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

Panel 17 – LTH | Building
5.4 Collaboration
Active and wide collaboration is a special strength of the department. Ergonomics
and Aerosol Technology has achieved synergistic collaboration
via the METALUND centre and CAST consortium. The collaboration
with Nuclear Physics and Occupational and Environmental Medicine
has been especially beneficial. Risk analysis and management is another
field where the joint research with the Department of Fire Safety Engineering
and Systems safety and the Department of Psychology has been a
crucial factor in achieving high status in the field. Ergonomics researchers
have also been active participants in several multidisciplinary centres.
The collaboration with industry, organizations and the public sector has
also been extensive. The participation of Rehabilitation Engineering in
research collaboration networks has been less extensive. The same is true
for the newest area, Industrial Design.
The Department has participated in 12 EU projects over the last five years.
Grade: As a whole, the grade for collaboration is excellent.
5.5 Research activity and teaching
The teaching load is rather large because the department offers an extensive
program of undergraduate courses and, in addition, is responsible for
a collaboration program with the School of Economics and Management.
The number of master’s theses (94 in 2007) is also large. Compared to
the quite small professor resources, the new opening in industrial design
in 2003 may prevent achieving a good balance between teaching and
research even though this is a postgraduate program.
5.6 Evaluation of future plans
Several new research areas have been listed. All the areas, elderly people
and design, product innovation and innovative learning, sustainable
society, and tomorrow’s health care are very important fields as such and
are likely to become even more important in future. On the other hand,
it is also important to maintain the high quality of research in the present
research areas. All these areas cannot be successfully developed without
considerable new resources.
Grade: Future plans do not show clear strategic thinking. The grade is good.
491