GA blog post

This entry was posted on by Annika Lilja.

Finally we have reached the end of the spring semester after a very intense period. The last couple of weeks my time has been filled with both examination, research conferences and the graduation ceremony for masters, masters of engineering and architects in the City Hall. The graduation ceremony was a new experience for me, and during this ceremony the presentation of the diplomas to each graduate was mixed with musical entertainment by the KTH academic orchestra conducted by director musices Gunnar Julin and the student choir. It was a very impressive and an incredible nice arrangement, I really appreciated the opportunity to present and congratulate all of ITMs graduates 🙂

But I have also, as probably most of you, put a lot of time the last couple of weeks on grading, for example master thesis projects. I really think supervising master thesis projects is a rewarding teaching effort, since these students are almost finished with their education and therefore are ready to apply all parts of it. It’s thrilling to be able to see the students execute this in a satisfactory way.

Finally, some educational issues being discussed at KTH tight now. For instance; there is a lot of discussions on how to enhance the quality assurance process (course evaluations and analyses), what the content of the program analysis should be, and off course the shift from Bilda till Canvas. Hope you all have attended a workshop and feel prepared for teaching with the help of Canvas as of this fall semester.

But before we all start to think about the fall I want to wish you all a Glad Midsommar and hope you have a nice vacation.

/ Anna Jerbrant, GA

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Summer is approaching

This entry was posted on by Annika Lilja.

On Thursday June 15 at 13.00 the ITM School has a joint Faculty Club and Summer celebration in M1. The main focus of the Faculty Club is to discuss the first draft of the KTH Development plan 2018-2023. You all have the draft now attached to the calendar invitation in your e-calendar. By the way, this seems like a good time to remind us all about a previously announced ITM policy:

  • All employees should use the Outlook calendar for planning time, and the calendar should be open (for time slots, but not content) within ITM.

As we all know, KTH is currently subject to a quite substantial reorganization and the first reports are as earlier announced available here . In the case of integrating CSC, ICT and EES the first report outlines two different solutions, one of which implies a transition to two schools rather than the proposed one-school alternative. It seems however that our president will go for the one-school solution.

During the spring, an up-to-date slide presentation of the ITM-school has been prepared. It is available for all to download here. After the summer it will be complemented by short department presentations as well.

Summer is approaching and times are hectic in terms of correcting exams, reporting results, performing course analyses and graduating PhDs. After this hectic period I would like to wish all ITM co-workers a nice summer and relaxing holidays.

On Thursday June 15 at 13.00 (starting with the Faculty Club) we will celebrate our efforts with some prize ceremonies, some School information and certainly mingle and refreshments!

/Jan Wikander, Dean of School

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Time to summarize

This entry was posted on by Annika Lilja.

A very intense week is about to be completed, since the term is about to end. Time to summarize all P4 courses and complete the work of writing and correcting all the examination. But this week has also offered other exciting and interesting education-focused events. For instance, yesterday (on Wednesday) all the schools GA & PA had a rally discussing both the program analysis, that all schools recently have developed, as well as different prioritized development inquiries, performed during the spring. It was interesting to note that there are several common progress areas where we can benefit from networking and collaboration. For instance, lots of the presentations discussed the need for increased sustainability, gender equality and quality assurance in several of the educations.

Next week we can look forward to having a dialogue focused on educational quality with e.g. the President Sigbritt Karlsson and also the vice dean of faculty Per Berglund (who is responsible for the education at Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD levels). It will give us the possibility to describe and discuss the strengths and opportunities, as well as threats, for all of our education on 1st, 2nd and 3rd cycle level at the school. Hopefully it will be rewarding.

But for now, let’s enjoy the coming summer weather and bring e.g. the master thesis reading with us outdoors.

/ Anna Jerbrant, GA

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What’s happening in administration?

This entry was posted on by Annika Lilja.

The Dean of the School has set up two new projects to define what needs there are with regard to

  • The school’s MSc programmes as regards the producer side. Caroline Ahlstedt has been appointed project manager. The project is already underway.
  • The school’s centres of excellence. Sarah Golibari has been appointed project manager. The project is already underway.

The projects will be run in project form beginning with a round of interviews concerning needs and wishes that exist at the school. A reference group has been appointed.

Computer workstations

Work is going on at KTH to coordinate IT operations and support with the aim of minimising work duplication and using KTH’s resources more efficiently. A further aim is to reduce the total cost of activities such as investments, operation and development in local platforms at KTH. Five of KTH’s schools are already in this environment.

The Dean of School has decided to transfer the school’s IT services to KTH’s IT department. The process for this is as follows:

  • Prerequisites and scope
  • Inventorying and mapping
  • Implementation of requirements/needs
  • Design of services
  • Introduction projects
  • Administration

The school has appointed a reference group. The project is being run by KTH’s IT department under the management of Hans Wolfarth.

Service centre

ITM’s newly set up service centre is now up to speed and cases are dropping into our new case management system. At present we’re working hard to adapt quickly to demand. If you have questions or suggestions for improvements, don’t hesitate to contact:

Annika Lilja, anlil.kth.se

Christina Carlsson, chrisinta.carlsson.itm.kth.se

We really need your views and comments to be able to offer the basic services we have set up.

Yours sincerely
Christina Carlsson, Head of Adminstration

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”Ny vecka och ny vardag. Men Ă€ndĂ„ inte.”

This entry was posted on by Anna Eklund.

SÄ inledde rektor Sigbritt Karlsson sin blogg i mÄndags, och jag kan bara hÄlla med. Det har den hÀr veckan har Campus kÀnts annorlunda, stillsamt; kanske eftersom mÄnga av lÀrarna haft pÄsklov och kanske för att mÄnga av studenterna förberett sig inför omtentorna, men troligtvis eftersom ni, liksom jag, pÄ olika sÀtt funderat och reflekterat kring den tragedi som intrÀffade pÄ Drottninggatan i fredags.

Men samtidigt hĂ€nder det ocksĂ„ mycket medryckande saker kring utbildningsfrĂ„gorna pĂ„ KTH & ITM just nu. I skolledningen har vi arbetat med det skriftliga underlag som ska lĂ€mnas in i slutet av april inför dialogen med rektor kring vĂ„ra utbildningars kvalitet. Som nybliven GA har det varit vĂ€ldigt roligt att fĂ„ en snabb och ansenlig insikt i bĂ„de styrkor och förbĂ€ttringspotential hos vĂ„ra utbildningar. I mitten pĂ„ mars arrangerade ocksĂ„ rektor en work-shop dĂ„ fakulteten fick möjlighet att diskutera digitalisering och internationalisering, det var mycket intressant och givande. Dessutom pĂ„gĂ„r just nu ett förberedelsearbete med KTHs nya utvecklingsplan, bĂ„de centralt och i ITMs skolledning. Utvecklingsplanen som ska gĂ€lla frĂ„n 2018 kommer fokuseras pĂ„ tre viktiga omrĂ„den; jĂ€mstĂ€lldhet, hĂ„llbarhet och internationalisering. PĂ„ ITM faculty club mötet i juni kommer vi alla dĂ€rför fĂ„ möjlighet att diskutera den kommande utvecklingsplanen sĂ„ dĂ„ hoppas jag pĂ„ stor anslutning av utbildningsengagerade lĂ€rare 🙂

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That’s how headmaster Sigbritt Karlsson began her blog this Monday, and I can only agree. This week campus has felt different, more silent; maybe because many of us teachers has had spring break and maybe because many of the students has focused on their re-exams, but most likely because many of us, in different ways, have been thinking and reflecting due to the tragedy that occurred at Drottninggatan last Friday. My thoughts are also with those people who are still trying to heal their injuries.

But at the same time a lot of very compelling things focused on educational issues are happening at KTH and ITM right now. The school administration has worked with the report for the dialogue with the principal about the quality in our programs and educations that is to be submitted in late April. As newly appointed dean of education it has been very nice to get a quick and significant insight into both the strengths and improvement needs of our educations. In mid-March the headmaster also initiated a workshop where the faculty had the opportunity to discuss digitization and internationalization, it was very interesting and rewarding. In addition, ongoing right now is the preparatory work with KTH’s new development, both centrally and at the ITM school. The development plan will apply from 2018 and will focus on three key areas; equality, sustainability and internationalization. At ITM Faculty Club meeting in June, we will all have the opportunity to discuss the coming development plan, so I hope that many of us education dedicated teachers will participate then!

 

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