Mirai 2.0

The academic focus areas are represented by the Thematic Expert Groups (TEG) and the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Advisory Group (IEAG).

Each TEG and the IEAG consists of senior researchers with expertise and active research within the field, consisting of academic representatives from both Sweden and Japan. Content in each TEG and the IEAG will be decided by the representatives in each group. The groups are also responsible for evaluating and selecting workshop proposals prior to the research & innovation weeks, reporting to the General Assembly (GA) regarding the progress and results from the activities in the group as well as evaluating and nominating seed funding applications for funding.

Linnaeus academic focus areas of MIRAI is the TEG ageing and IEAG innovation and entrepreneurship.

Ageing

TEG ageing is focusing on the following topics:

• Topic 1: biological aspects of ageing
• Topic 2: psychosocial and social aspects of ageing
• Topic 3: technological aspects of ageing

Linnaeus University representative in TEG ageing is Associate Professor Anna Sandgren, Department of Health and Caring Sciences.

Artificial Intelligence

TEG artificial intelligence is focusing on the following topics in the Research and Innovation Week:

• Robotics
• Perception
• big data analytics
• Machine learning
• AI enabled applications
• Human-robot interaction
• Planning and optimization
• Ethics of AI
• Knowledge representation
• Reasoning
• Natural language processing
• Multi-agent systems
• Bio-inspired robotics
• Statistical learning
• AI in the edge/cloud

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

TEG innovation and entrepreneurship is focusing on the following topics in the Reasearch and Innovation Week:

• Entrepreneurship education
• The entrepreneurial ecosystem- a) research aspects, b) the entrepreneurial ecosystem (in practice)
• Impact planning canvas workshop

Linnaeus University representative in IEAG is Innovation Adviser Emma Burman, Office of External Relations. 

Material Science

TEG material science is focusing on the following topics in the Research and Innovation Week:

• Synchrotron sources
• spallation sources
• Materials for sensing applications
• Materials for energy devices

Sustainability

TEG sustainability is focusing on the following topics:

• Topic 1: sustainability transformation (including transformation on global/local scale, clean energy, and smart and resilient cities)
• Topic 2: assessment methods for negative emissions
• Topic 3: climate and security (including peace and migration issues)

The universities that are members of MIRAI 2.0 are:

Swedish universities

• University of Gothenburg (coordinating university)
• Jönköping University
• Karlstad University
• Linköping University
• Luleå University of Technology
• Linnaeus University
• Umeå University
• Uppsala University
• Örebro University
• Stockholm School of Economics (associate member)

Japanese universities

• Nagoya University (coordinating university)
• Hiroshima University
• Sophia University
• Kyushu University
• Tohoku University
• Waseda University
• Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)

Connect with researchers within your field and join scientific sessions within ageing, AI, innovation and entrepreneurship, material science and sustainability. On November 15-18, 2022 the MIRAI 2.0 Research & Innovation Week "Sharing ONE future: Integrative Knowledge and Sustainable Transformation towards a better world" will take place at Kyushu University in Japan. Researchers at Linnaeus Univeristy are now welcome to send in an application of interest to participate!

The event gathers researchers, students, and university management from all 20 Swedish and Japanese MIRAI 2.0 member universities as well as research funding agencies, policy makers and representatives from industry. It serves as a unique opportunity to strengthen collaboration between Sweden and Japan within research, innovation and education. Since the project started several digital conferences, workshops and meetings have been arranged and almost 30 Swedish Japanese research projects have started. Researchers at Linnaeus University can now register their interest to participate in the conference.

The research and innovation week program includes joint activities and scientific workshops in MIRAI 2.0's subject areas. Participants can present their research, take part in successful examples of collaborative projects and discuss and design project ideas. The program is continuously updated with more details until September.

In connection with the conference, there will be a call for seed funding that will make it possible to further develop the ideas and contacts that arise during the week.

Application and travel grant

The conference welcomes researchers at all levels. There is a limited number of participants per university, you register your interest to participate by submitting the document Application of interest. Linnaeus University offers a number of travel grants, you may apply to these in the Application of interest.

Employees at Swedish universities, businesses, or public sector organisations can also apply to Intsam travel grant. This call is open until September 1. The MIRAI project wants to increase collaboration with actors outside the academy and within Intsam's call, travel grants are set aside for representatives from business / industry and the public sector. For details on the Intsam call, please use link above.

 Researchers at Linnaeus University are welcome to apply for both calls, but a maximum of one (1) travel grant can be granted. Researchers with other external funding are not eligible for the Linnaeus travel grant.

Selection

Selection will be based on the Research and Innovation week’s relevance for the applicant's research, the potential to both contribute to, and benefit from, the thematic areas and the objectives of MIRAI 2.0 and the applicant's plans for future and long term cooperation. Balance between thematic areas, seniority and gender will be considered in the selection process.

Deadline to apply your interest is September 15. Send the Application of interest to: charlotte.skoglund@lnu.se

Important deadlines

• Intsam's travel grant: September 1
• Linnaeus University application of interest and travel grant: September 15

Application of interest

• Please download the application of interest (Word)
• Please download the application of interest (pdf)

More information

• MIRAI 2.0 Research and Innovation Week https://www.mirai.nu/riweek2022/
• MIRAI 2.0 www.mirai.nu

Questions? Please contact MIRAI 2.0 Project Manager at the Office of External Relations charlotte.skoglund@lnu.se

University of Gothenburg is hosting the MIRAI 2.0 Digital Research and Innovation week. The theme for the event is International Collaboration in a Digital Era – Fostering Innovative Minds for the Future.

The event will include a number of scientific sessions within ageing, artificial intelligence, material science, innovation and entrepreneurship and sustainability as well as matchmaking activities, poster sessions and more. Full program and registration will be available in late April 2021. 

The event will focus on:

• matchmaking between early career researchers
• joint activities/workshops
• present research 
• access funding opportunities
• Vinnova academia/industry matchmaking event

Program and Registration for MIRAI 2.0 Research and Innovation week

Deadline June 6

Academia/industry matchmaking event, 10 June

Theme: Artificial intelligence and the future of healthcare for older populations

The MIRAI2.0 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Advisory Group (IEAG) organises a matchmaking event that will offer a great opportunity for academics, researchers, and industrial players from both countries to network, present research progress and address new challenges, while identifying potential ideas for future collaboration and seed projects.

Program and Registration for MIRAI 2.0 Academia/Industry Matchmaking Event

Deadline June 6

In September 2021 Linnaeus University was hosting the digital MIRAI 2.0 TEG ageing workshop – Unlocking potential for new collaborations.

The workshop gave researchers the opportunity to:

• reconnect after the Research and Innovation Week in June 2021
• develop project ideas
• learn more about seed funding possibilities
• learn more about ageing in Japan and Sweden

Read more about the TEG workshop here.

A call for seed funding will be launched early autumn after the Research & Innovation Week (application and nomination will be made to MIRAI 2.0).

To strengthen collaboration between Japan and Sweden in research, education, and innovation, MIRAI2.0 is launching seed funding to support promising collaborative initiatives. The objective is to encourage further development of existing and new collaborations between MIRAI2.0 member universities based on innovative projects and new ideas. This call is divided into two tracks, one for joint projects and the other for joint short courses for PhDs and postdocs.

Deadline is 1 December 2022.

Call and application form is found here: https://www.mirai.nu/funding.

Seed funding 2023

Six Linnaeus researchers approved projects in the Japan-Sweden collaborative project MIRAI 2023

How does the use of metaphors in palliative care communication enrich the relationship between the patient and healthcare professional? How can emerging technologies support elderly’s self-care and social participation? These are the questions for two of the projects that Linnaeus University's researchers have been granted funding for in the call MIRAI 2.0 Joint seed funding of Japan-Sweden collaborative projects.

In autumn 2022, the second joint seed funding for Japanese-Swedish cooperation projects was announced. The goal is to encourage further development of existing and new collaborations between MIRAI's member universities based on innovative projects and new ideas. 20 projects have now been granted funding, and five of them involve researchers from Linnaeus University.

The researchers and projects that have been approved are:

• Anna Bratt, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, for comparison of components and determinants of quality of life among older LGBTQ+ people living in Japan and Sweden.
• Sarfraz Iqbal, Faculty of Technology, for older persons’ social participation and digital engagement in and outside the home.
• Soniya Billore and Per Servais, School of Business and Economics, for vertical seascape farming and its contribution towards food self-sufficiency- A study of industrial and consumption possibilities in the Japanese and Swedish markets.
• Soniya Billore, School of Business and Economics, for Marketing technology (MARTECH) for customer behavioral transformation to rapidly reduce food loss and wast
• Anna Sandgren, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, for the use of metaphors in palliative care for older persons.

Seed funding 2021

Four Linnaeus researchers approved projects in the Japan-Sweden collaborative project MIRAI

What determines the quality of life of older LGBTQ+ people in Sweden and Japan? What are the possibilities of seascape farming as one sustainable way of handling food self-sufficiency? This will be investigated in two of the projects that researchers from Linnaeus University have been granted funding for in the call MIRAI 2.0 Joint seed funding of Japan-Sweden collaborative projects.

In June, the joint seed funding of Japan-Sweden collaborative projects was launched. The objective is to encourage further development of existing and new collaborations between the member universities of MIRAI based on innovative projects and new ideas. 24 projects have now been granted funding, and in four of them there are researchers from Linnaeus University.

The researchers and projects that have been approved are:

• Anna Bratt, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, with Comparison of components and determinants of quality of life among older LGBTQ+ people living in Japan and Sweden.
• Sarfraz Iqbal, Faculty of Technology, with Co-designing digital self-care in later life. 
• Soniya Billore and Per Servais, School of Business and Economics, with Vertical farming and sustainable food consumption.                    
• Soniya Billore, School of Business and Economics, with Marketing Technology (MARTECH) for customer behavioral transformation to rapidly reduce food wastes.

More information
Learn more about the 24 projects: https://www.mirai.nu/seed-funding-for-24-new-collaborations-within-mirai2-0/