Integrating sustainability and innovation through a master’s program in product-service systems

Abstract

The results of unsustainable product innovation are evident worldwide. Products and their usage contribute to global sustainability problems. Companies building competence in innovation for sustainability will therefore gain competitive advantages in the evolving sustainability-driven market at the same time as sustainability is a driving force for innovation. Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) has a research group that brings together competences with the unifying purpose of supporting industrial capacity for sustainable product-service system innovation. From this research, it is evident that there is a need for systems innovators who can help create leap frog solutions as well as make sure that incremental improvements fit into a viable strategy towards a sustainable society. Industry needs people who can manage the whole innovation process for sustainability, including need-finding, design, implementation through to remanufacturing. BTH is therefore offering a comprehensive master’s program to prepare people to be systems' innovators for sustainability. This programme is focused where sustainability, innovation and product-service systems (PSS) meet. Supporting areas such as leadership, management and entrepreneurship are also included. The two-year program will allow students to engage in front-edge research results and will be continuously developed in close collaboration with industry to develop a relevant profile for graduates. Students will be engaged in ongoing research projects and have industrial projects. Upon completion, students will have practical experience in using methods and tools that support sustainable product innovation, as well as have a thorough theoretical understanding as a basis for development of new supplementary methods and tools as necessary.