Built Envirionment: External Review 2012

Report, 2012

During the past five years we have developed a governance model at Chalmers that encourages integration of education, research and innovation, engagement of researchers/teachers, and responsible leadership. By providing incentives for “clustering” around areas where Chalmers already has great strength in our 17 departments, the clusters or Areas of Advance foster attraction, growth and competitiveness for us and our collaborators in addition to building excellence and competence. In February 2010 a new organisation model was established with eight Areas of Advance (AoAs) in a matrix with the departments and schools of education. Our strategy for the AoAs is to match scientific excellence, education and innovation towards sustainable technology shifts and societal challenges in areas where we can make a difference. The AoAs are platforms for interdisciplinary research and dynamic meeting places, where academia, industry and society can join forces. At this time, Chalmers has come to a point in its development process where it would be most useful to get an external evaluation in place. The AoAs are developing, although at different rates and along different routes, and we are interested in knowing whether we are on the right track to become a “21st Century University”. Therefore we have invited teams of generalists, who are interested in best practice of universities, and specialists, who can identify our real risks and possibilities, to evaluate our progress and give recommendations and strategic advice towards the future.