Both winners of the University’s collaboration prize are passionate about collaboration and utilisation
Collaboration and innovation are guiding principles for Halmstad University and in order to highlight utilisation, innovation and collaboration, the University hands out an award every year. It is awarded to the individual or group of individuals that has been particularly successful within the area.
The award winners of 2022 are Staffan Enting, CEO of the University’s company HH Innovation AB, and Jan Karlsson, Senior Lecturer in Pedagogy at the School of Health and Welfare. They have worked together in many collaboration projects, but it is their individual achievements that are recognised with this year’s award.
“I was very happy when I heard that I had received the award. Especially because I see how these matters, and the importance of collaboration with the surrounding society, have gained more importance and acceptance in the academic world in recent years”
Jan Karlsson, one of the winners of the University's Prize for Collaboration and Innovation 2022
Staffan Enting, CEO of the University’s company HH Innovation AB, and Jan Karlsson, Senior Lecturer in Pedagogy at the School of Health and Welfare
Make the humanities and social sciences visible
Staffan Enting is passionate about making use of research in all of the University's research areas, and in the written award citation, his commitment to making utilisation of humanities and social sciences visible is highlighted. The result of this collaboration has been recognised nationally by, among others, Vinnova and the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise.
“It is great of course, but it is nothing strange, really”, says Staffan Enting and states that he has never met a researcher who does not have the potential to put their research to good use.
“What we have done is to review models that have been developed for use in the technical sphere and adapt them for more subject areas.” He continues:
“Another recipe for success when it comes to collaboration is to be where the researchers are. They are, after all, our customers.”
Staffan Enting keeps coming back to the fact that his job is about highlighting others:
“It is not me who is in the centre, despite the award, although I am happy and proud of having received it.”
Staffan Enting, together with Timo Lagerbjelke from HH Innovation, has conducted a workshop with Linnea Gustafsson, linguist at Halmstad University. The aim was to make sure Linnea's research in forensic linguistics was planned with a focus on how the results were going to be utilised, as well as to identify the right collaboration partners and stakeholders.
Collaboration is about staying relevant
This year’s second award winner, Jan Karlsson, has focused his research on collaboration between universities, the surrounding society and industry. At the University, Jan Karlsson has worked with collaboration within contract education, and in the award citation, his engagement in developing a coaching programme within the project Kompa Halland, which is funded by the EU, is highlighted.
“I was very happy when I heard that I had received the award. Especially because I see how these matters, and the importance of collaboration with the surrounding society, have gained more importance and acceptance in the academic world in recent years”, says Jan Karlsson and continues:
“Collaboration is about staying relevant and it is important to create networks outside the University, in order to be able to meet the competence needs of organisations.”
As the success factors in the work with leadership development and change work, Jan Karlsson emphasises the importance of dialogue with companies and organisations in combination with good pedagogical tools, which are based on work-integrated learning. That the learning is allowed to develop over time, which it was allowed to do in the coaching program, is also important.
The speed of change in terms of the need for new skills has increased in recent years, and the pandemic has accelerated technological development. More and more people need to add to their skills and here Jan Karlsson believes that the University can play an important role.
Utilisation that benefits society
“These are truly two worthy winners who have successfully worked with collaboration and utilisation in different ways, which benefits both the University and society”, states Anders Nelson, acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Halmstad University, with special responsibility for collaboration, innovation and internationalisation.
The Prize for Collaboration and Innovation was awarded during Halmstad University's academic ceremony on November 18, 2022.
Text: Matilda Sommelius
Photo: Ida Fridvall and Ola Erlandsson
About the Prize for Collaboration and Innovation
The award aims to draw attention to successes and initiatives that have to do with utilisation, innovation and collaboration. The prize is awarded to the individual or group of individuals that has been particularly successful in – through collaboration – developing and strengthening the research and education at Halmstad University. The prize has been awarded since 2017. Previous winners are:
- 2021: Olga Torstensson, Malin Bornhager and Muhammad Ahsan Rasool
- 2020: Frida Stranne
- 2019: Gerry Andersson
- 2018: Karin Weman Josefsson
- 2017: Hans-Erik Eldemark
