Students and companies in collaboration for internationalization
On December 17 and 18, 2020, the top floor of Trade Center was filled with nervous and expectant students. It was time to present the results in the course International Growth and Business Development. In addition to students from countries all around the world – representatives from the companies 365id and Micropol were also present.
”We have had to solve real problems. We will benefit greatly from in our future professional lives from the learnings from this course.”
Dang Hông Thái
The course, led by Hélène Laurell, senior lecturer in marketing, defines and problematises different types of business growth, and students get a scientific overview of growth processes and business models. The teaching consists of lectures, seminars and workshops, but also of a project carried out in close collaboration with industry.
”In the task presented today, the students have collaborated with two different companies – 365id and Micropol – developing proposals for how the companies can work with internationalization”, says Hélène Laurell.
For the students participating in the workshop, the world is their playing field.
Satisfied students and companies
The students, some of whom attend the Study Programme in Business and Economics and others the University’s Master’s Programme in Strategic Entrepreneurship for International Growth, have worked hard but are very satisfied with the course. The international student Desislava Tsvetkova, who comes from Bulgaria, has benefited a lot from the project work:
”It has been very rewarding to work on a case together with a real company, instead of just having your nose in the books. It is more motivating, and the result is better when you have a chance to interact with the client.”
The company representatives are also satisfied with the course and with the students’ performance.
”Collaboration with the University is important to us. This is the second year we participate in this course. It is a way to build our company’s brand and to be visible to potential future employees. We have hired from this course before. We also hope that some of the projects can help us reach new markets. This year we have seen projects that we would like to continue working with”, says Anders Green, Sales and Marketing Manager at 365id.
”Our expectations have really been met. We have gained new insights, but also confirmed things that we ourselves have thought about.”
Magnus Sickeldal, Account Manager Telecom and Broadcast at Micropol
New angles important pieces of the puzzle
The other participating company – Micropol – has a well-established collaboration with the University. In addition, the request for participation came at just the right time.
”We have been talking about internationalisation for a long time, but we hesitated and had a hard time making a decision. Therefore, this came at a very opportune time. It is both fun and useful to see the issue from a new angle”, says Peter Ljungkvist, CEO of Micropol. Colleague Magnus Sickeldal, Account Manager for Telecom and Broadcast fills in:
”Our expectations have really been met. We have gained new insights, but also confirmed things that we ourselves have thought about.”
”This has been an important piece of the puzzle”, adds Peter Ljungkvist.
Knowledge for life
The project has given the students the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice, which has been both useful and instructive. At the final presentation, they also got to see the results of their fellow students, something that – according to student Dang Hông Thái – offered new perspectives.
”We have had to solve real problems. We will benefit greatly from in our future professional lives from the learnings from this course. We have not only learned a lot from our own projects. The other groups’ presentations have been very rewarding. By listening to the others, our understanding of the issues has expanded even more”, he concludes.
