Swedish-Indian collaboration to strengthen engineers’ continuing professional development

How can engineers continue to develop their skills while working full-time? That is one of the key questions in a new research and development project in which Jönköping University (JU), University West in Sweden, and Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India, are exploring new models for lifelong learning and work-integrated education.

Technological development is advancing rapidly, while industry is undergoing major transformations driven by digitalisation and sustainability. As a result, many companies face a growing need for employees to continuously update their skills. In this new research project, researchers and educational developers are working together to create new pathways for the professional development of practicing engineers.

The project is based on close collaboration between Swedish and Indian higher education institutions. By studying international experiences and comparing different educational models, the researchers aim to develop concepts for courses and educational programmes tailored to working professionals. The focus is on connecting learning and work in ways that enable individuals to strengthen their skills without having to leave their jobs.

“Many engineers need to acquire new knowledge throughout their professional careers. Our goal is to identify solutions that make it possible to combine work and education in a sustainable and flexible way,” says Marisol Kokko Rico, Assistant Professor of Product Development at the School of Engineering, Jönköping University.

International Knowledge Exchange

As part of the project, workshops, seminars, guest lectures, and exchange visits will be carried out between Sweden and India. The researchers will also examine how educational programmes can be designed to better meet industry’s competence needs and how the workplace can be integrated as a natural part of the learning process.

Particular attention is being given to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often have limited opportunities to provide extensive professional development in-house. Among other things, the project will examine the potential for developing structured trainee programmes and produce recommendations for future educational initiatives.

In the long term, the ambition is to establish sustainable collaboration among academia, industry, and public-sector organisations in both Sweden and India. The partnership is intended to lay the foundation for future educational programs, research projects, and international collaborations.

Contributing to a stronger business sector

The researchers hope that the project’s results will lead to new models for lifelong learning that help companies meet future competence demands. A more systematic approach to continuing education may also contribute to increased innovation capacity and competitiveness within Swedish industry.

“By bringing together experiences from Sweden and India, we can develop educational models that are relevant both for industry and for individuals. This type of international collaboration gives us new perspectives on what the future of professional development can look like,” says Marisol Kokko Rico.