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How academia and business collaborate

The Knowledge Foundation contributes to strengthening Sweden's competitiveness. We do this by funding research and competence devlopment at Sweden's university colleges and newer universities, when it is conducted in collaboration with the business sector.

The value of co-production

Start / Co-production

The business sectors participation and benefit

Forms of funding with co-production in focus

In the foundation's toolbox there are a number of programs from which Sweden's colleges and newer universities can apply for funds to co-produce research or education together with business.

How does it work in practice?

Benefits for the business sector

All applications received by us are assessed based on four assessment criteria, one of which aims at the project's ability to co-produce and benefit business.

Co-production and assessment

Co-operation works best when it is based on mutual respect and is long-term

" Collaboration between academia and industry is absolutely crucial to securing Sweden's future economy, prosperity and environment. Collaboration is part of the academy's statutory task and very often leads to completely new, exciting research questions.

Johan Schnürer

Vice-chancellor Örebro University

It's a win-win situation

" We connected our trucks 15 years ago, but are convinced that there is still a lot to learn about what we can do with the information. Halmstad University has expertise in machine learning which enables us to develop an even better system for control and monitoring. At the same time, we can give the university a receipt that their theories work, says Jonas Klang, Program Manager Innovation, Toyota Material Handling in Mjölby.

Jonas Klang

Program Manager Innovation, Toyota Material Handling

Academia needs the industry and the industry needs academia

" The optimal collaboration between academia and business is probably what is established as long-term and with give and take. This does not only apply to research issues, but also education, skills provision and access to grant funds for brave ventures. Especially now when the whole world has to manage to change towards sustainability.

Jenny Elfsberg

Head of Innovation Management at Vinnova and previous senior positions within the Volvo Group

Strengthened competitiveness through co-production

Value for businesses

There are many advantages for business to co-produce research or education with academia. This could, for example, be about increased competence development, shared development costs and the development of new solutions.

Value for academia

For academia, co-produced projects with business can, for example, mean access to relevant, new and upcoming knowledge. It also creates opportunities to develop employees, develop partnerships and gain access to data and materials that would otherwise not have been possible.