Making University–SME Collaboration Work: From Live Projects to Lasting Partnerships

Darko brings experience from a model that has connected nearly 1,000 international students with more than 100 Swedish SMEs, alongside public agencies supporting exporters. The conversation will move beyond the benefits of experiential learning to examine the design work behind successful collaboration: finding the right partners, agreeing mutual value, managing uncertainty, and reconciling different incentives and rhythms. Participants will gain a grounded view of what SMEs need from universities, what students and educators contribute, and how institutions can support these initiatives without turning them into an additional layer of work.

In this Fireside Chat, you will learn:

1. How community-engaged, real-client learning can create a practical entry point for university–SME collaboration.
2. How to align project scope, roles, timelines and expectations across students, educators and SME partners.
3. Where these collaborations create value—and where uncertainty, limited capacity and competing priorities cause friction.
4. What institutional support can help promising initiatives move beyond individual champions and become repeatable practice.

Darko Pantelic is Assistant Professor of Business Administration at Jönköping International Business School, Jönköping University, and a member of its Media, Management and Transformation Centre. His teaching and research connect international marketing, intercultural learning and community-engaged education. Over more than a decade, he has developed and delivered real-client projects linking international students with Swedish SMEs and public organisations, generating practical insight into how university–business collaboration can be designed, supported and sustained.

A UIIN Fireside Chat is a 30-minute interview session between a UIIN facilitator and an external industry expert on a high-level topic. Participants will leave with insights and inspiration after hearing the experiences and perspectives of the guest speaker, and have the opportunity to ask questions during the session. Fireside Chats are also recorded for UIIN podcasts and are available after the session.