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Good Practices

The LOFT project is a cooperation between RISE, the University of Mälardalen and several municipalities in Sweden. The aim is to increase the competence of municipalities to manage and organise regeneration and transformation through a network. The project will speed up development and initiate improved conditions.

Background and objectives

The ability of municipalities to accompany a changing world is fundamental to provide sustainable public services to their citizens. Therefore, cities and regions are very demanding to be able to lead and drive innovation and transformation work, as well as to have the capacity for further development or to identify new initiatives inspired by other stakeholders.

Loft is a partnership run by Mälardalen University and researchers at RISE, where municipalities across Sweden have joined forces to form a skills network. The three strands on which the partnership is based are business intelligence and exchange, research and innovation projects and specific actions targeted at a single partner. The LOFT gives municipalities access to the knowledge of RISE and the University of Mälardalen, in order to develop their skills as a public sector and strengthen their offer to their citizens.

Some of the competences developing the ability to lead and organise innovation and transformation are in areas such as transformation and innovation, processes, technologies, participatory design, interaction, horizon scanning, open solutions based on standards and data analytics.

LOFT: Lead and Organise Renewal and Transformation

Loft is an initiative aimed at strengthening the capacity of municipalities to provide well-designed and sustainable public services in a rapidly changing world. This partnership between local authorities and researchers from RISE and Mälardalen University focuses on developing new knowledge, testing processes and systems, and exploring and sharing global innovations and best practices.

Renewal and Transformation: Key to Future Services

The LOFT programme is centred on the idea of renewal and transformation as a fundamental aspect to meet the increasing needs and expectations of society. By leading and organising innovation and change, LOFT aims to develop public services that are adaptable and future-proof.

Partnership: Cooperation for Innovation

The LOFT partnership includes municipal management from different parts of Sweden. Together, they create a skills network, where experience and knowledge are shared, and where joint research and innovation projects are pushing forward. It allows for a rich exchange of ideas and strategies, and contributes to a faster and more efficient development process.

A Platform for Knowledge Sharing and Development

Loft offers a platform where participants can benefit from each other’s experience and knowledge, as well as access the latest research and the best global innovations in the field. This network of knowledge and cooperation strengthens the ability of municipalities to navigate through the complex challenges of digital transformation.

Why is this a good example?

When the municipalities in the LOFT are part of a partnership, a forum is created where they have much to learn from each other with similar conditions and challenges, which increases the pace of skills development. With the support of experts and specialists from the research institutes and higher education institutions such as RISE and Mälardalen University, there are opportunities to carry out both small-scale tests for national research and dedicated training.

Similar projects can usefully be implemented on a variable scale, where several parties with a lot to learn from each other receive a common platform with the support and operation of expertise. The network will speed up development and lead to new initiatives between academia, the public sector and industry.

Good practice details

Target audience
Digital skills in education.
Digital skills for the labour force.
Digital technology / specialisation
Geographic scope - Country
Sweden
Industry - field of education and training
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) not further defined
Geographical sphere
National initiative
Type of funding
Public
Start date
End date
Organisation