Research Platforms at KTHIn the service of humanity, for the society of tomorrow

Björn Birgisson, Vice President for Research Structure and Content

KTH FocusResearch and innovation Platforms in our strongest areas

The platforms

KTH Royal Institute of Technology • www.kth.se

Cutting across the schools

4

A distinctive addition to KTH

KTH Platforms are:

•A joined-up approach to tackling the world’s great challenges

• Interdisciplinary – creating a forum between the Schools

•Orientated towards the future and towards social needs in an international perspective

•Owned by KTH and internally driven, with an external strategic outlook on cooperation and funding

5

KTH Transport Platform Strategy

Mission”Reason for being”

Effective and efficient vehicle for delivering multidisciplinary research under a multi-stakeholder partnership – servicing the society of tomorrow

77

VISIONMission implementation target

KTH Platforms are within their respective fields of competence:

•Globally recognized organizers and leaders of efficient inventive multidisciplinary research.

•Preferred partners by industry, government agencies and relevant academia in said research.

•Demonstrated excellence and “value for money” has made KTH one of EU´s leading recipients of funding for multi-disciplinary research.

KTH’s cross-disciplinary platforms contribute to:

Moving knowledge forward!

Moving people forward! Moving industry forward!

Moving society forward!

KTH is an engine for research and

development that is of use for the whole

society

KTH attracts and develops the best

talents

KTH contributes to economic growth

within existing and new companies

KTH develops and communicates new

knowledge that will over time be of use to all parts of

society

What should the platforms do?

Role I:

• Formulate imaginative strategic research ideas that meet the grand challenges of today and tomorrow that have the potential to improve society, the environment, and quality of live.

Goal:

• Create a highly interdisciplinary research climate which is internationally renowned as a world class source of knowledge and leadership

What should the platforms do?

Role II:

• The platforms provide fora that stimulate effective planning and response to large, cross-disciplinary challenges and associated research calls within each of the areas.

Goal:• Increased success in large, complex research

applications

What should the platforms do?

Role III:

• Communicate, demonstrate and market the academic, social and economic impact of KTH research on society.

Goals:

• Strengthen the profile of KTH as an international leader in developing new technology, policies, and systems that will make the world a better place to be.

What should the platforms do?

Role IV:

• The platforms provide input for the planning of large scale critical research infrastructure at KTH as well as the planning of interdisciplinary faculty hires in cooperation with appropriate school deans as input to Rektor

Goal:• Proactively ensure that long-term needs are met

for critical infrastructure and new interdisciplinary hires

What should the platforms do?

Platform ActivitiesVision

StrategyBenchmarking

Listening to the Outside World

A cross-disciplinary

research cultureProvide support and

readiness for large research calls

Strategic partners

Communication• Reporting• Education• Lobbying

Non-platform tasks

Platforms are compliments to Schools therefore they do not undertake:

•Employment of staff•Financial budgeting and accounting at School and

lower level•Education and courses•Graduation of students•Discipline research•Discipline inventions

KTH Platforms; Platform Coordinators’ Meeting 27 October 2010 - Måns Collin 14

Platform structure

1. A generic Base Platform (”body”) shared between all Platforms e.g. management and control systems, terms of engagement (contractual framework), communications services etc.

2. Thematic Platforms (”soul”) i.e. persons and assigned time for work, their organization and funds under the Platform format.

16

BASE PLATFORM (only internal)

ICT Energy Materials Transport Med & Biomed

Platforms in a ”nut shell”

•A Platform is KTH’s purpose designed organizational vehicle to handle multi-disciplinary research proposals emanating from Industry, Government Agencies and/or Academy (Academy only if the proposals is outside the scope of one School)

•Platforms make available purpose designed administrative tools, processes and support as well as

standard (legal) formats enabling an efficient and effective execution of given tasks

KTH Platforms; Platform Coordinators’ Meeting 27 October 2010 - Måns Collin 13

Planning for successful platforms

Activities

•“WHAT” are we going to do? Strategic plan•“WHY” are we doing it? Strategic plan•“FOR WHOM” are we doing it? Strategic plan•“HOW” are we going to achieve it? Development

plan

2

• Energy

• Material development

• Information and communications technology

• Transport research

• Medical and biomedical technology

The BIGGER Perspective

A Better FutureA Better Future