INDEK program receives top feedback from the EU
INDEK’s EDIM course finishes this spring. A forward-looking education with partner universities in Madrid and Milano. And the feedback from the European Union is, to put it humbly, positive. Still, this is the end of the program.
The ambitions for INDEK’s Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctoral Program ”European Doctorate in Industrial Management”, EDIM, was high from the start in 2011: with a double degree PhD, the goal was to build a state-of-the-art program addressing managerial issues of significance for the future competitiveness and sustainability of the industrial companies of Europe. It has attracted a large number of applicants from all over the world, of whom 36 PhD candidates were admitted to earn a double PhD degree of two of the three consortium partners; INDEK at KTH; School of Management at Politecnico di Milano (Polimi), and Industrial Engineering at Universidad de Polytecnica de Madrid (UPM). So far, more 31 of the candidates have graduated, and there are some more to come.
Mats Engwall, program coordinator at KTH, what would you say makes EDIM stand out?
EDIM has been a tremendous experience and has made INDEK truly international. To collaborate so closely with international colleagues at prestigious universities has been very inspiring. The core of the program revolved around our EDIM workshops: three times a year we gathered at KTH, Polimi, or UPM for exchange of research ideas, academic lectures and seminars, paper presentations with peer reviews from colleagues, cultural events, and study visits to various companies. These workshops created a unique EDIM-spirit.
What are you most proud of?
Well, we fulfilled our task; more 30 PhDs and more than 150 scientific papers have been produced, so far. EDIM has also enabled faculty exchanges between the three partners and the initiation of new research projects and collaborations. We are also very proud of our graduated doctors who have manifested their competitiveness by getting really good jobs at several well-respected universities.
Do you know the students outlook on the program?
PhD training is usually tough. However, for the “EDIMers” it was even more challenging since each one of them had to share their time between two universities, and had to adhere to the rules of two doctoral systems. However challenging, they have also had great fun and there is today a thriving alumni network of former EDIM candidates around the world.
What is the feedback from the EU?
EU emphasized that EDIM is a unique program since it acknowledges the importance of integrating management and technology in order to tackle future industrial challenges. They also highlighted our yearly cycle of gathering at EDIM workshops, that the program work mode was problem driven, rather than theory driven, and that we conducted our empirical research in close collaboration with a large number of companies and public organizations.
So what’s next?
This was a big commitment with five intakes and EU-funding corresponding to approx. € 6 00 000. Sadly enough, EU have decided not to sponsor these kind of doctoral programs in the future. Now that we really know how to run this kind of program we have to end it. However, it has been a fantastic experience!
Text: Anna Gullers