The first international research school starts

The initiative is funded by the Knowledge Foundation, which has granted the International Research School, IRS TransTech, just over SEK 15 million SEK.

— The overall aim of the international research school is to strengthen industrial transformation and increase the competitiveness of Swedish industry. In the initiative, we connect three of Mid Sweden University’s eight research centres and we will work closely with industry, says Mattias O'Nils, Head of IRS TransTech.

In the initiative, which runs until 2028, Mid Sweden University collaborates with the technical universities of Vienna, Chemnitz, Ostwestfalen-Lippe and Zurich, as well as the Italian universities of Salerno and L’Aquila, Aalto University in Finland and the University of British Columbia in Canada. The industrial companies that participate are located in various industries with a connection to sustainable development, technology and innovation.

— We will focus on international collaborative projects that, in addition to solving specific research questions, will also increase knowledge about industrial transformation through transformative technologies in the development of AI, IoT, materials and processes, says Mattias O'Nils.

— For the Knowledge Foundation, this is an initiative with great potential for the development of Transformative Technologies as an international strong research and educational environment. A flow of PhD-students between different universities and companies means a continuous exchange of knowledge with opportunities for long-term collaboration between both academia and the business sector. This is a promising initiative that we, at the Knowledge Foundation, will follow with great interest, says Yvonne Fors, Programme Manager at the Knowledge Foundation.

— For Mid Sweden University, IRS TransTech will strengthen our ability to create new international research projects through a new form of collaboration with international universities and leading researchers. The expertise we attract in this initiative will benefit our research and collaborations, says Hans-Erik Nilsson, Vice-rector for innovation and industry collaboration.

The International Research School in Transformative Technologies (IRS TransTech) is a five-year project funded by the Knowledge Foundation. The initiative is the first within the Knowledge Foundation’s targeted focus on Strategic environments, where the research environment Transformative Technology at Mid Sweden University is the only one of its kind.

Mid Sweden University’s research center FSCN (Fibre Science and Communications Network), STC (Sensible Things That Communicate) and STRC (Sports Tech Research Centre) are part of Transformative Technologies.