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Så inledde rektor Sigbritt Karlsson sin blogg i måndags, och jag kan bara hålla med. Det har den här veckan har Campus känts annorlunda, stillsamt; kanske eftersom många av lärarna haft påsklov och kanske för att många av studenterna förberett sig inför omtentorna, men troligtvis eftersom ni, liksom jag, på olika sätt funderat och reflekterat kring den tragedi som inträffade på Drottninggatan i fredags.
Men samtidigt händer det också mycket medryckande saker kring utbildningsfrågorna på KTH & ITM just nu. I skolledningen har vi arbetat med det skriftliga underlag som ska lämnas in i slutet av april inför dialogen med rektor kring våra utbildningars kvalitet. Som nybliven GA har det varit väldigt roligt att få en snabb och ansenlig insikt i både styrkor och förbättringspotential hos våra utbildningar. I mitten på mars arrangerade också rektor en work-shop då fakulteten fick möjlighet att diskutera digitalisering och internationalisering, det var mycket intressant och givande. Dessutom pågår just nu ett förberedelsearbete med KTHs nya utvecklingsplan, både centralt och i ITMs skolledning. Utvecklingsplanen som ska gälla från 2018 kommer fokuseras på tre viktiga områden; jämställdhet, hållbarhet och internationalisering. På ITM faculty club mötet i juni kommer vi alla därför få möjlighet att diskutera den kommande utvecklingsplanen så då hoppas jag på stor anslutning av utbildningsengagerade lärare 🙂
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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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In an earlier blog I wrote something like this:
In the last Research Assessment Exercise (RAE2012) the ITM School achieved reasonably good results, and in some cases best in class. A point that was made by one of the review panels was that we could gain a lot by better integration over department borders. In particular this was pointed out between the departments of Production Engineering and Machine Design. This, together with urgent needs on the one hand from department expansions, and on the other hand from needs of our education programs, have triggered a recently started project to modernize our premises at Valhallavägen.
This project is now entering into its second stage. The result of the first stage can be studied here, where it, towards the end, can be seen that five different paths forward are presented as possible alternatives. The naming of the initiative – ITM Innovation arena – should not be taken too literally, it is all about improving the premises, the working environment and the infrastructure to enhance education, research, innovation and collaboration. Last month, we decided do go forward in a second stage with two of those alternatives (alternatives 1 and 5 in the document).
Alternative 1:
Three arenas, one larger in the M-quarters, and two smaller at MSE and INDEK. Existing office and laboratory premises are re-built for more efficient space utilization and with new functionality for meetings and collaboration. Our activities are exposed through more welcoming entry-points facing the central campus pathways, and are strategically opened up for better visibility. In the M-quarters, existing buildings are physically connected via new spaces.
Alternative 5:
Two arenas, one even larger in the M-quarters, and one smaller at INDEK. The main difference to alternative 1 is that the larger arena in this case also includes MSE, otherwise with the same ambitions.
What happens now? The current project leader, Sofia Ritzén, is now forming several working groups to look closer into the needs and integration principles of the following:
- Workshops and prototype centre, maker space, physical model building, communication media production.
- Research infrastructure, the needs of both departments and centres.
- Spaces for innovation, entrepreneurial activities, collaboration and mobility with industry and society.
- Students and education
- Reception, visibility, conferences, meetings, coffee shop, faculty club
- Office work – typical activities and needs, work processes, flexibility
In parallel to these working group activities, the KTH central unit for premises development will together with external architects go forward on building volume estimations, coordination with Akademiska Hus and cost analysis. Both the ITM and the KTH central process are scheduled to be finished during the fall 2017.
We have established an area at the ITM intranet where the idea is that the progress in various ITM-overarching development projects will be published.
/Jan Wikander, Dean of School
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The survey to all PhD students at ITM will be sent out very soon, hopefully on Monday. Please fill in the survey as soon as it arrives. Please also let us know if somebody should have received the survey but didn’t. We are currently checking the email-lists to all PhD students but there will probably be some errors.
The result of the survey will be presented and discussed at the PhD students’ conference. The theme of the conference will be Sustainability from different perspectives. Sustainability will be integrated in all the doctoral programs at KTH and the work has started with the development of an action plan for each program on how to achieve this. The invitation to the conference will also be sent out next week.
/ Malin Selleby, FA
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Currently, the safety inspections are ongoing. So far the inspections at Deans Office, Industrial Economy and Management, Industrial Production, Machine Design and Materials Science and Engineering have been completed. We are currently waiting for the written statements from the inspections. However, so far we have noticed one very positive thing. All the remarks from the 2016 inspections have been corrected. Thus the department Heads and their personnel have worked actively to improve the work environment, which is extremely important to create an attractive and safe work place.
Professor John Ågren at the Materials Science and Engineering department will retire this year. Thus, his colleagues organized a two day conference at KTH last week. It attracted the attention from both a dozen of international experts in the field as well as researchers at institutes, companies and universities in Sweden. All speakers praised the contributions of professor Ågren to both research and education within the materials science field. In addition to the technical contribution, a dinner was organized at Sing-Sing. For those of us that participated in the dinner it was a remarkable experience. Some extremely talented girls from Adolf Fredrik school in Stockholm made a breath taking performance. In addition to the music, many speakers wanted to thank John for his contributions to the materials science field and for his friendship. The most touching moment was when the current professor emeritus Mats Hillert announced that he, at the age of 92 years!, soon would step down from the emeritus position and to let John take over that prestigious position!
Finally, I wish to say that one specific sign of that spring is approaching is that the Annual step competition at KTH soon will start. The interest at different schools at KTH has increased compared to last year. Thus, this year the following schools will participate: ITM, CSC, ICT, ABE, and CHE. In addition, the university administration (UF) will also take part in the competition. This year, a lecture on health will be held both in Swedish and English at the start of the competition. Thus, we hope that this can motivate more people to increase their exercise activities to improve their health. When all details are finalized, Anton Lagerbäck will send out detailed information to all of you.
Enjoy the sun and take some moments to admire the signs of spring in the nature!
/Pär Jönsson, Vice Dean
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Background
The management administration within ITM is being reviewed. The purpose of this review is mainly to strengthen the administrative support in the academic line with maintained/lower overheads. As a first step, the School will open a new service centre on 1 April with a service desk in Maskinkvarteret and a service desk in Sing Sing.
This work has been pursued in project form, starting with an interview round to identify needs and preferences within the School. A reference group has been appointed for this.
Next step
Step 2 of this process is to review the administrative support linked to the School’s
- Master’s programmes (60 and 120 credits) concerning the producer element
- Competence centres
Decision
The Dean is starting two new projects to identify the needs that exist in relation to
- The School’s Master’s programmes (60 and 120 credits) concerning the producer element. Caroline Ahlstedt has been appointed project manager. The project will start immediately.
- The School’s competence centres. Sarah Golibari has been appointed project manager. The project will start immediately.
The projects will be run in similar form to the project concerning the School’s new service centre. Information about the projects will be available on the School’s intranet.
If you have questions, please contact: service@itm.kth.se
/Christina Carlsson, Head of administration
