EUA Workshop, Aachen, February 11-12, 2005

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Managing the University Community“Exploring new ways to interdisciplinary

research projects”

The case of NTNU(The Norwegian University of Science and Technology,

Trondheim, Norway)

Professor Tore LindmoProfessor of medical technology

Deputy Director of Strategic Area Medical Technology

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Key issues

Three issues critical for the success of interdisciplinary research in a university environment:

• Anchor and embed interdisciplinary research at the strategic and operational level of a discipline-oriented university.

• Encourage and facilitate interdisciplinary research projects among researchers and students.

• Dynamically identify, execute and finalise interdisciplinary research projects as a “harvesting” activity based on strong, long-term knowledge generation in discipline-oriented research.

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Outline1. Overview of NTNU

2. Nature of interdisciplinary research in a discipline-oriented university

3. NTNU’s 6 strategic areas

4. Medical technology

1.Ex. Ultrasound imaging and intervention

2.Ex. Healthcare informatics

5. Instruments of interdisciplinarity

6. Summary

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NTNU´s premises

FACTS

1. Overview of NTNU

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SINTEF• Independent Applied Research

Institute with about 1800 employees. – Marine– Materials and Chemistry– Petroleum and Energy– Helath Research– ICT– Technology and Society

• Co-localized with NTNU

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NTNU - facts and figures

• Established in 1996 based on the University of Trondheim (UNIT), a merger between The Norwegian Institute of Technology (NTH), The College of Arts and Sciences (AVH) and the Museum of Natural History and Archaeology (VM).

• 7 faculties: • 53 departments • 20 000 students, half of these studying technology or natural

sciences. • 45 per cent of NTNU's students are female. • 700 students from abroad. • 2000 professional and masters-level degrees awarded each

year. • 200 PhD degrees awarded each year. • 3300 staff. Over half in academic or scientific positions. • Annual budget NOK 3,1 billion (370 million €), including NOK

700 million in external funding. 2

1. Overview of NTNU

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1. Overview of NTNU

Interdisciplinary projects at NTNU

Type Abbrev. TitleMarine Marine and Maritime TechnologyMaterials MaterialsEnergy Energy and Petroleum - Resources and Environment (EP-RM)MedTech Medical TechnologyICT Information and communication technology (ICT)

NTNU’s 6StrategicAreas

Global GlobalisationBioMem Centre for the Biology of MemoryQ2S Centre for Quantifiable Quality of Service in Communication

Centres ofExcellence

CeSOS Centre for Ships and Ocean StructuresNano NTNU NanolaboratoryFUGE Functional Genomics ResearchHUNT The Nord-Trøndelag health study (HUNT)NSEP Norwegian Centre for Electronic Patient Records (NSEP)Innova Industry’s Innovation Fund for NTNU

Other LargeInterdisciplin-ary Projects

5 Intra-Inter

5 Intramural Interdisciplinary projects: Bioethics; History ofKnowledge; Globalisation; Creative Processes inInterdisciplinary Teams; Technology for Mobility

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1. Overview of NTNU

Annual budget (from NTNU and Externalsources) for Interdisciplinary projects at NTNU

02468

10121416

Mar

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Mat

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Med

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Glo

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HU

NT

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5 In

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NTNU Mill ECU External Mill ECU

Total 2004 budget of listed projects: 78,3 million €

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1. Overview of NTNU

Number of PhD students

020406080

100120140160180200

Mar

ine

Mat

eria

ls

Ener

gy

Med

Tech IC

T

Glo

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CeS

OS

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NT

NSE

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5 In

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Inte

r

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2. Nature of interdisciplinary research

Interdisciplinary research: “Harvesting” on University disciplines

Interdisciplinary

Research Project

University Disciplines

Sci

en

ce l

evel:

Basi

c

Ad

van

ced

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2. Nature of interdisciplinary research

Factors of ImportanceAt the institutional level:

Disciplinary push versusInterdisciplinary pull

• What will pull?–Opportunities for funding–University strategies

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2. Nature of interdisciplinary research

Factors of ImportanceAt the individual level:

Career thinking

• Scientific merits• Job opportunities• Job security• Work conditions• Job satisfaction

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3. NTNU’s 6 strategic areas

Faculties and Strategic Areas Natural Sciences and Technology

Informatics, Mathematics and Electrical Eng.Engineering Science and Technology

Social Sciences and TechnologyArchitecture and Fine Arts

Arts and HumanitiesMedicine

Marine and Maritime Tech.

Materials

Energy and Petroleum

Medical Technology

ICT

Globalisation

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3. NTNU’s 6 strategic areas

Organisation of Strategic Areas

BoardMedicalTechnology

Director Deputy Director

Co-ordinator

Management Group

Rector’s Forum for Strategic Areas

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4. Medical Technology

Medical Technology in Trondheim

SINTEF HealthSINTEF Health

Fac. of MedicineFac. of MedicineUniversity HospitalUniversity Hospital

Gløshaugen: Technology Campus

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4. Medical Technology

Buildling the new St.Olav University Hospital

6000 employees

More than 270.000 patients treated per year

Strong focus on technology and logistics

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4. Medical Technology

Collaborative Project NTNU/SINTEF/St.Olav:

Operating Room of the Future (ORF)

• Creating a universal model for efficient patient treatment by

• developing new technology and methods

• optimizing use of hospital resources

• Focus on:wireless communicationvisualization technologiesimaging-based intervention and therapy

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4. Medical Technology

Focus Areas and Elements of Medical Technology

Focus area 1994 1998 1999 2000 2002 2002 2003 2003 2004 2004 2005Ultrasound Magnetic ResonanceBiomaterials and ImplantsBiomedical Optics and MicrosystemsHelthcare InformaticsBioinformaticsMedical BiotechnologyBioelectronics for NeuroscienceBiomechanicsBio-nanotechnologyInnovationSocietal Aspects

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4. Medical Technology

PhD students in Medical Technologyby Faculty

05

101520253035

IVT IME DMF SVT HF NT

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4. Medical Technology

PhD degrees in MedicalTechnology at NTNU

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004

Total for 1992- 2004:Dr.med. 49 ( )Dr.ing. 54 ( )Othes 35Sum 138 ( )

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4.

Med

ical

Tec

hnolo

gy

Ex.

1:

U

ltra

sound

Cardiac Imaging

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4. Medical TechnologyEx.1: UltrasoundUltrasound navigation in

minimally invasive brain surgery

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4. Medical TechnologyEx.1: Ultrasound

Interdisciplinary interaction

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4. Medical Technology

Enabling technologies

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Not the future:4. Medical Technology

Ex.2: Health Informatics

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Patient’s medication list: Old vs. New

Mobile electronic patient record on PDA

Doctor’s user interface for medication:

Medical TechnologyEx.2: Health Informatics

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Interdisciplinary interaction

4. Medical TechnologyEx.2: Health Informatics

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Medical Technology Education Programs

4. Medical TechnologyEducation Programs

•Master of Science studies in medical technology•International Master of Science Program

•Biophysics and Medical Physics •Medical Cybernetics/Medical Imaging•Health Informatics•Bioinformatics•Biotechnology•Neuroscience

•MDs specializing in medical technology

•PhD-program i medical technology

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5. Instruments ofInterdisciplinarity

Implementing interdisciplinarity

• Intramural and external funding• Strategic planning (university and society) • Long-term establishment of interdisciplinary

career tracks• Facilitating interdisciplinary activity:

– Shared positions– Work environment

(mobile office, arenas, participation)• Attitude and culture• Deliveries to teaching and society

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6. Summary

Key issues

Three issues critical for the success of interdisciplinary research in a university environment:

• Anchor and embed interdisciplinary research at the strategic and operational level of a discipline-oriented university.

• Encourage and facilitate interdisciplinary research projects among researchers and students.

• Dynamically identify, execute and finalise interdisciplinary research projects as a “harvesting” activity based on strong, long-term knowledge generation in discipline-oriented research.