Students become co-researchers during their studies

The initiative is led by, among others, Petri Gudmundsson, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biomedical Science, and Marie Väfors Fritz, Senior Lecturer and Head of Department at the Department of Criminology, together with Carl Magnus Olsson, Associate Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Media Technology, and a larger team of coordinators. What began as a pedagogical idea has now developed into a more established structure, supported by Professor Elisabeth Carlson in the RIDHE research group, the Biobarriers research project, the Faculty of Health and Society, and a growing network of committed researchers.

Research as teaching

VIP is based on a simple yet powerful idea: students learn best by participating in real research and innovation projects. For at least one semester, students join a project and contribute around 2–4 hours per week. In parallel, they attend four university-wide sessions focusing on themes such as the research process, innovation, leadership, and research communication.

Admission is not determined by grades.

“The most important thing is motivation,” says Petri Gudmundsson. “We want to find students who genuinely want to contribute to the project. In some cases there are language requirements, but above all it is about commitment. They should also have completed at least one year of higher education.”

A growing movement

The initiative is the first of its kind in Sweden and has grown rapidly. This semester, more than 100 students are participating in over 30 research projects.

And the results are beginning to show. Several former VIP students choose to continue their studies, and some have progressed to doctoral education; within criminology alone, this concerns at least four individuals.

“Those who stay in VIP for several semesters really grow in their roles,” says Marie Väfors Fritz. “Many later take on the role of mentors for new students.”

More than a course

VIP is not a traditional course. Instead, participation can be recognised through a Diploma Supplement known as CReMe (Credits for Research Merits), where the student’s contributions are documented in Ladok. The initiative was developed in dialogue with the students themselves.

“When we started, we asked students what they wanted to gain from this. It became clear that they wanted something concrete that demonstrates their merits and helps them stand out,” says Petri Gudmundsson. “This is exactly what is realised through CReMe.”

There are also opportunities for scholarships. Through donations, the programme has been able to offer grants of SEK 15,000, for example to attend conferences or to deepen engagement in projects.

A celebration of knowledge

Each semester concludes with a so-called Celebration, this time in the atrium of the Niagara building. There, students present their projects in a poster session, organised into around a dozen themes. The day also includes seminars on topics such as commercialisation and mentorship.

“It is an occasion where students really get to shine,” says Marie Väfors Fritz. “At the same time, others can come and be inspired.”

International ambitions

VIP is not just a local initiative. The programme will be presented within the European university network UNIC, where MAU participates in themes such as health and education. During the spring, the team will present its work internationally, including in Istanbul and at the annual VIP conference in Atlanta, again together with students. MAU is also a co-founder of the European VIP hub, EU@VIP.

All of this reflects a key aspect of VIP: blurring the boundary between teaching and research, as well as collaboration and internationalisation.

“We talk about teaching and engaged research,” says Petri Gudmundsson. “It is about genuinely integrating education and research.”

Integration across the entire university

Despite its successes, challenges remain. Coordinating students from across the university and ensuring space for all projects is logistically complex. However, the ambition is clear:

“We do not want to limit this. We want to grow and spread it across the entire university,” says Petri Gudmundsson.

Perhaps that is precisely where VIP’s strength lies, in offering something that many students and researchers have long been missing.

As one student put it:

“When I was in high school, I wanted something more than just studying. VIP became my second source of inspiration in higher education.”

At a time when higher education is often criticised for being too theoretical, VIP points to another path: one where students do not merely learn about the world, but actively help to change and improve it.