Structures for partner collaboration in authentic learning contexts

Mapped principles 

The project is mapped to the following framework principles:

P2. Ability to handle wicked problems for a sustainable societal development

P3. Active student-centered learning 

P9. A developing educational culture 

Contact

Lars Uppvall associate professor

lars.uppvall@indek.kth.se , 087909460

Profile

This project was implemented at the School of Industrial Engineering and Management (ITM) within the Future Education programme (project no. 2418-ITM). 

Project context  

KTH education needs to incorporate authentic challenges related to major societal transitions for us to reach our strategic objectives. To ensure such an authentic context, partner organisations should actively engage in the teaching process. To implement such integration in an effective and pedagogically grounded manner, a number of questions need to be answered: 

• What drivers and perceived benefits underpin organisations’ efforts to contribute to project-based education within KTH’s Master's programmes?

• From the perspective of participating organisations, what are the key structural and collaborative elements that need to be in place to enable joint projects within courses and programmes? 

• What role can these collaborations play in fostering long-term relationships between KTH, the participating organisations, and potentially engaged alumni? 

The point of departure for such a project could be the course ME2502 Change Management Project in Industrial Engineering and Management, 12 credits. In many ways, the course is representative of typical later-stage engineering courses, designed to introduce an authentic context in order to achieve the higher learning objectives in our degree programmes. What distinguishes this course, however, is its clearly defined structure and its integration with custom-developed course materials and related publications, its explicit focus on addressing wicked problems, and its scale – engaging approximately 100 students/year. 

Purpose (outcome) 

The aim of the project is to strengthen KTH’s capacity to design and deliver education that incorporates authentic challenges related to major societal transitions.  

Project results (output) 

A synthesis of knowledge, models, and tools that can enhance KTH’s ability to offer well-developed project-based courses. These courses should enable students to be assessed on their capacity to address wicked problems in the context of sustainable societal development. Sub-results are: 

• Data collection from the implementation of this year's course round ME2502

• Interview study with representatives of this year's participating partner companies 

• Extended data collection from previously implemented projects and participating partner companies

• Literature study 

The results are presented in two forms: 

1. "Play book" for dissemination of results with a focus on implementation in other courses including templates, tools and methods

2. Scientific publication where the results are placed in a deeper pedagogical context and the knowledge contribution from the project is nuanced and discussed. 

Time plan 

Start date: 2024-09-01
End date: 2025-03-31 

Project documentation 

If you have a KTH ID, you can read the documents when logged in:

• Poster: Poster_FrU25_2418-ITM_Partnersamverkan_250520.pdf (English)

• Project initiation document: Projektdirektiv_FrU24_2418-ITM_Struktur för partnersamverkan_240919.pdf (Swedish)