At Jönköping University’s School of Engineering (JTH), collaboration is not an add-on—it is a strategy. For over a decade, we have developed a uniquely embedded model of university-industry partnerships that goes far beyond traditional internships or project collaborations. With over 1,000 companies engaged annually and 9 strategic partners integrated into both governance and curriculum, our model ensures relevance, innovation, and real-world results.
Every bachelor student completes an industrial placement. Research is co-created with companies to solve real challenges, exemplified by long-term success stories such as the partnership with Comptech, where joint innovations led to global technology leadership and major environmental gains. Our commitment to Work-Integrated Learning is visible in tailored courses like the “Husqvarna course,” developed jointly with industry, which serve a model for integrating more company collaboration into our courses.
We continuously measure and refine our efforts through tools like the Company ECG, ensuring partnerships are not only active but impactful. With a future goal of becoming Sweden’s leading technical university in university-business collaboration within education by 2030, we are strategically developing both existing and new collaboration initiatives.
Our approach sets a benchmark for how academic institutions can become engines of transformation—producing graduates who are job-ready, research that solves real problems, and partnerships that drive regional and global progress.
Finalist
Engaged University of the Year Award
Jönköping University, School of Engineering
Finalist Engaged University of the Year Award
Jönköping University, School of Engineering - Sweden
"Real Collaboration. Real Impact."
Engage on social media
https://www.linkedin.com/school/tekniskahogskolan/(It is our vision to be leaders in Europe in developing and spreading new technology and knowledge that reinforce the international competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises. )
https://www.instagram.com/jth_ju/(Engineers of tomorrow. Accredited by ACEEU.)
https://www.facebook.com/JonkopingUniversity(Jönköping University joint FB account)
(Jönköping University has around 14,000 students, of which 2,400 are international students. The university is one of the top universities in international student exchange and among the best in Sweden in terms of attracting international students. )
Summary
Key People
Linda Bergqvist
Head of Collaboration
Collaboration Team, Dean’s Office,
Jönköping University, School of Engineering
Stefan Brolin
Project Manager Collaboration
Collaboration Team, Dean’s Office,
Jönköping University, School of Engineering
LisaBeth Sundström
Project Manager Collaboration
Collaboration Team, Dean’s Office,
Jönköping University, School of Engineering
Ingrid Wadskog
Dean and Managing Director
Dean’s Office,
Jönköping University, School of Engineering
Kerstin Johansen
Associate Dean of Research
Dean’s Office,
Jönköping University, School of Engineering
Patrik Cannmo
Associate Dean of Education
Dean’s Office,
Jönköping University, School of Engineering
Anders Jarfors
Professor, Materials and Manufacturing-Casting
Department of Materials and Manufacturing,
Jönköping University, School of Engineering
Acknowledgements
JTH extends its gratitude to its strategic partners who are deeply involved in advancing education and ensuring its relevance to the job market, and who actively participate in research projects:
Strategic Partners and Nodes: Husqvarna Group, Scania, Kongsberg Automotive, Fagerhult Group, SAAB Avionics, SAAB Training, Combitech, Thule, Träcentrum (Industrial Development Centre for wood industry), Campus Värnamo (regional Skills Development Center), and Swedish Aluminium (Aluminium Industry Organisation).
Images
Jönköping University Campus
Civil Engineering Students at Industry Placement
Students at work in the "Husqvarna course".
Student life in the city.
Research in Materials and Manufacturing.
Jönköping with Campus in the city centre.
JU Solar Team competing with their own built solar car. In the largest solar car race in the world they cross the Australian continent.
Campus in winter time.
IMPACT STORY
Impacting lifes
From Foundry Floor to Global Innovation
For decades, Comptech operated like many traditional foundries—solid, steady, but static.
When Professor Anders Jarfors first met CEO Per Jansson in the early 2000s, neither could imagine how their collaboration would reshape an entire company's destiny.
Per’s company, Comptech, faced a critical challenge: their casting materials solidified too quickly, creating defects that limited their potential. But Anders saw opportunity where others saw obstacles.
Through years of trust-building and shared innovation, they developed revolutionary Rheocasting technology that transforms how metals flow and solidify.
The impact was profound. Comptech metamorphosed from a traditional foundry into a global equipment supplier, their technology now used worldwide.
But the true measure of success lies in the human story: jobs preserved and created, a community revitalized, and a workforce empowered with cutting-edge expertise.
"Thanks to the collaboration with JTH, we've made a huge transformation," Per reflects. "It's largely due to the expertise from JTH that we're where we are today."
Their breakthrough now saves 490 tons of aluminum and over 6,000 tons of CO2 annually with just a single component, supporting the entire foundry industry's sustainability goals. Today, industrial PhD student Ziyu Li continues this legacy, introducing AI into die-casting, ensuring this partnership's impact will resonate for generations to come.
This collaboration didn't just change Comptech, it inspired a new way of working, where research fuels real-world transformation and sustainability becomes a business imperative.
LEARNINGS
Lessons learned
Our journey has highlighted that strategic partnerships thrive on commitment, not merely financial transactions. This "commitment, not cash" philosophy fosters deeper engagement, as partners contribute "in kind" time and expertise, which is crucial for securing research funding in Sweden and ensuring research addresses real company challenges.
A key learning is the critical importance of long-term partnerships, built on good dialogue and trust. We've found that real transformative changes occur when partners engage in a continuous learning process and solve problems together, leading to shared value. Establishing a culture of open collaboration and creativity within our school has been fundamental to our success.
Our advice for others embarking on a similar path includes:
• Prioritize quality over quantity in partnerships; finding the right partners is crucial for deep, impactful collaboration.
• Embed industry involvement directly into governance and education, such as through advisory boards, to ensure curriculum relevance and produce in-demand graduates.
• Develop structured ways to measure collaboration effectiveness, like our Company ECG, to identify successes and areas needing support.
• Foster robust connections with multiple individuals involved on both sides of the partnership to build resilience against personnel changes and deepen mutual understanding.
• Align research with industry challenges to ensure tangible impact and relevance.
FUTURE PLANS
What's coming?
We are committed to continuously evolving our engagement efforts to ensure long-term impact and sustainability. Our future plans are focused on expanding our transformative models and strengthening our role as a catalyst for societal progress:
• We are developing major strategic joint cross-disciplinary research proposals set to launch soon and continue for 8-10 years, aiming for a broader societal impact. This includes strengthening our expertise in sustainable casting with the planned new development centre in Jönköping by RISE, Volvo Cars, and Volvo Group.
• Leveraging significant funding like the SEK 49.2 million from the KK Foundation for the GRACE research profile, we will continue to support the green transition in manufacturing, involving eleven companies.
• Expanding Work-Integrated Learning: The successful "Husqvarna course" model will serve as a precedent, prompting the development of similar courses and partnerships across our programs, ensuring our curriculum remains at the forefront of industry needs.
• Our web-based platform for tracking collaboration activities will continue to evolve, with future plans including the development of a mobile application to increase convenience and real-time data collection, further driving engagement and data-driven insights.
• A new strategic goal is set for 2030, “Leading in Collaboration between Education and Business Life”. This means, we want to be the number one Technical University in Sweden in University-Industry collaboration within education.
• We aim to further promote knowledge sharing with universities and industries globally through international exchange programs and engagement in EULiST, European Universities Linking Society and Technology, an Alliance of Universities in Europe.
