the School of Business, Economics and Law offers experienced practicians and specialists the opportunity to develop their expertise by creating time and scope for learning and reflection in an academic environment.
With Executive faculty, the School wishes to further enhance its cooperation with trade and industry and the public sector by offering a long-term, structured programme for mutual benefit.