Mid Sweden University will become stronger in contract education
The demand for tailor-made skills development is increasing. Mid Sweden University is now taking a concerted approach to sharpen the work with contract education – a key to lifelong learning and regional development.
"We see a growing need and want to create more uniform ways of working. That is why we are expanding our support and activities with several key roles at the centre. The initiative will strengthen our role as an active partner in the region's and society's skills supply — in line with our mission and our long-term ambitions," says Anders Fällström, Vice-Chancellor.
Three people form a new team
Mathias Larsson and Åsa Bång, coordinators at the Division of Research and Educational Support (FUS), will be the University's main contact points for companies, authorities and organisations that need needs-adapted education. Their mission: to identify skills needs, connect them with the university's educational resources and initiate new contract education.
"Many businesses need rapid and specialised skills development. Now we can work more proactively and support the faculties better," says Mathias Larsson.
"For me, it's about building relationships and listening to needs. With this initiative, we will have better conditions to create education that is both useful and attractive," says Åsa Bång.
University Strategist Anna-Lena Perdahl complements the team with responsibility for strategic anchoring and development of processes for needs identification and client support. Anna-Lena acts as a bridge between FUS and the university management, so that the university acts collectively towards external actors.
"My role is to contribute with structure and coordination, so that together we can develop contract education that is clear, relevant and easy to order," she says.
Faculties on board
The work is supported by both faculties through central roles in education, collaboration and quality.
"This is a very important strategic initiative where we work together to reach out regionally and nationally with adapted contract education that contributes to skills supply, skills development and lifelong learning. There are strong links to collaboration and internationalisation, which are also important, strategic areas," says Marcia Håkansson Lindqvist, Vice Dean with responsibility for education, including internationalisation, collaboration and contract education at HUV.
"We see that we have a potential to increase the proportion of contract education and we also have good examples to contribute to the collaboration. It is important that the faculties take a comprehensive approach and that we consider our unique resources, such as the lab environments, in the development work," says Lena-Maria Öberg, Vice-Dean at NMT.