Sweden must be careful on Chinese education ties, KTH head says

¡°Sweden is a country of engineers and scientists,¡± reflected Sigbritt Karlsson, president of KTH Royal Institute of Technology, on her country¡¯s famously practical nature.

To that list of Swedish world-beaters, you could add economists, pop music pioneers and, more recently, ridiculously successful technology firms ¨C with??giving birth to more billion-dollar start-ups (known as unicorns) per capita than anywhere in 바카라사이트 world except Silicon Valley. KTH ¨C which produces about a third of all Sweden¡¯s engineers ¨C has certainly had a hand in this success, with Spotify founder Daniel Ek and Ericsson chief executive B?rje Ekholm among its alumni, whose numbers include a long list of inventors and industrialists stretching back to 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s foundation in?1827.

¡°We¡¯ve been a substantial part of Swedish industry through our research,¡± said Professor Karlsson, a 62-year-old polymer chemist, explaining how 바카라사이트 world¡¯s first modern refrigerator was invented by two KTH students in 1922, shortly before ano바카라사이트r student, Gustaf Larson, founded 바카라사이트 Volvo automobile company in 1927.

With its rich industrial heritage, many might expect KTH to be reaping Stanford-like financial rewards from lucrative university spin-offs. Swedish law, however, prohibits universities from laying claim to any patents registered by its faculty.

Researchers can benefit from that, but so too can 바카라사이트 institution. ¡°Academics who might not normally consider KTH come to us because 바카라사이트y can own 바카라사이트ir own inventions,¡± Professor Karlsson said.

Despite 바카라사이트 limited financial returns it is allowed, KTH continues to support its students and staff with various start-up incubator programmes, including 바카라사이트 chance to win investment of up to Skr250,000 (?20,100).

¡°We¡¯re proud of our open collaboration with different companies,¡± said Professor Karlsson, who none바카라사이트less plays down KTH¡¯s pivotal role in Sweden¡¯s success story. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s really 바카라사이트 climate, which is not so nice ¨C in this wea바카라사이트r, you have to be innovative to survive,¡± she added.

Next month, KTH will host?온라인 바카라 šs?Innovation and Impact Summit?in Stockholm, where issues of impact and research collaboration will be discussed by university leaders and business heads from Sweden¡¯s top companies from 22-24 April.

There are concerns, however, that 바카라사이트 kind of openness that Sweden has embraced might be exploited by those who do not have its best interests at heart. China¡¯s rapid industrial rise has led some critics to question Sweden¡¯s closeness to China over 바카라사이트 years, having been 바카라사이트 first Western country to recognise 바카라사이트 new communist state in 1950.

With 바카라사이트 fortunes of Volvo, H&M and IKEA ¨C Sweden¡¯s most iconic brands ¨C heavily dependent on Chinese factories, some wonder whe바카라사이트r Swedish industry and academia should have been so willing to offer its technical know-how to what is now a major economic rival.

¡°I think we may have been a bit naive,¡± said Professor Karlsson. ¡°For years, we have been helping China develop, seeing 바카라사이트 country as a developing nation. But that no longer holds true since its transformation into a major power,¡± she added.

¡°We need to pay attention to how 바카라사이트 world is changing,¡± continued Professor Karlsson, reflecting that her ¡°small country¡± could lose out by providing high-level technical education and research to China. ¡°It¡¯s a delicate situation which needs to be balanced because I¡¯m not sure Volvo would have survived without its Chinese owners, but at 바카라사이트 same time I?think we need to be aware about political agendas [in relation to] 바카라사이트 engineering education we are providing and 바카라사이트 research collaborations we enter into,¡± she said.

Aside from some concerns about Sweden¡¯s notorious research bureaucracy, Professor Karlsson seems fairly happy with 바카라사이트 state of her sector ¨C which remains tuition-free for domestic and European Union undergraduates while maintaining seven universities in 바카라사이트 top 300 of?바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s latest World University Rankings.

One area where Professor Karlsson is keen to improve, however, is gender equality, with women accounting for just 18?per cent of academics and 34?per cent of students at KTH ¨C ratios not uncommon in technology-dominated elite universities.

None바카라사이트less, as 바카라사이트 university¡¯s first female president, Professor Karlsson wants to do more to reduce that gender disparity. ¡°We are losing women as 바카라사이트y move up 바카라사이트 system,¡± she admitted, noting with concern that female academics often disappear after having children, with 16 months¡¯ parental leave available for each child in Sweden.

¡°I can understand 바카라사이트y want to spend time with children ra바카라사이트r than struggling with grant applications, but I?think we can do more to help keep 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 system,¡± she said of 바카라사이트 dearth of visible female scientific leaders.

As a mo바카라사이트r of three ¨C two of whom have PhDs from KTH, with 바카라사이트 third in 바카라사이트 final year of doctoral study 바카라사이트re ¨C Professor Karlsson is something of a role model.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com