Senior lecturers addressing industry’s skills needs
Senior lecturers Martin Längkvist and Hadi Banaee are currently designing courses for industry professionals.
The demand for new skills is increasing rapidly in many sectors. At Örebro University, two new senior lecturers are preparing to address this trend through training programmes targeted specifically at industry professionals.
“We’re all aware that rapid technological development means learning is a lifelong process,” says Hadi Banaee, senior lecturer in computer science.
Örebro University is investing in lifelong learning through its Food and Health Centre and the AI, Robotics and Cybersecurity Centre (ARC), both of which focus heavily on development.
Within ARC, several collaborative projects are underway, including the national Vinnova-funded ADAPT, in collaboration with KTH, Chalmers, and Linköping University. Here, innovative training methods for professionals are being tested, such as shorter and more flexible programmes and new academic roles.
This initiative builds on previous experience, such as the collaborative lecturer role, and examines how training for professionals can be recognised as academic credentials.
Part of the initiative is the Expert Learning Lab (ELL), a national collaborative project between industry and academia. Here, short, flexible, and work-integrated training programmes, such as micro-credentials, are developed in close collaboration with companies and other higher education institutions.
Örebro University continues to invest in training programmes aimed at professionals already in the workforce. As part of this effort and the ADAPT project, two senior lecturers have now been recruited with the specific task of developing training initiatives in close collaboration with industry and the business sector.
“Within the AI, Robotics and Cybersecurity Centre (ARC), we're working on several projects where, together with industry, we're developing new forms of skills development as part of the university’s contribution to lifelong learning. ADAPT is one of these,” says Amy Loutfi, Professor of Computer Science and Director of ARC, continuing:
“In the project, we’re also exploring new structures within academia. These senior lecturer roles serve as one example, focusing on training that goes beyond the standard course offerings and instead on shorter, flexible programmes for professionals. This could include short courses, micro-credentials, and other forms of learning developed in close collaboration with industry, especially within AI and machine learning. A key question for us is how this type of teaching can become a natural and merit-based part of an academic career.”
At the intersection of academia and industry
The lecturers will operate at the intersection of academia and industry, with the goal of contributing to education that is more adaptable than traditional university courses and can be better customised to meet companies’ needs. This might include shorter lectures, seminars, or workshops for professionals seeking to update or expand their skills.
“People already working in industry often understand why they need to learn something. They can immediately see how the knowledge can be applied in their work,” explains Martin Längkvist, who, together with Hadi Banaee, aims to continue their efforts to make current research and new knowledge more accessible to working professionals.
Extensive experience
Martin Längkvist and Hadi Banaee both possess extensive experience in researching and teaching computer science, including areas such as machine learning and AI. They have also participated in other lifelong learning initiatives, like Smarter and the Expert Learning Lab.
Their new role also involves strengthening links between the university and regional and national businesses.
Through dialogue with industry, educational initiatives can be crafted based on concrete needs within these organisations. Simultaneously, industry experience can offer new perspectives on the university’s research and education. The ultimate goal is to foster more opportunities for knowledge exchange between academia and industry and to develop forms of education that remain relevant throughout a person’s professional life.
Translation: Jerry Gray