Research on Collaboration – RoC
RoC (Research on Collaboration) is an interdisciplinary research area in collaborative research. Research on and about collaboration is rare despite collaboration being a central part of the academic world. Through RoC, MDU hopes to enhance and disseminate knowledge about collaboration while also strengthening the University's collaboration profile.
The work to develop an interdisciplinary research area on collaboration began in the autumn of 2023. It is a university-wide research area and is based on internal and external collaboration in an international context. The research focuses on developing knowledge about collaboration, unlike all the good research and education that takes place in collaboration with others. The research area will focus on (1) organisation, management and controlling collaboration and its consequences, (2) impact, results and (un)desired consequences of collaboration, as well as (3) theories and innovative methods for the scholarly study of collaboration.
“Since the start and during the year we have presented research on collaboration for instance at international conferences and worked closely with visiting professor Emma Bell, The Open University in the United Kingdom, to develop RoC in a visible international context. Internally, we have funded research projects on collaboration from the various Schools and worked with applications to research funding bodies,” says Karin Axelsson, Project Manager.
Community of Practice
The next step is to create what is known as a Community of Practice - a joint knowledge and interest arena for shared learning and knowledge exchange between parties from academia, civil society, the private and public sectors, and politicians. The development of a Community of Practice also represents one of the work packages that MDU leads in the SUNRISE alliance in the European University Initiative (EUI).
RoC is being developed under the leadership of Karin Axelsson, Senior Lecturer in Innovation Management and Project Manager, and Linda Höglund, Associate Professor in Business Administration and Research Director. They have a team of researchers around them representing the RoC interdisciplinary research area.
- Chris Ivory, Professor in Innovation Management and Technology
- Maria Mårtensson Hansson, Professor in Management Control
- Ioana Stefan, Associate Professor in Innovation Management and Technology
- Simon Sjölund, Lecturer in Didactics
- Emma Bell, Professor of Organisation and Leadership
Would you like to become part of the network around RoC?
Please fill in your details via the link, and you will receive more information and invitations to upcoming seminars and events.
Research seminars 2025
Welcome to our seminars about research on collaboration from different perspectives. The themes for each seminar will be presented a few weeks before the seminar. The seminars are held in English. If you have any questions or ideas about topics for seminars, please contact roc@mdu.se.
- 13 Februari 13:15-15:00 at MDU Eskilstuna
- 13 March 13:15-15:00 at MDU Västerås
- 10 April 10:15-12:00 at MDU Eskilstuna
- 15 May 13:15-15:00 at MDU Västerås
Welcome to sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/dCe4QhXB1M
External link.