"The Learning Lab here in Örebro – and our two Learning Labs in Gothenburg and Umeå – have given us a deeper understanding of how the educational environment works and what challenges there are. By doing this together with our tenants and users, we can co-create more efficient and appropriate environments. I look forward to continuing this journey," says Ulf Däversjö, Director of Business Technology and Development at Akademiska Hus and member of the steering committee for Learning Lab Örebro.
The Learning Lab in Örebro will be developed into a national knowledge centre for learning environments, which can serve as a resource and inspiration for other higher education institutions. Akademiska Hus owns and manages approximately 60 per cent of the properties at colleges and universities in Sweden and, through its government assignment, is responsible for providing higher education institutions with the right conditions for their operations. The Learning Lab is a good example of how Akademiska Hus can contribute to the development of the learning environments of the future in order to strengthen Sweden as a knowledge nation, says Ulf Däversjö.
"There are an incredible number of values in being able to use our existing environments and, with the help of modern pedagogy, creativity and curiosity, develop physical environments that are adapted to each specific teaching occasion – as we do here in the Learning Lab.
More flexible learning environments for teachers and students at Örebro University
The educational test environment Learning Lab will soon be larger. Another wing of Långhuset will be converted into flexible learning environments, where Örebro University's teachers and students will explore new ways of working together.
The extended collaboration agreement between Akademiska Hus and Örebro University means that new new classrooms and a new study area will be created in the wing opposite the current Learning Lab in Långhuset at Örebro University.
"It feels great. Learning Lab puts Örebro University on the map and makes it both more fun and more attractive to work and study here," says Rickard Ålund, Head of Property Management at Örebro University and chairman of the steering committee for Learning Lab.
Teachers' pedagogical needs at the centre
The Learning Lab has resources in the form of pedagogical and technical support that support the university's teachers to make their ideas a reality. When the project ends, the idea is that awareness will have increased of the importance of space for pedagogy – and that the students will have a more active role in teaching.
Teachers at Örebro University play a key role in this.
"With an expanded area and extended time for the test environment, teachers will now have even greater opportunities to use Learning Lab in their teaching and continue to explore the flexibility that exists here, in order to be able to become more independent in the long term use all our flexible learning environments around our campuses," says Rickard Ålund.
Read more about our learning environments of the future here.