As part of a growing collaboration between the Business School at Karlstad University and GEM Alpine Business School, four of our PhD candidates presented their research and explored advanced simulation environments.
– The visit provided new perspectives and strengthened the internationalisation of the Business School, says the participating doctoral students.
Within the framework of what we have chosen to call the “KBS (Karlstad Business School) PhD Academy,” the Business School has, over the past few years and under the leadership of Professor Robert Mackenzie and the doctoral student steering group, built a forum for interdisciplinary exchange among PhD candidates from different subject areas. The purpose is to regularly bring together doctoral students from various disciplines to promote their social well-being and to strengthen their ability to develop and communicate ideas across disciplinary boundaries within both academia and industry.
The visit began with a guided tour of the university. Afterwards, a hybrid meeting and seminar was held in which Suzanne Millmark, PhD candidate in Working Life Science, and Akhona Khumalo, PhD candidate in Information Systems, presented their research. The seminar was well attended, and representatives from Karlstad University also participated online. After the seminar, the group visited the simulation lab at GEM. Professor Robert MacKenzie also joined to help strengthen ties between the two business schools.
GEM Labs are used by researchers, students, and industry partners, offering simulations based on the Wizard of Oz (WoZ) method. Their facilities include a futuristic home, a grocery store, and a ski shop. The lab is frequently used for marketing-related experiments and teaching, and is equipped with a virtual personal assistant, eye‑tracking systems, profiling tools, and a robot. They also have a laboratory dedicated to virtual and augmented reality experiments.
On the second day, another seminar was held where Olle Bäcklund and Henryk Stawicki, both PhD candidates in Business Administration, presented their research. In addition, individual meetings were organised with researchers in Grenoble to explore potential future collaborations.
How does your visit strengthen the Business School and the internationalisation of Karlstad University?
– Visits like this give PhD candidates valuable opportunities to share their research and receive feedback from a broader academic community, the doctoral students explain.
– An international academic environment exposes students to different cultures and perspectives – possibly even different mental models – and provides opportunities to meet others with similar research interests. This makes it possible to discuss specific aspects of research and teaching, and in turn develop new ideas and alternative perspectives.
– Visits of this kind also create opportunities for institutions to build relationships, collaborate in research, learn from each other, and even co‑teach. It is also an excellent way to network, which strengthens the quality of both education and research.
