Swedish university and Volvo reps visit with Dr. Verma

HOBOKEN, N.J. — A delegation from Sweden’s Växjö University and the Volvo heavy vehicles facility at Braås met recently with the three associate deans of the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. The goal: A full and flourishing academic-industrial partnership based in systems engineering, engineering education, and the design-manufacturing process.

Hosting the delegation was Dr. Dinesh Verma, the Schaefer School’s Associate Dean for Outreach and Director of the internationally acclaimed Systems Design and Operational Effectiveness professional education program. Verma had visited Växjö and the Volvo facility in April, when discussions for an international partnership initiated; this visit to the US by the Swedish representatives was a continuation of that discussion.

The Swedish group consisted of Anders Karlsson, M.Sc.E.E., Manager of Process Development, Product Planning and Product Development at Volvo Articulated Haulers AB; Dr. Lars-Olof Rask, Dean of the School of Technology and Design at Växjö; and Dr. Håkan Bard, a university lecturer at the School of Technology and Design.

With Verma presiding, the group held talks on a variety of collaborative efforts with the Schaefer School’s Associate Dean for Engineering, Dr. Keith Sheppard, as well as the Associate Dean for Research and Technology, Dr. Souran Manoochehri, formerly head of Stevens’ Design and Manufacturing Institute (DMI).

Sheppard saw the possibility of establishing “virtual undergraduate teams” via the Internet, in which undergrads from Växjö and Stevens collaborate on research and design efforts, with a number of senior design projects being sponsored by Volvo Articulated Haulers. This idea met with great enthusiasm from the Swedish delegation.

Manoochehri offered the possibility of computer-design modeling for heavy vehicle systems, using DMI’s patented ACES mathematical modeling software.

Verma also posited the likelihood of distance-education collaborative projects via Stevens’ WebCampus, including research projects with an appeal to funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation.

The group firmly decided on specialist exchanges between Växjö and Stevens and the development of systems engineering units to be introduced this fall at the Växjö campus. The discussion and ratification of agreements is scheduled to continue this fall.

About Växjö University

Växjö University – the second largest university in southern Sweden with more than 14,000 students – is well known for its strong international profile.

Student and faculty exchange involve a number of universities around the world, especially through active participation in various student exchange programs, as well as through bilateral university agreements.
Their commitment to international relations is demonstrated by their many world-wide contacts and partnerships. University co-operation extends to more than 30 countries around the world. Student exchange is backed up by a well-developed infrastructure, computing facilities, housing, and sports facilities for the benefit of the students.

This year, approximately 400 students from Växjö will go abroad to study and the same number of international students will attend Växjö.

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Founded in 1870, Stevens Institute of Technology is one of the leading technological universities in the world dedicated to learning and research. Through its broad-based curricula, nurturing of creative inventiveness, and cross disciplinary research, the Institute is at the forefront of global challenges in engineering, science, and technology management. Partnerships and collaboration between, and among, business, industry, government and other universities contribute to the enriched environment of the Institute. A new model for technology commercialization in academe, known as Technogenesis®, involves external partners in launching business enterprises to create broad opportunities and shared value.

Stevens offers baccalaureates, master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering, science, computer science and management, in addition to a baccalaureate degree in the humanities and liberal arts, and in business and technology. The university has a total enrollment of 2,150 undergraduate and 3,500 graduate students, with about 250 full-time faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America. Additional information may be obtained from its web page at www.stevens.edu.  

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