Students help systematic solve a complex challenge

Society's most complex challenges cannot be solved by a single discipline.

That is why it is no longer enough to educate outstanding analysts and anthropologists, philosophers and business developers, doctors and agricultural scientists who each work within the boundaries of their own field.

Tomorrow's problem-solvers must be equipped to collaborate across disciplines. To support this, Aarhus University has launched a pioneering innovation programme in partnership with the software company Systematic, dedicated entirely to interdisciplinary collaboration.

This week, six carefully selected students from different faculties begin a programme in which they will work in two teams to address complex societal challenges—often referred to as "wicked problems", issues that have resisted solutions for many years. Their first challenge is to develop radically new approaches to improving the health, wellbeing and quality of life of Danes aged 50 to 70 through monitoring and preventive care.

How the students approach the challenge is largely up to them. Throughout the programme, they will receive guidance from specialists in innovation processes, product development and commercialisation, while also participating in business development courses, working from a creative office environment and becoming part of an entrepreneurial community.

At the end of the programme, during their ninth semester, the teams will present their concepts to a product panel led by Systematic's founder and Chairman, Michael Holm.

The students will then have the opportunity to continue developing their ideas as part of their master's theses during their tenth semester. The concepts will subsequently be passed on to the next cohort, allowing the innovation process to continue and evolve over several years.

Diversity of Expertise Is a Strength

The six students in the first cohort were selected through a competitive application process and represent a wide range of academic disciplines. Patrick Gandrup Vendelbo studies Sports Science at the Faculty of Health, while Olivia Stegemeier Bladt is a Philosophy student at the Faculty of Arts.

"At university, I've studied how the human body changes as we age, what the consequences are, and how we can counteract those changes. This project with Systematic gives me the opportunity to explore the topic further and, hopefully, contribute knowledge that can make a real difference. I'm also excited to work alongside students from other disciplines and learn from their perspectives," says Patrick Gandrup Vendelbo.

Through her philosophy studies, Olivia Stegemeier Bladt has focused on the ethical, social and cultural dimensions of technological development.

"I'm looking forward to bringing a humanities perspective to the project and helping ensure that technology is developed with people at its centre. Working across disciplines offers a unique opportunity to create more sustainable solutions together," she says.

Systematic develops digital solutions for hospitals and the healthcare sector. For Michael Holm, the collaboration with Aarhus University provides an opportunity to bring entirely new perspectives into the innovation process.

"As a society, we face a growing challenge. People are living longer, yet more are affected by lifestyle-related diseases that could be prevented if detected early. This places increasing pressure on healthcare systems and calls for solutions that bring healthcare closer to citizens and make preventive health checks part of everyday life. At Systematic, we believe the best ideas emerge when people from different disciplines approach the same challenge from different perspectives. That is precisely what makes this collaboration so exciting," says Michael Holm.

According to Lone Ryg Olsen, Director of Business Development at Aarhus University, the programme is designed to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration across faculties, foster entrepreneurship among students, deepen partnerships with industry and create greater value for society.

"One of Aarhus University's greatest strengths is the breadth of our academic expertise. Seeing that breadth come together in collaboration with one of our valued industry partners is something we greatly look forward to."

Making the Most of Aarhus University's Academic Breadth

As part of its Strategy 2030, Aarhus University aims to leverage its broad academic expertise to develop research-based solutions to complex societal challenges.

Promoting interdisciplinary collaboration is one of the university's strategic priorities, alongside strengthening innovation, industry collaboration and research-based knowledge exchange. This aligns closely with the European vision of fourth-generation universities, which combine education, research and knowledge exchange to address the complex challenges facing society.