The primary purpose of Aalborg University is to undertake high quality research and teaching within a wide range of disciplines. However, the University also recognizes the importance and value of interaction with external parties. The role of the Knowledge Exchange Office is to create and strengthen mutually beneficial relationships between the University and external organisations and companies.
The Knowledge Exchange Office establishes relationships with companies and organisations in different ways:
- building and administering networks: The Office runs 24 networks in which university researchers and representatives from external organisations and companies meet to discuss different topics within their particular field of interest.
- communicating student projects: The Office administers a homepage where companies and organisations have the possibility to place a request/topic for a student project which they would like students to investigate.
- building networks between local representatives and University researchers: The Office is coordinating the University's newest initiative which is designed to create network between local business councils' represenatives and researchers from the University and hereby to create local ambassadors with a special insight into the different co-operation opportunities between the University and organisations/companies.
In an increasingly competitive and complex world, strategic partnerships between business and research institutions play an increasingly important role in ensuring the relevance and responsiveness of university research. It has become evident that more co-ordination and communication are needed to secure that the University is meeting the real needs of external organisations/companies. This increased communication and co-operation will ensure that both external organsiations/companies and the University will benefit.
Moreover, the Knowledge Exchange Office is in charge of coordinating the University's involvement within the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU). The local ECIU coordinator (located at the Knowledge Exchange Office) is the consortium's local entry to Aalborg University and the local coordinator's main purpose is to maintain a productive relationship to the other ECIU universities and to see that progress within the consortium is upheld for the benefit of the University as well as the surrounding business society.