ReseaRch Quality assuRance foR the futuRe a ... - Lund University

Panel 15 – LTH | product development
1.5 Collaboration DPL: Very good (4)/DMD: Good (3)
The level of academic collaboration of DPL is very good, nationally as
well as internationally. This level is much more restricted for DMD both
international as national. Very little evidence of joint publications could
be found (one in 2005 for DMD, with EPFL, Switzerland).
1.6 Research Activity and Teaching
a) Division Machine Design (DMD) Excellent (5)
DMD offers an extensive number of courses on CAD/CAM, design
theory, product development, digital factory, robotics, which are partly
based on past and present research programmes, attracting many students
from different disciplines.
DMD is responsible for a large portion of the undergraduate courses in
Mechanical Engineering (50% of the students choose to concentrate on
product development).
b) Division Packaging Logistics (DPl) Very good (4)
DPL also offers several courses on Packaging Technology and Packaging
Logistics, partly based on ongoing research. It’s noteworthy that the
DPL School of Packaging offers courses to students from Michigan State
University. DPL also participates in the Logistics Services Management
and the Technology Management program [See DPL website].
Evaluation of Future Plans DDS: Excellent (5) / DPL&DMD: Very good (4)
Central in the future plans of the department is the intention for increased
collaboration between subject areas. Central to that plan is design
theory and product development. This again emphasizes the importance
of the Division of Machine Design in this plan. (This Division was virtually
impossible to assess due to the very limited information provided in
the self-evaluation documents).
The integral vision put forward in the future plans and programmes:
‘Elderly people and design’, ‘Integrated product and packaging development’,
‘Product Innovation’, ‘Sustainable society’, shows the clear
vision of the Department, that a holistic view on design is the way to go.
However, there is a clear need on more basic reflections about the identity
and common theoretical basis of the design sciences to solve the identity
problem of the department, which is a weakness.
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