"Invest in R&D where the engineers are"

We invest large sums in training engineers, whose skills we then fail to make full use of. It is high time to review the system to further involve the engineering-rich service companies in research and innovation initiatives. This is written by Anne-Marie Fransson of IT&Telecom together with Teresa Jonek of Almega and Anders Persson of Svenska Teknik&Designföretagen on Ny Teknik's debate page.

Sweden is a knowledge society that has to compete with advanced skills and complex systems on the global market. Yet many decision-makers and authorities seem unaware that a significant proportion of knowledge capital is now found in service companies. This competence is thus an untapped resource in the Swedish innovation system.

Sweden has a long tradition of engineering knowledge based on technical inventions and development. There is also a strong hope that engineering will be an important piece of the puzzle in solving societal challenges such as the climate issue, sustainable community building and an increasing proportion of older people in the population.

Politicians agree across the political divide that we need more engineers for innovations that ensure competitiveness, welfare and sustainable growth. Unfortunately, the majority of working engineers are never involved in the innovation system. They mainly no longer work in industry, but as technical consultants in service companies, for example. In Sweden, we therefore invest large sums in training engineers, whose skills we then do not benefit from in research and innovation initiatives.