Jonny Holmstrom (left), Professor at the Department of Informatics, along with Professor Lars Mathiassen, one of the world's leading researchers in Applied Information Technology, visiting researcher at Umeå University.
Lars Mathiassen, one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of applied IT, and visiting professor in IT management at Umeå University, will help make Umeå University’s research in the field of IT management become number one in Europe.
- Umeå University has both interesting and strong research in the field of IT. Now this rersearch has been brought together under the umbrella of Applied IT, so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. There is a growing need for the industry to work with modeling and simulation, based on the competence available at Umeå University, says Ulf Edlund, Pro-Vice Chancellor for external coordination at Umeå University.
World-leading scientists to Umeå
One of the parts consists of the research group focused on IT management. Baltics donation foundation has backed the group with 2.5 million SEK in order to recruit Lars Mathiassen.
- It’s incredibly exciting that we’ve managed to recruit Mathiassen to our group, as he is world-leading in the field of applied IT research. He will be an incredibly valuable asset to enhance our striking power. One of the reasons that he has chosen to come to Umeå is that our research is characterized by very efficient collaborations with the industry, and that is something that Mathiessen sees as a benefit to his own research as well, says Jonny Holmström, professor in informatics at Umeå University.
- With his experience, Mathiassen will also contribute to creating extensive positive effects on regional growth and innovativeness, Holmström continues.
Collaboration between researchers, industry and IT providers
The research group focuses on development and use of information and communication technology in businesses. The vision is to establish efficient collaboration projects between scientists, industry and IT providers, with the aim of strengthening the innovativeness in the region.
There is a great need to bring together leading companies and research, in the exploration of business and operational effects caused by new IT solutions. This to be able to create truly competitive changes also in real life. In the current climate, getting palpable business and operational benefits from developed and installed IT system is a big problem. Developing the knowledge about IT management is therefore pivotal to the long-term competitiveness of the industry.
- The group possesses an extensive competence when it comes to innovation processes, business processes and activity development in relation to the use of IT in energy, processing and manufacturing industries, says Holmström. Our research has had great success and we are setting our sights on being number one in Europe, Holmström continues.
- Successful application of our competence in the field of IT management has given us a solid base for Umeå University to serve as a strong driving force in making northern Sweden a knowledge hub in the field of technology and business development for the industry.
FACTS Lars Mathiassen:
Lars Mathiassen turned the IT research and IT educational program in Aalborg into one of Scandinavia’s finest. The underlying vision in Aalborg is for both research and education to work in close proximity to regional trade. In 2002 Mathiassen received an offer from Georgia Research Foundation to create a similar operation in Atlanta. Georgia Research Foundation works to promote growth and the innovation climate in Atlanta. Today, the Center for Process Innovation is one of the most successful ventures within the field of applied IT research.
