The future of our planet requires collaboration between top experts from different disciplines. Therefore, we at LUT have developed networked research platforms to identify the right partners and explore new ideas through interdisciplinary collaboration and entrepreneurial thinking.
The challenges we face are complex and interconnected. Issues such as climate change, the energy transition, and an ageing population cannot be fully understood through the lens of just one or two disciplines.
Systemic problems call for new types of research. This means embracing interdisciplinary approaches and bringing together people who are willing to explore broader research themes, question their assumptions, engage with colleagues from other fields, and experiment with new methods.
The Curious People newsletter shares our solutions for helping build resilient communities, industry, and businesses while promoting the energy transition and the regenerative use of natural resources.
Starting with a phenomenon or problem, not the organisation
Traditionally, university research platforms are built around a professor’s or a research group’s idea. Research is often conducted within a relatively closed core team, even if multiple disciplines are involved. Such platforms tend to be strongly tied to individuals.
Last year, LUT updated its strategy and defined four focus areas: the regenerative use of natural resources, digital transformation, the energy transition, and business and society. New research platforms have been established in line with these themes.
Our new research platforms rely on solution-oriented thinking and focus on systemic challenges. The aim is to achieve holistic perspectives and create new partnerships. By combining diverse expertise, we can increase our chances of gaining new insights and developing truly innovative solutions. Together, we can address challenges that no single discipline could tackle alone.
By combining diverse expertise, we can increase our chances of gaining new insights and developing truly innovative solutions.
At the same time, we may gain an entirely new understanding of issues we thought we already understood – or discover solutions that lead to new business opportunities. In this way, the new research platforms complement traditional research by deliberately strengthening researchers’ ability to challenge existing approaches and venture into new areas of study.
Networked and interdisciplinary collaboration delivers better solutions
Our research platforms can also act as bridges between public sector agencies or private sector industries. They support flexible ways of working and enable applying and scaling lessons learned. Researchers are not tied to a single platform for a fixed period; instead, they can contribute to multiple platforms depending on the research focus and partnerships involved.
The platforms can also serve as springboards, enabling researchers to aim higher and pursue both individual and shared goals. In doing so, they also foster greater academic ambition. Going forward, the research platforms will increasingly serve as a gateway for organisations seeking to collaborate with researchers.
An entrepreneurial and experimental approach that creates positive impacts
At LUT University, research platforms emphasise an experimental mindset and a strategic approach to development. In September, we will pilot a new model of university–industry collaboration together with Meyer and Wärtsilä by organising events that will bring together regional companies and researchers from LUT and the LAB University of Applied Sciences.
We deliberately move beyond familiar and comfortable collaboration models into spaces where the potential for genuine innovation is much greater.
The events are designed to encourage participants to share new ideas and seek partners to develop them further. By doing so, we deliberately move beyond familiar and comfortable collaboration models into spaces where mutual understanding may be more challenging, but where the potential for genuine innovation is much greater.
In simple terms, our goal is not just to create more of the good that already exists in the world but to generate new forms of positive impact that do not yet exist.
