HAMK will increase industrial collaboration in Zambia
Häme University of Applied Sciences was part of the Finnish Week of Business in Zambia that was held virtually on April 26–28. HAMK is calling for industrial partners in Zambia and other African partner countries, as well as in the Häme region.
Dr Eija Laitinen presented HAMK’s activities in Zambia along with professor Kavwanga Yambayamba, Dean of the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Mulungushi University, Zambia. The Finnish Week of Business was attended by dozens of participants from companies, educational institutes and societal organisations.
HAMK is currently coordinating two projects, AgriSCALE and PBL-BioAfrica, in collaboration with Zambian partner universities and societal organisations. Both projects aim at a thorough curriculum reformation in the field of agriculture and bioeconomy entrepreneurship. The reformations are implemented in close collaboration with the industrial sector in order to identify and address the gaps between the academia and working life.
“This is a completely new way for universities to offer education”, Dr Eija Laitinen says. “It is the universities’ role to build a sustainable future and this cannot be done without the industry.”
Companies benefit from cooperation through finding new ideas, innovations and business opportunities with motivated students. Cooperation can sometimes start with small steps and grow unexpectedly. The collaboration between HAMK and Kultasuklaa started with an assignment for improving the company’s business models. Now dozens of students at HAMK are working with the chocolate manufacturer by investigating use for side streams, improving cacao logistics and considering environmental and ethical aspects throughout the supply chain from field to shop.
“We are creating a new innovation ecosystem where companies can continuously co-create product and service design innovations with academia”, professor Yambayamba says. “One of the main benefits for companies is that they will eventually be able to recruit more competent graduates.”
For more information, please contact:
Dr Eija Laitinen
Principal Research Scientist, Project Coordinator
HAMK Bio Research Unit
Häme University of Applied Sciences
eija.laitinen@hamk.fi
