Expert Learning Lab is a major national initiative focusing on advanced digitalisation within industry. As technological development accelerates, there is an acute shortage of expertise in areas such as AI, digital platforms, and Virtual Reality.
The project aims to help industrial experts strengthen their companies’ competitiveness through a joint effort involving eight leading Swedish companies and universities. The goal is to provide continuing education to at least 1,500 industrial experts each year in cutting-edge digital technologies. Expert Learning Lab will also create new forms of learning that make use of powerful AI and Extended Reality (XR).
Expert Learning Lab will run for three years. The Swedish innovation agency Vinnova is investing SEK 60 million, while the project partners — ABB, Ericsson, Saab, and project leader the Volvo Group — are contributing SEK 33 million. Participating from academia are Chalmers University of Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Linköping University, and Örebro University, which also hosts the project. Expert Learning Lab is part of the national programme Advanced Digitalisation.
The ability to quickly enhance one’s specialist skills is a key capability for everyone working in Swedish industry
“It is crucial that our experts are equipped with the right skills to meet future challenges. In a world where technology is evolving at an ever-faster pace, Expert Learning Lab will be an important tool for strengthening Sweden’s industrial competitiveness,” says Fredrik Elieson of the Volvo Group and project manager for Expert Learning Lab.
Amy Loutfi, Professor and Director of the AI, Robotics and Cybersecurity Centre (ARC) at Örebro University, emphasises that digitalisation is progressing rapidly and that Swedish industry needs advanced expertise to remain competitive:
“We are now testing new approaches to lifelong learning, in close collaboration between academia and industry,” says Amy Loutfi.
Johan Stahre, Professor and Head of the Chalmers Upskilling Academy, highlights that the ability to quickly enhance one’s specialist skills is a key capability for everyone working in Swedish industry:
“From Chalmers’ perspective, we look forward to this national collaboration, which aligns extremely well with our own Upskilling initiative. We want industry and society to be able to access Chalmers’ knowledge and cutting-edge research as quickly and easily as possible.”
Facts
- Expert Learning Lab has been granted funding for its third project phase, which will run during 2025–2027.
- Vinnova supports the project with SEK 60 million, while industrial partners contribute SEK 33 million.
- The project is led by ABB, Ericsson, Saab, and the Volvo Group, together with Chalmers University of Technology, KTH, Linköping University, and Örebro University.
- Fredrik Elieson from the Volvo Group is the project manager.