What we do
To maximize societal benefit, we operate in four key areas: thematic focus areas, innovation and entrepreneurship, student engagement, and collaboration projects and support.
Thematic Focus Areas (Think Tanks)
Societal Impact Hub West aims to identify complex societal challenges and facilitate the resolution of specific societal issues. This is achieved through thematic focus areas and meeting places, emphasizing the university's strengths and societal challenges.
We bring together stakeholders from business, the public sector, and civil society to collaboratively address challenges across various societal domains. Societal Impact Hub West can transform complex societal challenges into concrete collaborative projects and support researchers in influencing policy.
Currently, we are focusing on the following thematic area:
- Future Healthcare. This initiative brings together stakeholders from the healthcare sector to discuss common challenges and explore collaborative solutions. Two workshops have been conducted, focusing on addressing the shortage of nurses.
Discussions with various stakeholder on challenges within the following areas are also ongoing:
- Swedish youth's belief in the future
- Sweden's total fefense
- Social sustainability
- Energy transition
- Green transition within industry
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Societal Impact Hub West is the central hub for fostering entrepreneurship and business development among students, researchers, and faculty. The university's Grants and Innovation Office plays a pivotal role in supporting researchers and faculty.
In collaboration with Innovatum Start-up, we strive to create opportunities for students to realize their business ideas and for doctoral students and researchers to commercialize their research findings. Societal Impact Hub West also promotes social innovation and business development.
Student Engagement
Societal Impact Hub West enables students to engage with real-world challenges faced by society. All students should have the opportunity during their studies to participate in work or projects that address societal challenges.
Societal Impact Hub West can facilitate connections between students and companies, the public sector, or civil society for internships or thesis projects.
Is your organization seeking collaboration with students?
Societal Impact Hub West can help your organization connect with students for projects and theses. We can provide guidance on how to proceed and tips on things to consider.
Collaboration Projects and Support
Societal Impact Hub West fosters cooperation and knowledge exchange across different disciplines and subject areas. The goal is to integrate and apply knowledge from various scientific fields to address complex societal challenges or solve problems that cannot be managed by a single discipline.
Furthermore, Societal Impact Hub West supports researchers in finding project partners, brainstorming project ideas, and creating synergies with other initiatives.