Ever since its founding in 1923, the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg has worked in close collaboration with trade and industry in ways such as through the School’s Partnership Programme. Contacts between the public sector and research sector are well-established, but the courses and programmes have benefited from the contacts with trade and industry above all other areas. Therefore a structured form of collaboration with public-sector businesses is now being created in a form of partnership called Public Associate Partner.
“Our students are very interested in the challenges facing society and in sustainable development, but they know relatively little about the opportunities offered by the public sector. The fact that we are attracting public-sector organisations as partners helps open the students’ eyes to the fact that the public sector is an exciting workplace,” says Per Cramér, Dean for the School of Business, Economics and Law.
“As the biggest workplace for lawyers in Gothenburg it is natural that we want to collaborate with the School of Business, Economics and Law,” says Anders Hagsgård, Chief Judge at the Administrative Court of Gothenburg which is one of the School’s new collaboration partners.
Closer collaboration with the public sector will also help researchers identify new contacts of value to their research.
In 2014 the School received a grant from Vinnova to develop a platform for collaboration with public-sector organisations. The work done showed that these are particularly interested in coming into contact with students to illustrate the opportunities that exist for those seeking a career in the public sector. Sustainability in the broad sense of the word is another area in which there is a keen interest in collaborating with the universities.
The Partnership Programme means that the School is able to work in close collaboration with these organisations, monitor their activities and help promote their development. At the same time the organisations contribute to the development of the School and society by raising new questions relating to research and identifying which areas require greater knowledge in the future.
“We are really pleased about our forthcoming collaboration with the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg. What we do at the Swedish Tax Agency is important for business owners, private individuals, other authorities, public services and Sweden. We shall create the conditions in the everyday lives of our clients and facilitate their work in the form of digital services. Our collaboration with the School will enable us to establish a relationship whereby we shape the future together,” says Anders Bertilsson, Head of Department at the Swedish Tax Agency.
The School's Partnership Programme
Founded in 1999. It currently offers three forms of partnership: Senior Partner, Associate Partner and the recently launched Public Associate Partner. The Partnership Programme adds value for both the School and the company/organisation in ways such as increasing competitiveness in the partner organisations through skills development, access to international academic expertise, a network for reasoning with other organisations and contact with students.
Annelie Dagerklint, Director of the Partnership Programme
031-786 55 23, annelie.dagerklint@handels.gu.se