Partnership between a university, the municipalities and the business world in the north part of Sweden

Johan Sterte, UNICREDS 2011-01-18

Some questions that I will try to answer Why are we here?

Where are we?

Who are we?

What do we do?

Why do we do it?

How do we do it?

With whom do we do it?

Can any conclusions be drawn from this?

More questions – your questions

The University Mission comprises, as prescribed in the Higher Education Ordinance:• Education• ResearchUniversities are also to cooperate with the surrounding community, give information on its work and disseminate research results

Why do we have universities?

Our visionWith worldclass research results and study programmes that challenge and liberate each individual’s full capacity…we contribute to the development of tomorrow’s society…

space

main campus

wood scienceart/media

Facts about Luleå University of Technology Founded 1971

Turnover EUR ca 150 million

14000 students

1,400 employees 150 professors 500 teachers & researchers 516 doctoral students**

Two faculties: Faculty of engineering and Faculty of arts and social sciences

54 %Research

46 %Education

External financing

LTU

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Year

Ext

ern

al f

inan

cin

g (

%) LTU

Direct research funding from industry

0

10

20

30

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Year

% o

f ex

tern

al f

undi

ng

Chalmers

KTH

LTU

LiU

LU

Anders Henriksson, okt. 2010 Källor: Högskoleverkets databaser, årsredovisningar

The University – our strengths

Leading-edge research

Applied research

Multidisciplinary

Focus areas and development areas

Our geographical location - climate

Warm and welcoming

Examples of leading research Mining engineering and metallurgy Renewable energy production Distributed product development Process IT Customer-oriented construction engineering Materials Science

- Luleå University of Technology’s strength is its leading-edge research, with close ties to industry, in important growth areas such as product development and high-performance steel.

Leif Östling, CEO Scania

Win-Win-Win!

What is required in order to create a prosperous partnership?

Univ.

Mun

icip

.

Industry

- Common interests- Mutual understanding of goals- Trust

But it takes time…

to reach the level of interaction required to achive an understanding of each others goals and limitations

to create arenas for interaction at the university level

to create organizational models for joint research programs

to reach the degree of mutual confidence required in roder to work together in a constructive manner

to change from an ivory tower to an integrated part of society

And it requires interaction and engagement form all parties and at all levels Almost all formal groups (boards, committes, steering groups, reference groups etc.) at the university have relevant external representatives.

The university leadership participates in a large number of regional boards and committes

Research is performed in about 20 research centra involving the university, industry and public interests

We have 45 adjunct professors sharing their time between industry and the university

External parties participate in education. Parts of the education is given outside of the university

A large number of informal meetings take place

Let the outside in and yourself out

University BoardThe university board consists of 15 members, the Vice-Chancellor being member ex officio.

Eight are external members, including the chair. They are appointed by the Government, for three years.

The university teachers have three internally elected representatives.

Three representatives are appointed by the Student Union.

Personal regional engagementsMember of the Regional partnership in NorrbottenMember of the board of LNABMember of the board of Lunova ABMember of the board of Swerea-Mefos ABMember of the board of Bio4EnergyMember of the board of Centre for Interorganizational Innovation ResearchMember of the board of Solander Science parkMember of NorrbottensakademinAnd that’s just me

Informal meetings with politicians, industrialists, public servants…Participation i external arrangements…

Research centers – an excellent way of cooperation

Organizational model for leding edge research through close cooperation between the university and external parties within the private and/or the public sector.

- Tied to a department at the university- Board dominated by external representatives- External chairman of the board- Manager employed by the university- Projects mainly manned by university personnel- Finansing dominated by external funding- All partcipant contribute in cash or kind

Centres -- an excellent way of cooperation

Examples: FASTE-laboratory Lean Wood Engineering, LWE Process IT Innovations Hjalmar Lundbohm Research Centre, HLRC Centre for Risk analysis and Risk management, CRR Centre for Automotive System Technologies and Testing, CASTT Centre for High-strength Steel, CHS Centre for Distance-Spanning Technology, CDT Centre for Distance-Spanning Health-Care, CDH Luleå Railway Research Centre, JVTC Centre for Maintenance and Industrial Services, C-MIS Nordic Wood Centre …

The road to commercialization

LTU Innovation ABI AB Lunova AB

Within LTU Outside LTUCompanies partly owned by LTU Holding

Student or employee

Business lab and incubator

Venture cap

•Catch and develop ideas•Idea verification•Financing •IPR support•Legal counseling

•Evaluate business ideas•Help with start-up•Provide:

•guidance in good business practices •creative office environment •business network.

•Provide seed capital•Give business advice•Help find business partners

Companies

IPR

New companies related to LTU, some examples..

In Aurorum Business Incubator:• Behaviosec AB (from LTU)• Snow Power AB (from LTU)• Absilion AB• CVK AB (from LTU)• Likolo AB• D-Flow Technology AB (from LTU)• Oricane AB (from LTU)• Netix AB (from LTU)• Tannak AB ( from LTU)

In BusinessLab:• E-Secure (from LTU)• KYAB (from LTU)• 3e Flow (from LTU)• Laminat (from LTU)• Bill tracking• Dwayze – mobile services• VTMS – Vehicle Tracking• Management System (from LTU)• Revitrack (from LTU)• Solander SP – bio fuel

Exampes of succesful business: - Marratech - sold to Google for 12 MEuro - Nordnav - sold to Cambridge Silicon Radiofor 55 MEuro

A number of new companies are entering the Business Lab, all from LTU

Conclusions- Higher education and research is a prerequisite for regional development – an awareness of this is crucial- In order to utilize the potential of higher education and research for regional development, partnerships between university, public interests, and the regional business world are essential.- The establishment of partnerships requires common goals, a mutual trust and an organizational structure securing influence of all parties- The establishment of partnerships is facilitated by involvement of external persons in the governance, research and education of the university and of university personnel in external interests.

The university is part of the society and the society is part of the university – we are playing in the same team