Collaboration with the private and public sectors
Together with municipalities, authorities, companies and organisations, the University contributes to the development of society through its education and research. Here you can read about how your company or organisation can get in touch and collaborate with MDU, our students and researchers.
MDU has an important role to support the private and public sectors by ensuring that the workforce of the future is educated and by developing research that makes a difference for Swedish industry, society and people. Collaboration with companies and organisations is crucial for MDU to be able to conduct research, which makes a difference to society and for our students to receive relevant education.
One of the main societal challenges is the skills shortage, the difficulty of finding staff with relevant education. Through close collaboration with companies and organisations, MDU has developed courses and programmes aimed at professionals together with partners. Course and study programmes that can be taken part-time, in the evening, distance learning courses with flexible options to enable studies alongside work.
A great deal of the collaboration and research application from MDU takes place across our collaborative platforms. The various collaborative platforms offer opportunities for co-production, networking and contact with researchers and students from MDU.
Partnerships
MDU's strategic partnerships contribute to societal benefits
MDU has a strategic and long-term collaboration with a few selected companies and public organisations. These strategic partnerships are of crucial importance for the University, the growth and development in the organisations, but also for the region as a whole – the overriding common goal of the strategic partnerships is that they contribute to societal benefits.
MDU has strategic collaborative agreements with the following:
Other MDU partners
Private sector
MDU has enjoyed long-term partnerships with the private sector in various ways. Companies which contribute to the courses and study programmes through lectures, participation in industry councils and in joint research projects. By means of MDU's strategic partnerships, a close collaboration exists with several of the large industrial companies in the region, but small and medium-sized enterprises are also involved and contribute to research and education that takes place at the University.
Small and medium-sized enterprises
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are an important collaboration partner for the University, in their role as a future employer of our students but also important in research projects. Collaboration between the University and SMEs provides increased innovation and competitiveness. Through MDU's collaborative platforms, many SMEs participate in the research and education that takes place at the University. The Tillväxtmotorn platform (Growth engine) focuses on the SMEs in particular.
What you as a company can do in collaboration with MDU
Many companies want to get in contact with our students and there are several opportunities for this to happen:
- Participate in Högvarv
External link. - the Student Union’s labour market trade fair. - Propose a problem or a subject for a degree project and participate in the thesis and degree project days.
- Hold an exhibition on campus in Västerås or Eskilstuna and meet students.
- Post your offers on MDU's advertising portal External link. (offers to MDU's students about employment, placements, traineeships, scholarships, summer jobs and degree projects).
- Guest lectures: a guest lecture can be a shorter presentation or an entire lecture with a clear connection to the course content by a company or organisation. It is a good way to get an insight into what the students are studying and an opportunity to present your organisation and get in contact with teachers.
- Join Industry councils: industry councils consist of students, teachers and representatives from the private sector and public organisations, with the purpose to develop courses and study programmes and which function as a link between the University and employers.
- Organise study visits to your organisation: invite the degree programme students or contact the student association you are interested in and invite them to participate in a study visit with you. Contact the Student associations in Västerås or Eskilstuna.
- Contribute with cases and projects to courses: a realistic problem, described in a placement case, based on the professional activities for which the students are being prepared. This can be a workshop, several sessions or a basis for a shorter course. Takes place in groups or individually.
There are several opportunities for companies and the private sector to participate in and contribute to research and research projects which include the following:
- Companies can contribute to joint research applications, by allowing themselves to be studied, contributing with data and implementing results.
- Hire and co-finance an externally employed doctoral student.
- Co-finance a service with MDU.
Public and non-profit sector
MDU has enjoyed partnerships for a long time with the public sector in various ways. Examples include public authorities and municipalities that contribute to the courses and study programmes through practicum internships (VFU), participation in industry councils and in joint research projects. Thanks to MDU's strategic partnerships, there is a close collaboration with the two university cities Eskilstuna Municipality and Västerås City. Other projects and partnerships also exist at the University involving authorities, organisations and other municipalities.
What can you do in collaboration with MDU?
Many municipalities want to get in contact with our students and there are several opportunities for this to happen:
- Participate in Högvarv External link. - the Student Union’s labour market trade fair.
- Propose a problem or a subject for a degree project and participate in the thesis and degree project days.
- Hold an exhibition on the Västerås or Eskilstuna campuses.
- Post your offers on MDU's advertising portal External link. (offers to MDU's students about employment, placements, traineeships, scholarships, summer jobs and degree projects).
- Guest lectures: a guest lecture by a company or organisation may be a shorter presentation or an entire lecture with a clear connection to the course content. It is a good way to get an insight into what the students are studying and an opportunity to present your organisation and get in contact with teachers.
- Join Industry councils: industry councils consist of students, teachers and representatives from the private sector and public organisations, with the purpose to develop courses and study programmes and which function as a link between the University and employers.
- Organise study visits to your organisation: invite the degree programme students or contact the student association you are interested in and invite them to participate in a study visit with you. Contact the Student associations in Västerås or Eskilstuna.
- Contribute with cases and projects to courses: a realistic problem, described in a placement case, based on the professional activities for which the students are being prepared. This can be a workshop, several sessions or a basis for a shorter course. Takes place in groups or individually.
What can a public sector stakeholder do in collaboration to benefit research?
- Contribute to joint research applications.
- Co-finance a municipal doctoral student.
- Co-finance a service with MDU.
Contact private sector:
Contact public and non-profit sector: