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Erasmus Policy Statement

Strategy for internationalization, collaboration and coproduction

Mälardalen University (MDU) has a strong profile of coproduction with society, trade, industry and public sector, with many years of experience in developing working methods within that setting. The aim of the university collaboration strategy is to produce, with its partners, outputs for societal benefit and value for all. This ambition covers all the different layers and activities within the university from basic and advanced education to doctorial education and research. The university commits in its strategy to deliver research and knowledge for the benefit of society and strongly believes that this concept also can be very successful in an international setting.

It is clearly stated in our strategy that the university will focus on developing (a selected few) strategic partnerships and alliances so that deep, broad and varied partnerships can emerge that will provide a platform for a number of international activities and projects. Our selection of strategic partners is based primarily on their commitment to coproduction/cooperation with society, trade, industry and public sector as well as their international engagement. Partner companies like ABB and Volvo are currently identifying their preferred partners for talent and research worldwide, MDU is a preferred partner to both companies, and the university will connect to these selected partners to create a platform for cooperation that permits knowledge exchange around the world within a defined group. The university has decided upon selection criteria for strategic partners as well as for the basic exchange agreements and the procedure for agreements ensures that the leadership is involved and that all the agreements fit with the university’s overall vision and strategy. The strategic partnerships are meant to cover many subject areas and areas of cooperation while the basic agreements are purely subject oriented and selected from their capacity to deliver education relevant for the students they are intended for.

The university has decided that primary geographical areas for cooperation are the European Union, adjacent areas to the European Union, like the Balkan area and Turkey, India, Thailand and South America. In India the focus is on 3 urban areas: Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai.

The university aims to offer the possibility to study abroad in all the degree programs on bachelor and master level. The number of incoming students on the bachelor level is good but the university aims to increase its outgoing students. The exchange on the master level is better balanced but could increase in both directions. Mobility builds long lasting relations between institutions, companies and organizations that will open up for other types of cooperation and joint projects.

Due to the close cooperation with industry and public sector students have the opportunity to do case studies, projects and degree projects/papers in company/organizational settings. It also exposes students to organizational culture and gives them intercultural competence. The aim of the university is to further add to these opportunities.

Staff exchange is important, especially between faculty staff since that brings a lot to the non-mobile students and also helps to develop the inter-institutional partnerships. The university has joint/double/multiple degree agreements with partners inside of the European Union and outside. The university has a few short cycle international co-operations that are a good solution for non-mobile students. One joint course with students from different countries, working together using virtual tools and with at short get together at the end of the course where all meet, is a very good alternative for students to widen their international perspective without the mobility. The university therefore plans to introduce more cooperations of this kind.

The requirements put on institutions of HE in the EU – 2020 agenda, in Horizon 2020 and in the Modernisation agenda for higher education in Europe, it becomes clear that MDU has already reached a number of those requirements and with the possibilities offered by being part of this program will fulfil even more. The university has the opportunity to demonstrate that its concept is a valuable addition to the much-needed diversity among HE institutions.

Our International Cooperation Projects and Erasmus+

The mobility opportunities will give possibilities to have exchanges in organized networks that extend outside of the EU, which before was difficult to arrange. The new possibility of cooperation with Businesses is very interesting for a university with our kind of profile and the university further looks forward to exploring this possibility. It will facilitate for the joint cooperation with universities and companies that the university has established and wants to develop further. The university also looks forward to working with the joint degree part of the program. Some of the double degrees that are currently running are ready for that next step. The university has been quite active in Tempus and Erasmus Mundus and with the new program it is clear that some adjustment of existing co-operations in these areas is going to be needed. There is an internal support structure in place for advice and help with both the content and on the financial side.

Participation in Erasmus+ and its Impact on the Progress/Modernisation of MDU

  1. Attainment is something the university is working with and wants to increase. Every year there is a goal set on how many should graduate each year from each intake. Reasons for why students leave their education before graduation are investigated through interviews. Support systems to catch them before they leave are to some extent in place and others planned. Bringing in highly motivated international students has a positive effect on the native students and raises the performance level. The program also gives opportunities to bring in students that may/will stay on.
  2. International cooperation in general enhances quality since the comparison that the education and the procedures suddenly are exposed to often leads to changes and amendments. The university has several Branch Councils where faculty meet with representatives of future employers. Discussions in these groups ensure that the education offered by the university is relevant to society. Over 80% of graduates from MDU have a job relevant to their education one year after graduation. The university will continue to work and further develop the cooperation with future employers nationally and internationally to ensure quality and relevance.
  3. Faculty mobility, cooperation in projects and joint/double/multiple degrees give insights into how others work and the opportunity to learn as well as to compare working methods, education content, choices of literature, pedagogy etc. This kind of exposure often leads to amendments and changes which usually have a positive effect on quality. With the focus on working in depth with selected strategic partners the university will increase the number of close cooperations and thus have more opportunities to reassess its internal procedures and delivery. International competitiveness will increase.
  4. With its longstanding tradition of coproduction/cooperation with society, trade, industry and public sector the university has the platform for knowledge exchange. There is ample proof of its value for regional development and the university will continue together with its partners to work in this way, further develop the methodology and look for new opportunities. In developing the concept and taking it abroad in cooperation with international partner universities, involving companies and organizations in their regions, the contribution and impact will become even larger.
  5. The extra funding from the EU for international cooperation is very valuable. It allows projects and cooperations that otherwise would be unlikely and that can have impacts on governance and give access to additional funding. The EU funding also gives the university the possibility to contribute to development on a national level, on the EU level and internationally. Impact on governance in general is fragmental except for in areas connected to internationalization. The national impact on the overall governance is much stronger.

Mälardalen University (MDU) was founded in 1977 with campuses in the cities of Västerås and Eskilstuna. MDU operates in an institutional environment where all university institutions for higher education and research in Sweden have the state as their principal and are government funded. The operation is regulated by law, and the Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ) has the role of quality assurance, legal supervision, and efficiency monitoring.

MDU is located in the Mälardalen region, a densely populated area close to the capital of Stockholm. The regional economy has well-developed infrastructure and transportation systems connecting people and highly dynamic and competitive industries operating on national and global markets. Universities are a central node in a complex network providing advanced skilled competence to both private and public sectors. The MDU university campus at Västerås (158,000 inhabitants) and Eskilstuna (108,000 inhabitants) has a strong historical heritage of close cooperation and exchange with industry corporations such as ABB, Bombardier, Volvo CE, Assa Abloy, Westinghouse, etc.

The main purpose of the university is to provide access to higher education (programs, courses, Lifelong learning, and assignment training) and contribute to international research in prioritized areas as part of the MDU vision and strategy. The overall budget for education and research is approximately EURO 85m, allocated 70% to education and 30% to research (research is in addition to also funded based on projects/programs to specific financiers).

MDU is considered a national state university catering to educational and research needs in Sweden and internationally. MDU is one of the 16 state universities in Sweden, being a government authority in its own right. Many of these universities offer a wide range of education and research.

The MDU is organized into four schools. At MDU, a ‘school’ is the organizational unit where higher education and research are conducted and is led by the Dean of each school, who is appointed for four-year terms by the Vice-Chancellor. Each school is then divided into different divisions and departments.

Even though each school is organized by its own needs, some cross-university common functions, positions, and roles are mandatory at the school level to ensure a coherent managerial structure. For instance, each school has a Director of Education, who is responsible for quality assurance at the school/division level. Also, every school has a Research Director, specifically one Director per research specialization, who is responsible for developing research and postgraduate activities and coordinating the allocation of internal research funding.

Organisation

MDU has embraced a new vision reflective of its transition into a comprehensive university: the aspiration to evolve into "A progressive and collaborative university where, collectively, we shape a sustainable future." This vision is anchored in three primary strategic objectives: advancing content and pedagogical development in a progressive manner, fostering collaboration through extensive engagement with local, national, and international stakeholders, and actively participating in co-creating values that benefit both business and society in research and business endeavors, thereby contributing to the realization of a sustainable future.

These strategic objectives are further delineated into three overarching goals at the university, educational, and research levels. This comprehensive strategy, spanning university administration, educational practices, and research initiatives, will be implemented from 2023 to 2026.

The foundation for future developments at MDU is currently robust, supported by internal and external evaluations. This foundation is characterized by several factors: firstly, the provision of high-quality programs and courses at the bachelor's, master's, and research/doctoral study levels; secondly, the execution of esteemed and, in some domains, pioneering research; thirdly, the satisfaction of students with their educational experience; and fourthly, a staff possessing the skills, willingness, and prerequisites necessary to contribute to the university's advancement and that of its schools.

MDU has identified three primary strategic objectives. Firstly, to be progressive in terms of content and pedagogical development. Secondly, foster collaboration by engaging in extensive external interactions with local, national, and international stakeholders, including businesses and public organizations. Through such collaborations, MDU aims to facilitate value co-creation, which is beneficial to both business and society and actively contributes to the shaping of a sustainable future.

Vision, goals and strategy

The university policy for 2023-2025 gives direction and promotes initiatives for reaching the goals set for sustainable development in Agenda 2030 through education and research and by reducing its own climate footprint.

Education:

The university will work systematically to integrate sustainability issues into the education programs to respond to the global goals of Agenda 2030. Students who graduate from the university must have the skills, ability, and agency to deal with complexity and dilemmas that enable them to contribute to a sustainable future.

Goal

  • Education programs will have carried out sustainability integration in a pilot round in 2025 with the aim of making sustainable development an integral part of academic learning.
  • The university will work systematically to support student-driven initiatives and proposals for activities around sustainable development so that these can be implemented.
  • The university’s involvement in collaboration forums around sustainable development with the municipality, region, civil society and private industry must increase.

Research:

The university shall support research on sustainable development and encourage interdisciplinary research collaboration on climate impact.

Goal

  • With the help of collaboration platforms, cross-cutting areas and profile areas, the university must increase the number of research projects that are expected to contribute to sustainable development.
  • The university is establishing a research school focusing on societal challenges.
  • Education at the advanced level and doctoral level must give students and doctoral students skills in research communication with a focus on sustainable development.
Certificate for Erasmus Charter 2021-2027